North Atlantic Right Whale Recovery Plan Northeast U.S. Implementation Team

This multi-disciplinary team was established to advise NOAA Fisheries on issues related to the status and conservation of right whales in the Northeast U.S. (Maine to Virginia).

New England/Mid-Atlantic

Image collected under MMPA research permit #775-1875. Photo credit: NOAA/NEFSC/Eric Matzen

What is the Northeast Implementation Team?

The Endangered Species Act aims to protect, conserve, and recovery endangered and threatened species. The ESA authorizes NOAA Fisheries to appoint recovery teams to assist with the development and implementation of recovery plans. The NEIT is a recovery team appointed to assist with the implementation of the North Atlantic right whale recovery plan.

Recovery is the process of restoring listed species and their ecosystems to the point where they no longer require Endangered Species Act protections. A primary role for NOAA Fisheries in recovering endangered and threatened species is to set goals for each species’ recovery comeback through the development of recovery plans.

Terms of Reference

A Terms of Reference describes the Team operating rules and has been agreed to by all Team members. The NEIT Terms of Reference document serves as an agreement between each member of the Team and NOAA Fisheries.

What does the NEIT do?

Coordinate and effect recovery plan implementation in Northeast U.S. while making efficient use of available resources via recommendations to NOAA Fisheries Greater Atlantic Regional Fisheries Office
Involve stakeholders in implementation of the recovery plan
Promote creative solutions
Monitor effectiveness of recovery plan implementation and adapt plan implementation accordingly
Identify and prioritize information needs that can be best addressed through enhanced partnerships

NEIT Members

Dr. Mark Baumgartner, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Joel T. Bell, U.S. Navy
Dr. Danielle Cholewiak, NOAA Fisheries, Northeast Fisheries Science Center
Dr. Cindy P. Driscoll, Veterinarian
Robert Glenn, Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries
Dr. Roxanne Gillett, Fisheries and Oceans Canada
William McLellan, University of North Carolina-Wilmington
Katie S. Moore, U.S. Coast Guard
Meghan Rickard, New York State Department of Environmental Conservation
Erin Summers, Maine Department of Marine Resources
Dr. Desray Reeb, Bureau of Ocean Energy Management
Dr. David Wiley, National Ocean Service, Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Élise Lacaille, Transport Canada
Cori Rose, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers

Team Meetings

February 12-14, 2024
Webinar
Meeting Summary (PDF, 12 pages)

July 25-27, 2023
Boston, MA
Meeting Summary (PDF, 12 pages)

December 14-16, 2022
Webinar
Meeting Summary (PDF, 12 pages)

July 26-28, 2022
Webinar
Meeting Summary (PDF, 10 pages)

July 7, 13, and 15, 2021
Webinar
Meeting Summary (PDF, 12 pages)

November 18-19, 2020
Webinar
Meeting Summary (PDF, 7 pages)

June 24-26, 2020
Webinar
Meeting Summary (PDF, 10 pages)

October 29-30, 2019
Baltimore, MD
Joint Teams Meeting Summary (PDF, 12 pages)

October 28, 2019
Baltimore, MD
Meeting Summary (PDF, 8 pages)

March 27-28, 2019
Boston, MA
Meeting Summary (PDF, 22 pages)

October 30, 2018
Boston, MA
Meeting Summary (PDF, 13 pages)

For more information on the team or team meetings contact Diane Borggaard, Greater Atlantic Region Right Whale Recovery Coordinator. Submit comments or information to the NEIT at nmfs.gar.neit@noaa.gov.

Does the NEIT address entanglement issues?

Right whale entanglements in fishing gear are addressed by the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team process. However, the NEIT may help support the Take Reduction process, if needed, to help implement recovery goals.

What is the Southeast Implementation Team (SEIT)?

The SEIT is the southeast counterpart to the NEIT, working on recovery issues from North Carolina through Florida.

What is the Right Whale U.S. Implementation Team ?

The NEIT and SEIT combine to form a U.S. Implementation Team to coordinate on coastwide issues. Both teams work independently on regional issues, but can coordinate on issues to address coast wide specific issues. This coordination can also include through the use of subgroups such as the Population Evaluation Tool Subgroup and others as needed.

Population Evaluation Tool Subgroup

The objective of the subgroup will be to develop a population viability analysis or other assessment tool that will allow the agency to characterize the North Atlantic right whale extinction risk, taking into account current and future threats, and will allow inquiry into how much improvement to present-day mortality and reproduction schedules is needed to improve population trajectories. This analysis would be useful to help identify benchmarks based on population status which would inform management as well as any gaps in research.

The Population Evaluation Tool Subgroup developed a North Atlantic Right Whale Population Viability Analysis which was made available in October 2023.