Whales in Virginia

there are less than 100 breeding North Atlantic right whale females; the species is at risk of extinction
Source: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Proposed Pot/Trap Fisheries Regulations to Help Save North Atlantic Right Whales Available for Public Comment

Multiple species of whales live and migrate through the waters of the Atlantic Ocean off the coastline of Virginia. Several are on the list of threatened and endangered species, ad protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Greatest threats are collisions with ships ("ship strikes"), entanglement in fishing gear, and underwater noise pollution that disrupts communications between whales. Offshore wind farms may also become a challenge.

There are only about 400 North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) still alive on Earth, with less than 100 breeding females. To reduce the risk from ship strikes to migrating whales, most vessels 65 feet or longer must travel at 10 knots or less in the Seasonal Management Area designated off the mouth of the Chesapeake Bay between November 30-April 1.¹

green dots show right whales known to be off the coast of Virginia between March 28-April 11, 2024
Source: Whale Map, Latest Right Whale Observations

Fossil fuel advocates sought to block construction of the Coastal Virginia Offshore Wind (CVOW) project by claiming the endangered North Atlantic right whale (NARW) would be impacted, and the National Marine Fisheries Service biological opinion used by the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) was inadequate. A lawsuit filed in 2024 claimed that the combined effects of several Atlantic Coast wind farms would push the species closer to extinction:²

Sadly, given that the entire NARW population now consists of only 332 individuals, and given that the whale continues to decline in population due to human-caused threats, the CVOW project will likely outlive the NARW as a species unless the relevant federal authorities, including the defendants here, change course and begin to impose immediate and effective protections designed to ensure the continued existence of this iconic marine mammal.

In October 2024, the International Fund for Animal Welfare released a survey indicating Atlantic right whales were at risk from collisions with vessels traveling at more than 20 knots (23 miles per hour) in places without speed constraints designed to protect the species. The large number of ships moving in and out of the Chesapeake Bay were a particular concern. Whale #1950, a recent mother, had been found floating 50 miles off Back Bay National Wildlife Refuge five months earlier.

The whales were:³

...venturing into new regions, likely due to climate change and shifting prey patterns... This means they are moving into areas without existing protections, increasing their vulnerability to vessel strikes and entanglement.

Animals of Virginia

Offshore Wind Energy

Whale Disposal

Links

• National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
• North Atlantic Right Whale: In the Spotlight
• Reducing Vessel Strikes to North Atlantic Right Whales
• Whales

References