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doi:10.7289/V5/TM-NMFS-SER-4 
ii

NOTICE 

The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) does not approve, recommend, or endorse any 

proprietary product or material mentioned in this publication. No reference shall be made to 

NMFS, or to this publication furnished by NMFS, in any advertising or sales promotion which 

would imply that NMFS approves, recommends, or endorses any propriety product or proprietary 

material mentioned herein or which has as its purpose any intent to cause directly or indirectly the 

advertised product to be used or purchased because of this NMFS publication. 

Recommended citation:

Zoodsma, Barb, K. Howe, M. White, J. Jakush, C. George, T. Gowan, P. Hamilton, K, Jackson, 

T. Pitchford, C. Taylor, and L. Ward. 2016. North Atlantic Right Whale Calving Area Surveys: 

2014/2015 Results. U.S. Dept. of Commerce, NOAA. NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFSSER-4, 10 p. 

Copies of this report may be obtained from: 

Barb Zoodsma 

National Marine Fisheries Service 

Southeast Regional Office 

263 13th Avenue North 

St. Petersburg, FL 33701 

Or online at: 

http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/

doi:10.7289/V5/TM-NMFS-SER-4 
iii

Table of Contents 

Introduction ..................................................................................................................................................... 1 

Methods .......................................................................................................................................................... 1 

Aerial Surveys ............................................................................................................................................. 1 

Teams/Platform ....................................................................................................................................... 1 

2014/2015 Survey Zone and Frequency ................................................................................................. 1 

Daily Survey Area ................................................................................................................................... 2 

Aerial Survey Data .................................................................................................................................. 3 

Whale Alerts ............................................................................................................................................... 3 

Results ............................................................................................................................................................. 4 

Aerial Surveys ............................................................................................................................................. 4 

Whale Alerts ............................................................................................................................................... 9 

Miscellaneous ............................................................................................................................................... 10 

Injured and Entangled Whales .................................................................................................................. 10 

Mortalities ................................................................................................................................................. 11 

Dynamic Management Areas .................................................................................................................... 11 

Key Points ..................................................................................................................................................... 11 

Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................................... 11 

References ..................................................................................................................................................... 11
1

Introduction 

Aerial surveys are flown December 1 through March 31, annually, in the Southeast United States 

to detect North Atlantic right whales in their primary calving area. The purpose of the aerial 

surveys is to contribute to (in prioritized order): 

 Population monitoring via detection and identification of individual right whales 

including cow/calf pairs occurring in the Southeast United States each year 

 Monitoring trends in human-related serious injuries and mortality 

 Vessel-strike reduction 

Given these prioritized objectives, we focused aerial surveys in areas where we expected the 

highest number of right whale detections. 

Additionally, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric and Administration’s National Marine 

Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries), U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, and U.S. Army Corps of 

Engineers have agreed to implement the “Early Warning System” (EWS) –a system of aerial 

surveys and communications designed to provide mariners with information on whale locations. 

The goal of the EWS is vessel-whale collision mitigation. 

This report briefly summarizes results from the NOAA Fisheries-administered aerial surveys and 

the EWS. 

Methods 

Aerial Surveys 

Teams/Platform 

Two dedicated teams flew aerial surveys in 2014/2015. Sea to Shore Alliance (S2S), contracted 

by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources (GDNR), was based out of St. Simons Island, 

Georgia, and flew aboard a NOAA-owned De Havilland Twin Otter. The flight team consisted of 

2 observers and a dedicated data recorder. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation 

Commission (FWC) was based out of St. Augustine, Florida and flew aboard a Cessna Skymaster. 

The FWC flight team consisted of 2 observers; one of these also served as the data recorder. Two 

pilots were seated at the controls in each aircraft. 

2014/2015 Survey Zone and Frequency 

The geographic area from which flight lines were selected ranged from about Savannah, Georgia, 

southward to just north of Cape Canaveral, Florida. Transects oriented east-west and parallel to 

shore were used (Error! Reference source not found.). Generally, each team attempted to fly 

every day there was good visibility and sea state (less than 4 on the Beaufort Wind Scale). 
F

N

Daily Su

The 2014

day. In g

included

 

1. E

2. A

3. W

4. P

                  

1

 The FWC

(2014). Th

temperatur

igure 1. Tran

North Atlantic 

urvey Area 

4/2015 aeria

general, EW

: 

EWS transect

Avoiding airs

Weather

redicted wha

                       

C produced bim

his paper valid

re data for the p

nsects availabl

right whale c

l survey zon

S transects w

ts 

space conflic

ale locations

                   

monthly predict

ated hindcasted

period are avai

le to be flown 

alving season.

ne was too la

were a daily 

cts with mili

s

1

tions of right w

d predictions, b

ilable). 

2

by aerial surv

. Thick black

arge for 2 aer

priority, but

itary operatio

whale distributi

but not forecas

vey teams dur

k lines represen

rial survey te

t other criter

ons 

ion using meth

sted prediction

ing the 2014/2

nt EWS trans

eams to surv

ria were used

hods described 

s (i.e., before s

2015 

sects. 

vey in a sing

d as well and

by Gowan and

sea surface 

gle 

d

d Ortiz 
5. R

6. D

7. N

8. A

Aerial S

Survey d

Ortega-O

Whale A

Whale al

verified b

users in n

                  

2

 Users rec

(SMS) to e

Recent whale

Distributing e

NOAA-affilia

Aircraft avail

urvey Data

data collectio

Ortiz (2014). 

Alerts 

lerts were ge

by or relayed

near-real tim

Fig

list

                       

ceived email or

email gateway.

e sightings 

effort throug

ated, boat-ba

lability/hour

a

on methods f

enerated from

d through a r

me using geog

gure 2. Areal

s. 

                   

r text message 

ghout the sur

ased biopsy/

s

followed tho

m aerial surv

reliable sour

graphically b

l coverage of

alerts; text mes

3

rvey area

/tagging proj

ose described

vey sightings

rce. We issu

based email 

f whale alert 

ssages were po

jects 

d in Keller et

s as well as r

ued whale ale

distribution

email distrib

ossible if users 

t al. (2012) a

reported pub

erts to marin

n lists2 (Figur

bution 

provided a sho

and Gowan a

blic sightings

ne users and 

re 2). 

ort message se

and 

s

other 

ervice 
4

Results 

Aerial Surveys 

The FWC conducted 51 surveys (17 complete and 34 partial), and S2S conducted 38 surveys (17 

complete and 21 partial). Search effort was unevenly distributed throughout the survey season 

(Table 1) and area (Figure 3). 

Table 1. Number of Nautical Miles 

(nmi) Flown While On Effort3

Month On‐Effort Trackline

Distance (nmi)

December 8987

January 6575

February 7146

March 8825

The 2 survey teams observed or verified 78 right whale sightings4 -18 of those were first reported 

to us from various sources (volunteer sighting network, public, dredge, U.S. Coast Guard, etc.). 

Most sightings were associated with the area of highest effort (Figure 4) and varied by month 

(Table 2). 

                                                            

3

 “On effort” is defined as those times when the following conditions are met: Beaufort sea state < 4, visibility at least 

2 nmi (3.7 kilometers), altitude < 1200 feet (366 meters), and not circling a sighting, or on verification survey. 4

 A “sighting” consists of 1 or more right whales. 
F

su

ou

igure 3. Den

urvey area. E

utlines). Tra

nsity distribu

Effort is disp

ansects are b

ution of the n

played as num

lack, and EW

5

number of su

mber of fligh

WS transects

urveys flown 

hts in 3- by 3

s are thick bl

over the 201

-nmi grid cel

ack. 

4/2015 

lls (grey 
Figure 4. G

symbols) or

represent si

right whales

eographic di

 reported to 

ghtings of m

s. 

istribution o

us and verifi

mother/calf pa

6

f right whale

fied (grey sym

airs, and tria

es sighted wh

mbols) durin

angles repres

hile on effort

g 2014/2015.

sent sightings

t (black 

. Circles 

 of other 
First sigh

througho

Figure 5. 

Seventee

season (T

These 2 f

 O

ju

Table

Sighti

M

De

Ja

Fe

M

* A r

** In

htings of ind

out the calvin

 Rate of righ

en mother/ca

Table 3). W

females were

One mother/c

ust outside th

e 2. Monthl

ings (detected

Month 

Num

R

W

Sig

Ev

ecember

anuary

ebruary

March

right whale sig

ndividuals may

dividual right

ng season an

ht whale disc

alf pairs were

e sighted 15

e later seen w

calf pair was

he Brunswic

ly Number o

d per nautical m

mber of 

Right 

Whale 

ghting 

vents* 

Nu

of R

Wh

10 

16 

30 

22 

ghting consists 

y have been ret whales (i.e

nd into early 

covery by the

e detected in

 mother/calf

with calves b

s photo-docu

ck shipping c

7

of Right Wh

mile of on-effo

mber

Right 

ales** 

Sig

Even

21 

24 

60 

44 

of 1 or more ri

-sighted within

., detected fo

March (Figu

e S2S and FW

n the Southea

f pairs and 2

by other sigh

umented by a

channel and 

hales and R

ort trackline).

ghting 

nts/1,000 

nmi W

1.1 

2.4 

4.2 

2.5 

ight whales. 

n the same or di

or the first ti

ure 5). 

WC aerial su

ast United S

2 other femal

hting entities

a dredge obs

about 7 nmi

Right Whale 

Individual 

Right 

Whales/1,000 

nmi 

2.3 

3.7 

8.4 

5.0 

ifferent month

ime in the se

urvey teams i

tates during 

les that subs

s: 

server on Feb

i outside the 

hs. 

eason) were 

in the calving

the 2014/20

equently cal

bruary 5, 20

COLREGs.

made 

g area. 

015 

lved. 

15, 
8

 One mother/calf pair was observed by the Marine Resources Council volunteer sighting 

network about 15 nmi south of Cape Canaveral on March 10, 2015. 

The mean calving interval was 5.5 (median = 6). 

Table 3. Catalog Numbers, Ages, and Other Known Calving Information for Calving 

Females observed in the Southeast United States during the 2014/2015 Calving Season 

(Note: Numbers reflect known calving information –some calving events may have gone undetected).

Whale ID Age1

Number of Calves

Known to Have Been

Produced by a Given

Female1

Age At First

Known Calving1

Last Known

Calving Year1

Presumed

Calving

Interval1

3646 9 1 9

3693 > 9 1 > 9

3420 11 1 11

3232 13 1 13

3292 13 2 6 2008 7

3139 14 2 8 2009 6

2790 > 18 4 > 8 2011 4

2605 19 3 11 2010 5

2611 19 3 11 2009 6

2223 23 3 13 2009 6

2145 24 5 10 2009 6

1950 > 26 5 > 8 2010 5

1701 28 6 9 2010 5

1703 28 4 14 2008 7

1611 29 4 15 2009 6

1604 > 29 5 > 7 2011 4

1620 > 29 6 > 10 2010 5 1

Data Source: North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium Sightings Database, 4/28/2016 

Thirteen right whales from other demographic groups were observed in the Southeast U.S. 

calving area. We observed 8 other right whales (excluding females with calves and pregnant 

females) (Figure 6). Research vessels and a volunteer sighting network detected 5 additional right 

whales (2 adult males, 2 juveniles, and 1 adult of unknown sex). 
9

Figure 6. Demographic information of North Atlantic right whales seen by either the FWC 

or S2S aerial survey teams in the Southeast United States during the 2014/2015 calving 

season. 

Table 4. Number of Representatives from 

Various Organization Types Receiving Whale 

Alerts at the End of the 2014/2015 Right 

Whale Calving Season

Recipient Type Count

Commercial Fishing 1

Commercial Shipping/Harbor Pilots 35

Law Enforcement (federal, state, local) 19

Resource Managers (Federal, State,

Local) 32

U.S. Army Corps of

Engineers/Dredge/Dredge Observers 22

U.S. Coast Guard 6

U.S. Navy 10

Volunteer Sighting Networks 5

Whale Researchers 25

Other 8

Total 163

Female with Calf (n=15)

Pregnant Female (n=2)

Adult Female (n=2)

Adult Male (n=3)

Juvenile Female (n=1)

Juvenile Male (n=1)

Juvenile Unknown (n=1)

In all, 30 different right whales (excluding 

calves) were seen in the Southeast U.S. 

calving area during the calving season. 

The only other large whale species sighted 

was 1 humpback whale located near St. 

Augustine in early February. 

Whale Alerts 

One hundred and sixty three subscribers 

representing various industries, agencies, 

and organizations were receiving whale 

alerts at the end of March 2015 (Table 4). 

Some entities (e.g., Navy and Coast Guard) 

subscribed using an email address that 

automatically distributed whale alerts to 

several recipients. 

A total of 113 whale alerts were issued for 

the 2014/2015 season. Sightings were 

generated from a number of sources (Figure 

7). 
Figure 

may not 

Miscell

Injured

No entan

The New

condition

observed

Observed

 

 C

an

 C

an

Observed

 C

p

 C

en

7. Right wh

have been ver

laneous 

 and Entan

ngled whales

w England Aq

n and warran

d in the calvi

d by us: 

Catalog #336

nd fluke (no

Catalog #367

nd body (no 

d by others: 

Catalog #333

eduncle, fluk

Catalog #394

ntanglement

ale sighting s

ified by an aer

ngled Wha

s were observ

quarium ma

nt monitoring

ng area. 

60 observed w

 gear). 

70 observed w

gear). 

3 observed b

ke, and head

42 observed b

t scars on he

sources for w

rial survey team

les 

ved by eithe

intains a list

g. The follo

with previou

with recent e

by GDNR w

d (no gear). 

by the Marin

ad, peduncle

10

whale alerts (

m). 

er survey team

t of right wh

owing right w

usly known e

entanglemen

with previous

neland Right

e, and fluke 

(includes sight

m. 

ales that are

whales are in

entanglemen

nt injuries on

sly known en

t Whale Proj

(no gear). 

tings that were 

 either injure

ncluded on th

nt wounds on

n the head, p

ntanglement

ject with pre

verified, but th

ed or in poor

hat list and w

n the pedunc

peduncle, flu

t wounds on 

eviously kno

hose 

r

were 

cle 

uke, 

own 
11

Mortalities 

No dead whales were observed by either survey team. 

Dynamic Management Areas 

No Dynamic Management Areas were established within the Southeastern United States during 

the 2014/2015 calving season. 

Key Points 

 Weather and the EWS lines were substantial governors on when and where surveys were 

flown. 

 Seventeen mother/calf pairs were documented in the Southeast United States during the 

2014/2015 season. 

 The mean and median calving interval was 5.5 and 6.0, respectively. 

 Thirteen right whales from other demographic groups were sighted in the calving area. 

 The New England Aquarium is monitoring the health of 4 of the 30 juvenile or adult right 

whales (13%) that were observed in the calving area. 

 Individual whales were seen for the first time and, therefore, potentially arriving in the 

calving area as late as early March. 

Acknowledgements 

NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Navy, U.S. Coast Guard, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and Georgia 

Department of Natural Resources provided funding. Surveys were flown under NOAA Fisheries 

Permit #15488 issued to GDNR. 

References

Gowan, T. A., and J. G. Ortega-Ortiz. 2014. Wintering habitat model for the North Atlantic right 

whale (Eubalaena glacialis) in the southeastern United States. PLoS ONE 9(4):e95126. 

Keller, C. A., L. Garrison, R. Baumstark, L. I. Ward-Geiger, and E. Hines. 2012. Application of a 

habitat model to define calving habitat of the North Atlantic right whale in the southeastern 

United States. Endangered Species Research 18(1):73-87.