North Atlantic Right Whales Return to Cape Cod Bay
December 14, 2018

Meridian (#1403), a 34 year old North Atlantic right whale, was one of at least nine right whales seen feeding in Cape Cod Bay on December 11, 2018. The white scars on his tail and in front of the blow holes are from a previous entanglement in fishing gear.
credit: Center For Coastal Studies, NOAA permit #19315-01

An aerial survey by the Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) found at least nine North Atlantic right whales in Cape Cod Bay on December 11, 2018, signaling their return to one of the most crucial areas to their survival. Some well-known whales were seen including Arpeggio (#2753), a female right whale who was born in 1997 and is actually featured in the header image of our website. Marble (#2602), a male born in 1996, and Meridian (#1403), a male born in 1984, were also seen feeding in the bay - a place they have all been seen in previous years. All three of these whales have been entangled in fishing gear at least once and Arpeggio has propeller scars from a ship strike, showing just how hard it is for right whales to survive when they've been under constant attack from humans.

They do face threats in Cape Cod Bay but thankfully it is fairly well protected, and better regulated, than some other areas. Seeing these whales alive and feeding there give us much-needed hope for the future. 246 individual right whales were seen in Cape Cod Bay between January and May of 2018, more than half of the estimated 408 whales in the population, so this area is absolutely crucial. Surveys usually start in January but increased funding has enabled CCS to start surveys earlier, something they had wanted to do because they suspected whales arrived in the bay before January. "With today’s sighting we now know that whales enter the area earlier than previously thought, information important to the effort to protect the species,” Dr. Charles 'Stormy' Mayo said.

These flights are very important in the protection of these whales because they can see if any of the whales are entangled and in need of rescue. They also help inform local, state and federal governments about where to apply regulations to protect them. Our goal is for full protections, all year long in every area they reside in but right now only certain areas are protected at certain times, sometimes only when right whales are seen recently in the area. Since this is the current reality, it's important to at least protect the areas where they are seen in high numbers such as Cape Cod Bay.

Sources:

North Atlantic Right Whales Make First Trip of Season to Cape Cod Bay - CapeCod.com

Rare North Atlantic right whales return to Cape Cod Bay - Center for Coastal Studies