This winter, we completed our 3rd season of large whale aerial surveys in the Mid-Atlantic region. This research was conducted in compliance with the NMFS Research Permit No. 27066-01 and under contract to the NMFS Northeast Fisheries Science Center. Our survey area covers coastal, shelf, and offshore waters between the New York Bight and just south of Virginia Beach, Virginia. We sighted fin, humpback, sperm, blue, minke, and beaked whales in addition to our primary target, North Atlantic right whales, which we recorded throughout our survey area. A total of 43 individual right whales were matched to the North Atlantic Right Whale Catalog and included a mix of females and males and two recent-year calves. Surface-active groups were sighted off Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey. Dynamic Management Areas were initiated in areas where three or more right whales were observed. Sightings from our surveys can be viewed on WhaleMap.
