Prepared by:

• Main Authors: Northern Early, Warning System, Patricia J. Naessig, Cynthia R. Taylor, James A. Powell, Ph. D
• Other Authors: The Pennsylvania State University CiteSeerX Archives
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: 2004
• Subjects: Eubalaena glacialis; North Atlantic; North Atlantic right whale
• Online Access: http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/summary?doi=10.1.1.475.4355; http://sero.nmfs.noaa.gov/protected_resources/right_whale/seus_sightings/documents/03_04_news_final_report.pdf

The North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena glacialis) is protected in U.S and territorial waters pursuant to the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, and is classified as an endangered species under the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The only known calving ground for the North Atlantic right whale consists of Atlantic coastal waters in the southeastern United States. The area designated as the Southeastern United States Critical Habitat (SEUS) by NOAA Fisheries in 1994 encompasses the waters from Altamaha Sound, Georgia to Sebastian Inlet, Florida out to 5-15 nm from the shoreline (50 CFR Part 226). Minimizing sources of human-caused death, injury and disturbance is the first objective of the 1991 northern right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) recovery plan as well as the updated draft recovery plan (NMFS 1991, 2001). Within this objective, reducing ships strikes is the first point addressed. Vessel collisions are the greatest threat to right whale survival. The SEUS calving ground includes entrances to four major shipping channels, resulting in frequent usage of these waters by large commercial and military vessels. In hopes of eliminating the risk of collision, the Early Warning System (EWS) was created to alert military and commercial vessels in the area of the presence of right whales. Early Warning System surveys were initiated in 1994 to cover areas of high whale density along the coastline