"Whales"

NOAA Fisheries' biological opinion considering proposed Permit No. 20465, a renewal of the Marine Mammal Laboratory's most recent Permit No. 14245.

This annual summary provides entanglement information and related updates that are particularly useful to those engaged in efforts to understand and address the issue on the U.S. West Coast from the fishery management perspective.

  Going out with whale watching tours that follow responsible guidelines is a great way to see whales in a manner that is safe and respectful for wildlife and humans, while supporting local businesses. The Whale SENSE program provides recognition

A scientific paper was recently published in NOAA’s Fishery Bulletin that provides abundance estimates of whales and dolphins in Hawaiian waters using data from a ship-based survey that took place in 2010.

Sperm whales have been a part of American culture ever since Captain Ahab set out aboard the Pequod to find the infamous white whale in "Moby Dick". Large, noisy, and often social, sperm whales are a remarkable species found from the equator to the poles.

It is likely that fewer than 100 Bryde's whales are living in the Gulf of Mexico. Learn more about what NOAA Fisheries is doing to help this endangered species.

Whales can be very hard to find in Earth’s vast seas. NOAA Fisheries’ scientists and partners use a range of technologies and research techniques to locate whales and study their behavior. Some of these techniques are new and exploratory while others are tried and tested, but all are providing important data on protected whale species. Check out some of the ways we’re watching for whales below.

This report describes field activities of the Aerial Surveys of Arctic Marine Mammals (ASAMM) project conducted during summer and fall (1 July–31 October) 2016, and data and analyses used to summarize field activities. Surveys were based in Barrow, Alaska, and Deadhorse, Alaska, and targeted the northeastern and southcentral Chukchi and western Beaufort seas, between 67°N and 72N latitude and 140°W and 169°W longitude. Between 19 July and 20 August, surveys extended up to 111 km north of the usual ASAMM study area to collect information specific to the Eastern Chukchi Sea (ECS) stock of belugas. Sea ice cover in the study area in 2016 was generally light compared with historical (pre-2007) sea ice cover. When surveys commenced in early July, sea ice remained north of 70°N, and persisted though early August. By late August, sea ice remained near Hanna Shoal, but was otherwise absent from the study area. The remnant sea ice near Hanna Shoal shifted location through late September, moving closer to Point Barrow and into the westernmost Beaufort Sea, and was completely absent by mid-October. By late October, new ice was forming in shallow nearshore areas in the study area.

NOAA Fisheries scientists are at the forefront of bioacoustics research. Now, the recently released Ocean Noise Strategy Roadmap will ensure their work is supported for years to come.

Can you hear me now?