History, Natural History & the Arts
New York’s ocean waters are home to various kinds of marine life, including large whales and dolphins.
Whales and dolphins are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act, and boaters must remain at a distance from marine life for everyone’s safety. [Read more…] about Watch for Marine Life in New York’s Waters
North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) are one the most endangered marine animals, with fewer than 400 estimated remaining. These whales are found throughout the U.S. East Coast.
Threats to whales include entanglement in fishing gear, vessel strikes, and impacts from climate change that change the ocean habitat, their migratory patterns, and location and availability of their prey. NOAA Fisheries’ North Atlantic Right Whale Road to Recovery describes efforts to halt the current population decline and recover the species. [Read more…] about Protecting Critically Endangered North Atlantic Right Whales
Researchers have published the results of their multi-year aerial study investigating six large whale species in the New York Bight, a triangular area of coastal ocean waters between Long Island and New Jersey.
These results provide data on the year-round occurrence of large whales and is expected to help guide conservation efforts to mitigate impacts from anthropogenic threats. [Read more…] about A New Survey of Whales in the New York Bight