In recent times, initiatives to safeguard the endangered North Atlantic right whale population have involved implementing speed restrictions for ships in whale-inhabited areas to prevent collisions and promoting the use of ropeless fishing gear to reduce entanglements. However, shifts in the whales’ congregating patterns have posed challenges to these efforts.
Researchers from the University of Maine and the New England Aquarium are collaborating to enhance their modeling techniques for predicting the whales’ whereabouts. Camille Ross, an associate research scientist at the New England Aquarium, emphasized the difficulty of continuously monitoring the widespread ocean habitats that North Atlantic right whales utilize.
The study, titled “Incorporating prey fields into North Atlantic right whale density surface models,” led by Ross and published in Endangered Species Research, aims to address the limited population of around 370 endangered North Atlantic right whales, with only approximately 70 reproductive-age females remaining.
Adapting to the changing ocean conditions, the whales are exploring new areas, necessitating predictive models that can identify potential feeding grounds. By tracking zooplankton, particularly calanoid copepods, which are the whales’ primary food source, researchers estimate the whales’ movements based on prey availability.
Ross highlighted the importance of incorporating zooplankton sampling data and statistical algorithms to create comprehensive images of prey distribution in the Northwest Atlantic. She emphasized the need for ongoing field observations to improve the accuracy of predictive models, especially in light of climate variations affecting whale behavior.
Matt Abbott, the Fundy Baykeeper and Marine Program Director at the Conservation Council of New Brunswick, stressed the significance of research collaborations in mitigating human impacts on right whales. Abbott noted the critical role of studies like this in informing decision-makers to minimize threats such as entanglements and ship strikes.
As the North Atlantic right whale population faces alarming declines, collaborative efforts between researchers, industries, and policymakers are crucial to safeguarding these iconic marine mammals.