Azura Consulting LLC is conducting systematic line-transect aerial surveys to characterize the winter distribution and relative abundance of large whales off the coasts of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey. The primary target species is the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis, hereafter “right whale”), which remains one of the most endangered large whales globally, […]
Gulf of Maine Aerial & Ship Surveys
In June, we concluded our year-long support of aerial and shipboard surveys in the Gulf of Maine for the Maine Department of Marine Resources (ME DMR), Division of Marine Mammal Research. These monthly, systematic line-transect surveys were designed to collect data on large whales and other marine species to assess their distribution and abundance. Azura […]
Azura Completes 3rd Season of Whale Aerial Surveys in the Mid-Atlantic
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 […]
Azura Records Right Whales & Other Large Whales in the Mid-Atlantic
Between 5 January and 6 March 2024, Azura conducted systematic line-transect aerial surveys to determine the distribution and relative abundance of large whales off the coasts of Virginia, Maryland, Delaware, and New Jersey. The study area ranged from the New York Bight to south of Virginia Beach, Virginia. The primary target of these surveys was […]
Azura Awarded NOAA Contract for Large Whale Aerial Surveys in the Mid-Atlantic Region
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 […]
