Even though they’re the largest animals on earth, whales remain difficult to track. So experts often turn to historical whaling data to inform current research. A dataset maintained by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) contains detailed information on commercial whale catches — more than 2.1 million records, predominantly from 1880 until the IWC banned whaling in 1986. Yet […]
Trained responders freed the whale from a life-threatening entanglement near Gustavus On October 10, NOAA Fisheries received reports of a severely entangled whale in coastal waters near Gustavus. A quick response by a dedicated team of trained responders—involving planes, drones, vessel- and shore-based efforts—helped free the juvenile humpback whale. “The Glacier Bay National Park entanglement […]
[content id=”79272″] Their food is moving north, but so are industrial fishing fleets DURHAM, N.C. — As rising global temperatures push Arctic icecaps into retreat, large and small sea creatures and the commercial fishing boats that follow them are also migrating northward. This mass migration toward the relatively narrow Bering Strait could lead to more […]
Alaska’s largest one-day marine mammal educational event to celebrate 50th anniversary of Endangered Species Act. NOAA Fisheries and partners invite the public to celebrate the 5th Annual Belugas Count! and the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species Act on Saturday, September 23. Belugas Count! is a free, family-friendly educational celebration of the endangered Cook Inlet beluga whale. These white […]