NOAA/NMFS
Right Whale Sighting Advisory System (SAS)

CONCENTRATIONS OF ENDANGERED NORTHERN RIGHT WHALES ARE KNOWN TO BE PRESENT IN CAPE COD BAY. SIGHTINGS HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE AREA BOUNDED BY THE FOLLOWING COORDINATES.

Mariners are urged to maintain a sharp lookout and use caution around right whales. Intentional close approach is prohibited and may result in violation of federal or state law.

(Pages maintained and donated by Michael Williamson, WhaleNet )

Locations and Maps
Date
Lat
N
Long
W
Radius
(nm)
 Map
6/1/00 41 58 68 08 8.0 Map
6/4/00 41 20 68 23 6.5 Map
6/4/00 41 20 68 39 18.0 Map
6/5/00 41 59 68 10 10.5 Map
6/8/00 42 12 67 01 10.8 Map
6/8/00 42 07 68 18 10.8 Map
6/14/00 41 12 67 00 10.8 Map
6/14/00 41 12 68 21 10.8 Map
6/20/00 42 48 69 09 23.9 Map
6/20/00 42 24 67 49 23.9 Map
6/21/00 42 15 69 01 18.8 Map
6/28/00 42 43 69 13 36.3 Map
6/29/00 42 35 69 11 22.4 Map
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Reports:

Fishermen are urged to remove their fixed gear or to minimize the number of buoy lines in this area until right whales have left the area.

6/29/00 - The NMFS SAS plane did a partial survey in the area south of Cashes and Fippennies Ledges with limited visibility. A total of 22 right whales were observed including a possible mother and calf pair. It should be noted that this survey was incomplete and whale distribution likely has not changed markedly from the 28 June 2000 distribution.

6/28/00 - The NMFS SAS plane surveyed the northern part of Cashes Ledge and Platts Bank with no right whales. The NMFS NEC plane surveyed the southern portion of Cashes and Fippennies Ledges with 36 right whales.

6/21/00 - The NMFS SAS plane did a partial survey in the Cashes and Fippennies Ledges area before sea conditions deteriorated and the survey was aborted. A total of 8 right whales was observed. The entangled whale from 20 June was not re-sighted.
Fishermen operating in that area have been requested to remove fixed fishing gear as soon as practical.

6/20/00 - The NMFS SAS plane surveyed on Cashes and Fippennies Ledges with 31 right whales observed. One of these right whales was entangled;however, no disentanglement effort was attempted due to the time of day. The NMFS NEC plane surveyed Stout's Swell, along the northern edge of Goerges Bank and the southern part of Brown's Bank with 1 right whale observed. TOTAL RWs for day: 32

6/14/00 - The NMFS SAS plane did limited surveying in the Great South Channel due to the sea state and moved to survey on Jeffreys Ledge with no right whales sighted. The NMFS NEC plane surveyed along the northern edge of Georges Bank with 3 right whales sighted. TOTAL RWs for day:3

6/8/00 - The NMFS SAS plane surveyed in the Great South Channel with 3 right whales sighted. The NMFS NEC plane surveyed on the northern edge of Georges Bank with 31 right whales sighted. TOTAL RWs for day:34

6/5/00 - The International Fund for Animal Welfare is surveying for right whales in the Great South Channel area. They have sighted 5 right whales in the western portion of the Channel southwest of Franklin Basin.

6/4/00 - The Coast Guard reported sighting a single right whale 70 miles off Chatham outside the southern portion of the Great South Channel. A total of 1 right whales were sighted.
The NMFS SAS plane surveyed in the southern portion of the Great South Channel. 12 right whales were reported sighted. TOTAL RWs for day: 12 & 1 from earlier opportunistic sighting

6/1/00 - The NEFC SAS plane reported sighting right whales while conducting a survey east of the Great South Channel. A total of 6 right whales were sighted.

CONCENTRATIONS OF ENDANGERED NORTHERN RIGHT WHALES ARE KNOWN TO BE PRESENT IN CAPE COD BAY. SIGHTINGS HAVE BEEN MADE IN THE AREA BOUNDED BY THE FOLLOWING COORDINATES:

Mariners are urged to maintain a sharp lookout and use caution around right whales. Intentional close approach is prohibited and may result in violation of federal or state law.

NOAA/NMFS Northern Right Whale Sighting Information

Pages maintained by J. Michael Williamson, WhaleNet

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