Right Whale Migration Update: May 7, 1997

Center for Coastal Studies

Greetings once more from the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary--

Right whale sightings have been very few in number lately -- mostly because of the weather. Unfortunately, storms and windy days have prevented many of the boat, helicopter and airplane patrols. The trips that have gone out have reported a complete absence of right whales from Cape Cod Bay (including the last helicopter patrol from April 25th).

Chris Slay of the New England Aquarium's Right Whale Research Group (who you may recognize as one of the Florida/Georgia Early Warning Network researchers from earlier reports) was up here in Massachusetts for awhile. He and other researchers from the Center for Coastal Studies and the Aquarium were attempting to tag right whales to try and locate missing habitats (we know there are 300 whales but we just don't know where they are most of the time). He was successful in applying one tag to whale #2135 (Son of Stripe), a 6-year-old juvenile (male right whales reach maturity at about age 10). Data from this tagging show that Son of Stripe has been booking it around the Gulf of Maine. He has circumnavigated Georges Bank and has made forays into much of the south and central parts of the Gulf of Maine and into the Great South Channel.

All of us are hoping for some better weather in the next few weeks to allow for continuation of the research cruises and flights.

Until next time, this is Anne Smrcina of the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary signing off.

The FINAL Right Whale Migration Update Will be Posted on May 21, 1997.