Right Whale Sighting Advisory System (RWSAS)

Northeast Fisheries Science Center (U.S.)

"During 2010, there were 59 surveys totaling 280 flight hours, including assistance in several disentanglement operations, a modified sawtooth survey over the NOPP acoustic buoy array in the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary, and a directed flight over autonomous gliders in the Great South Channel. There were 476 right whales detected within survey blocks, and an additional 32 right whales sighted during transits to or from survey areas. Table 1 summarizes survey effort and right whales sightings by month. Figures 1a-c display the locations of right whales and survey effort by season. There were no surveys flown from June through September, as the aircraft was redirected to assist protected species surveys in the Gulf of Mexico following the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. Table 2 provides a comparison of NARWSS flights, flight hours, and right whale sightings across years"--Page 5.

Miscellaneous