Right Whale Aerial Surveillance
Since 1998, the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) has partnered with the Center for Coastal Studies (CCS) to conduct aerial surveillance of right whales during the peak of their residency from January through mid-May each year. It is important to understand the real-time movements and habitat use patterns of right whales so sound management decisions can be made. Aerial surveillance also informs the dynamic management of fixed gear closures and speed restrictions. In addition, DMF partners with CCS on vessel-based right whale habitat monitoring, documenting the zooplankton resource and oceanographic characteristics of Cape Cod Bay and relating that information to right whale distribution, abundance, and behavior. Information about right whale food resources and associated distribution of whales also contributes to effective management strategies.
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Right Whale Passive Acoustic Monitoring
A passive acoustic monitoring buoy monitored by DMF to collect continuous data on whale vocalizations, including North Atlantic right whales.
In 2025 DMF initiated a passive acoustic monitoring program to enhance our understanding of the seasonal presence of North Atlantic right whales in Massachusetts coastal waters. The monitoring network includes both near real-time and archival detection methods to collect data on right whale vocalizations. DMF is partnering with Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution to operate two near real-time passive acoustic buoys (one in Cape Cod Bay and another off Gloucester) which will relay large whale call detections via satellite every two hours. Detections can be found at the publicly accessible website Robots4Whales. In addition, DMF has deployed bottom-mounted acoustic monitors at 17 different sites across Massachusetts state waters and adjacent federal waters. These monitors are archival, collecting data for five months before being called to the surface for servicing, data downloading, and redeployment.
The data collected through this acoustic monitoring network will enhance our understanding of the spatial and temporal presence of North Atlantic right whales, aid in the development of occupancy estimates, and increase the efficiency of dynamic management of fixed gear closures meant to protect right whales from entanglement. Real-time detections will improve our confidence in the decision to extend or open the closure of the Massachusetts Restricted Area due to right whale presence or absence. Archival data will be analyzed for seasonal and temporal patterns in detections, aiding in the estimates of right whale density and occupancy in New England waters, which can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of conservation measures and aid in the development of future measures to reduce risk of entanglement and ship strike.
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Marine Animal Entanglement Response
To further reduce the potential for injury and mortality of protected marine species, DMF partners with the Center for Coastal Studies, NOAA Fisheries, and the Massachusetts Environmental Trust to operate a 24-hour entanglement reporting hotline and rapid response disentanglement network in Massachusetts. The Marine Animal Entanglement Response Program (MAER) is a part of both the Atlantic Large Whale Disentanglement Network and the Sea Turtle Disentanglement Network which are permitted and managed by NOAA Fisheries. The goals of the program are to document entanglement reports of large whales and sea turtles, provide on-water disentanglement response, and collect information on the entangling gear.
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Derelict Gear Removal
Abandoned gear is removed from Massachusetts waters.
DMF conducts a joint program with the Massachusetts Environmental Police (MEP) to identify and remove all lost and abandoned fixed fishing gear within seasonal fixed gear closures areas in Massachusetts state waters. This effort ensures that our seasonal trap closure is as effective as intended at reducing entanglement risk. It also provides DMF with an additional opportunity to monitor compliance with the vertical line configuration and marking requirements. Enforcement through this program enhances overall compliance with protected species regulations and ensures there is no entanglement risk to right whales when they are seasonally abundant in state waters.