SitNews - Stories in the News - Ketchikan, Alaska

New Photos May Be First Visual Evidence Of North Pacific Right Whales Feeding In Bering Sea In Winter

Collaborative effort with fishermen confirms sighting of two rare whales.

 

February 14, 2022
Monday PM


(SitNews) - In early February, commercial fishermen spotted at least two endangered North Pacific right whales among a large group of around 20 whales. The whales were feeding in waters just northeast of a narrow strait in the Aleutian Islands. 

“I took the time to take these pictures and video because the encounter was unique to me. I have watched many thousands of whales feeding in the 35 years I have sailed the North Pacific and Bering, yet none like this,” said Josh Trosvig, who captains the cod fishing vessel Cerulean. “It is important to have a good relationship between industry and the federal and state agencies that monitor the oceans. Hopefully this sighting will add to the knowledge database pertaining to these rare cetaceans.”

Two North Pacific right whales
Photo by Josh Trosvig, captain of the cod fishing vessel Cerulean
Courtesy NOAA

Initially unsure of the species, Trosvig sent photos and video of the two whales to an Alaska Department of Fish and Game resource manager based in Dutch Harbor. The resource manager then reached out to NOAA Fisheries colleagues to help identify the whales.

“The whales were spotted east of Cape Sarichef. Josh said there were about 10 pairs feeding and that their heads were just popping up and floating for a bit. He, and others on his boat, could see baleen and said the heads consisted mainly of a lower jaw with just a small upper jaw,” said Asia Beder, assistant area management biologist, Bering Sea-Aleutian Islands, Alaska Department of Fish and Game. “I haven’t seen behavior like this before so thought I would forward the images to people who are more familiar with whales.”

NOAA Fisheries scientist Jessica Crance, Alaska Fisheries Science Center, confirmed that the two whales in the shared photos and video were indeed North Pacific right whales. “So we know that at least two in this group were North Pacific right whales. The fishermen also reported that humpback and fin whales were also in the group.”

Only an estimated 30 individuals are left in the eastern North Pacific population. As a result, every sighting is critical.

“To my knowledge, this is the first sighting of North Pacific right whales in winter in the Bering Sea,” she said. “We have acoustic detections, or sound recordings, of whale calls during January, but no actual sightings from this time of year.”

Two North Pacific right whales were sighted near Cape Sarichef, northeast of Unimak Pass and northwest of Unimak Island, Alaska in early February 2022.
Courtesy NOAA

NOAA Fisheries is working with the U.S. Coast Guard to issue a broadcast to mariners asking them to proceed with caution. We're also are asking mariners to report any North Pacific right whale sightings as they transit Unimak Pass, which is near where the whales were last seen. This is the primary shipping lane from Northwest America and Canada to China, Japan, and South Korea.

North Pacific right whales are slow moving and spend most of their time on the surface. As a result, they are vulnerable to ship strikes.

If possible, NOAA Fisheries is asking mariners in the vicinity of Unimak Pass and Dutch Harbor to:

  • Slow vessel speed to 10 knots or less
  • Keep watch
  • Maintain at least 500 yards distance from whales 

North Pacific right whales are distinguished by a wide flat back, no dorsal fin, a V-shaped blow, and white bumps on the tops of their heads.

jpg North Pacific Right Whale graphic

North Pacific Right Whale graphic
Courtesy NOAA


“We are so grateful to the two fishermen and to Alaska Department of Fish and Game who shared photos and video, which enabled us to collect this valuable location and habitat use information,” said Jenna Malek, the North Pacific right whale recovery coordinator for the Alaska Regional Office of NOAA Fisheries.

NOAA Fisheries would also like to encourage any other fishermen or mariners to please call NOAA Fisheries at (619) 733-1386 with any sighting reports or photos. If unable to call, please radio the U.S. Coast Guard on VHF CH 16 and they will relay the report.

This week, February 14–18,  NOAA Fisheries kicks off Whale Week. NOAA will be sharing lots more information on North Pacific right whales and other cool whales.




On the Web:

Interesting Facts About North Pacific Right Whales




Edited By: Mary Kauffman, SitNews



Source of News:

NOAA Fisheries
www.noaa.gov

Representations of fact and opinions in comments posted are solely those of the individual posters and do not represent the opinions of Sitnews.



Send a letter to the editor@sitnews.us

Contact the Editor

SitNews ©2022
Stories In The News
Ketchikan, Alaska

 Articles & photographs that appear in SitNews are considered protected by copyright and may not be reprinted without written permission from and payment of any required fees to the proper freelance writers and subscription services.

E-mail your news & photos to editor@sitnews.us

Photographers choosing to submit photographs for publication to SitNews are in doing so granting their permission for publication and for archiving. SitNews does not sell photographs. All requests for purchasing a photograph will be emailed to the photographer.