Stellwagen Bank Final EIS and Management Plan 



P(^e26 



whales in the Stellwagen Bank area have added 

 much to understanding the biology and habitat 

 requirements of this species. Combined with the 

 accessibility of the Bank to land points, pubUc 

 observation of humpbacks has in recent years 

 become an increasingly popular recreationcd activity 

 in the New England area. 



Northern right whales (Eubalaena glacialis : 20 to 50 

 feet, or 6.1 to 15.2 meters in length) are the most 

 seriously depleted species of large cetaceans. 

 Estimates for the two known populations (found in 

 the Atlantic and the Pacific Oceans) indicate the 

 total world population may number fewer than 400, 

 and probably does not exceed 500 individuals 

 (Marine Mammal Commission, 1991). The 

 population for the North Atlantic stock is thought to 

 be between 300 and 350 whales (NMFS, 1990). 

 Although this species has been protected from 

 almost all hunting since 1935, it has not recovered 

 to anywhere near its pre-exploitation numbers which 

 are thought to be around 10,000 animals (NMFS, 

 1989). 



In May 1990 the Right Whale Recovery Team, 

 pursuant to Section 4 of the Endangered Species 

 Act, petitioned the National Marine Fisheries 

 Service to designate three areas off the eastern 

 seaboard as critical habitat for this species, 

 including Cape Cod Bay (Figure 5). Additionally, 

 the Recovery Team also recently published a 

 Recovery Plan for the Northern Right Whale. 



Given its endangered status, the photo- 

 identification of at least 100 northern right whales 

 using the Bank seasonally indicates the particular 

 importance of this system to a significant portion of 

 the existing total North Atlantic population for 

 feeding and nursing activities. Right whale 

 courtship behavior may also be observed during 

 spring, summer and fall months, with calving 

 occurring in coastal waters off Georgia and Florida 

 during late winter (NMFS, 1990). 



Right whales begin to enter the Massachusetts 

 and Cape Cod Bay systems by late winter or early 

 spring from coastal Georgia and northeast Florida 

 waters; and from other offshore over-wintering 

 areas. The Massachusetts/Cape Cod Bays area is 

 one of five identified "high-use" areas for Western 



North Atlantic northern right whales. (The other 

 four areas are: coastal Florida and Georgia; the 

 Great South Channel east of Cape Cod; the Bay of 

 Fundy; and Browns and Baccaro Banks south of 

 Nova Scotia.) The whales generally remain in this 

 system until approximately July, when most begin 

 moving further north toward the lower Bay of 

 Fundy, or areas on the southeastern shelf off Nova 

 Scotia. By October, the whales have generally 

 begim migrating to wintering areas. 



Northern right whales feed primarily below the 

 surface, and exclusively on zooplankton; the primary 

 prey at Stellwagen Bank are copepods (in particular 

 Calanus finmarchicus), and juvenile euphausiids. 

 Because of the whales' slow movement, and a 

 tendency to rest at the surface, the species is 

 vulnerable to collisions with ships. 



Fin (or Finback) whales (Balaenoptera physalus : 

 30 to 70 feet, or 9.1 to 21.3 meters in length) are 

 the most common species of large baleen whale in 

 the Gulf of Maine. While the preferred feeding 

 habitat for the North Atlantic population of fin 

 whales is over deeper waters of the continental shelf 

 (300 to 600 feet), they are regularly observed 

 anywhere from coastal to very deep water areas. 

 Some fin whales overwinter near Cape Cod; 

 however, their abundance near Stellwagen Bank 

 peaks between April and October. Fins' behavior 

 around boats is usually more restless than 

 humpbacks; however, they will sometimes approach 

 still and quiet vessels (Katona, et al. 1983). 



An asymmetric coloration of the head — the right 

 side (including lip and baleen areas) always white or 

 pale gray; and the left always dark — is unique to fin 

 whales, and may play an important role in feeding 

 behavior. Fin whales are often observed circUng in 

 a clockwise direction (thus with their light colored 

 side down), herding prey fish for easier 

 consumption. Various species, especially sand 

 lance, capelin, and herring, form the primary diet of 

 fin whales (90%); the species is often seen feeding 

 with humpbacks. Smaller individuals may also 

 consume copepods and squid. 



The pre-exploitation Western North Atlantic 

 population is not known. The current Western 

 North Atlantic population is thought to number 



