In support of the Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Azura will conduct aerial surveys targeted at detecting North Atlantic right whales in the Mid-Atlantic this winter to help inform efforts to mitigate anthropogenic impacts on this critically endangered species. These line-transect surveys will cover approximately 7,000 nautical miles of tracklines from northern New Jersey to just south of the Chesapeake Bay entrance.

Although the primary target is the North Atlantic right whale, we will also record other whale species, including sei, humpback, blue, fin, minke, and sperm whales. Sightings from our surveys can be viewed on WhaleMap. This research is being conducted in compliance with the National Marine Fisheries Service Research Permit No. 21371-01.