Abstract:
Right whale, Eubalaena glacialis, entanglement in fixed fishing gear
remains one of the most crucial threats to the survival of the species today. Aerial
surveys conducted by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) from 2002-
2005 from the Gulf of Maine to the New York Bight recorded sighting events of
right whales as well as fixed fishing gear buoys. These data were used to assess
the presence or absence of spatial overlap between right whale sightings and
fixed gear sightings to provide locations where whales most likely are
encountering gear within the survey area. Preliminary results show persistent
between-year overlap in spring, and within-year overlap in the summer, fall, and
winter. This is the first study to utilize NMFS sightings of both right whales and
fixed fishing gear. The resulting interaction zones can inform managers and
possibly identify important areas for entanglement mitigation such as time area
closures.
