At a Glance:

The North Atlantic right whale (NARW) is one of the most critically endangered animals in the world, with about 340 individuals remaining in the population in 2021 of which only 70 are reproductive females. A decade ago, the population was near 500. Marine mammal scientists concur that fishing entanglement and ship strikes are the principal human-caused threats to the whale. “At this point, there is no scientific evidence that noise resulting from offshore wind site characterization surveys could potentially cause mortality of whales. There are no known links between recent large whale mortalities and ongoing offshore wind surveys.” according to NOAA, the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration.

A Deeper Dive:

Entanglements in fishing gear are responsible for nearly 70 percent of premature whale deaths where a cause of death can be established. Ship strikes are responsible for nearly 30 percent of diagnosed whale deaths. The NARW population is most commonly present off of the southern New England coast between November and April. 

This NOAA website includes a table of all observed deaths and injuries of NARWs from 2017 to 2023 (note that only about one-third of dead whales are ever detected): https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/2017-2023-north-atlantic-right-whale-unusual-mortality-event 

Of 115 total deaths, serious injuries, and morbidities observed, 76 were caused by entanglement and 16 by vessel strikes, 1 was a nursing calf whose mother was seriously injured, 20 were either too decomposed for a conclusive necropsy or too far offshore to be retrieved, and only 2 could be considered “natural causes” (perinatal mortalities, i.e., deaths of newborns. 

The NARW population is most commonly present off of the southern New England coast between November and April. For example, this map (from www.whalemap.org ) shows that from Jan 15-31 all of the NARW in New England were either observed in Massachusetts bay or on Nantucket shoals. A buoy detected one in the offshore lease area.

In the summer the NARWs migrate to feed in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In July 2023, almost every whale sighted (green circles) or heard (red circles) was feeding up there.

Construction of offshore wind farms could disturb the NARW feeding and behavior, or even

cause injury (hearing damage). NOAA has specified that pile-driving the wind turbine foundations bases into the sea floor cannot occur between December 1 and April 30 when NARWs are most likely to be present. Pile-driving will be allowed during the rest of the year, but the Incidental Harassment Authorization (IHA) issued for each project does not permit any injuries to NARWs. 

The decline in the NARW population began well before the start of pre-construction surveys off southern New England or the mid-Atlantic, so there cannot be any link to offshore wind development. Two factors are involved in the decline, and both need to be addressed to prevent extinction of the speciesIn recent . It is clear that a major part of the problem is excess human-caused mortality from fishing entanglements and ship strikes, with obvious solutions if the political will is there. But the other side of population growth is birth rate, which has been declining since the peak of 39 calves in 2009. The reduced calving has been attributed to changes in the whales’ food supplies—linked to warming oceans in our region. The solution to climate impacts on the ocean ecosystem is the transition to renewable energy sources and away from fossil fuels.

Understanding Complexities:

To learn more about threats to the North Atlantic whale, read these sources:

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/species/north-atlantic-right-whale

 https://www.whoi.edu/know-your-ocean/ocean-topics/ocean-life/marine-mammals/right-whales/

Watch this video vs. reading. Get to know.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Pjj094pfCQ

This document lists all known deaths and injuries of the NARW from 2017 to 2023. In the table of deaths and injuries, note the incidence of primarily entanglements followed by ship strikes.

https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/national/marine-life-distress/2017-2023-north-atlantic-right-whale-unusual-mortality-event

You can read the strict marine mammal protection regulations in an Incidental Harassment Authorization here:

https://media.fisheries.noaa.gov/2021-05/VWconstr_FinalIHA_OPR1.pdf?null=