Consortia Coalesce for Whale Conservation

This past October, AWI representatives attended back-to-back annual meetings of the Ropeless Consortium and the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium at the New Bedford Whaling Museum in Massachusetts. For four days, groups of scientists, policymakers, advocates, fishers, and educators gathered to discuss issues impacting the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, including the feasibility of transitioning to ropeless fishing gear in certain areas. Adopting ropeless (aka “on-demand”) fishing gear in right whale habitat can prevent deadly entanglements, the leading cause of right whale mortality.

An updated estimate of the whales’ population size—384, up slightly from the adjusted estimate of 376 the year prior—was presented at the meetings. No deaths have been detected so far this year, a welcome relief after 2024, when 16 whales were entangled and eight were struck by vessels, resulting in five deaths. Although this break in mortalities and the continued slow growth were welcome news, human activity remains a serious threat.

A new set of whale names was also unveiled. Whales recorded in the North Atlantic Right Whale Catalog are often given names to help scientists identify them and the public connect with them. This year, 18 right whales were assigned names, including “Lasagna,” “Scorpion,” and “Dandelion.”

Scientists at the meetings stressed the need for additional conservation measures to protect these critically endangered whales throughout their range. Representatives from US federal agencies were notably absent, due to the government shutdown and recent downsizing. These absences are a reflection of the ongoing crisis that has devastated federal programs devoted to the study and protection of marine wildlife. This loss of institutional support for right whale research and conservation measures, combined with recent administrative and legislative efforts to weaken the Marine Mammal Protection Act and the Endangered Species Act, has made the future of this population uncertain.

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