Right Whale Research Program Research Priorities

The below priorities were identified for the 2006 Request for Proposals (Round 6) for the Right Whale Research Program. Note that these priorities may be updated in the future.

Funding priorities for gear investigation and testing to reduce entanglements are:

• Research related to reducing risk associated with vertical lines. Important data gaps include development of the following:
  • Lipid soluble rope that would quickly deteriorate if it came in contact with a whale;
  • Device to reduce the separation between buoys in the surface system of buoy line;
  • Mechanical time release which holds the buoy and buoy line on the bottom for a predetermined length of time and then releases the buoy, allowing it to float to the surface with the buoy line;
  • Device to store and release buoy lines on the ocean bottom such as through an acoustic release, galvanic time release or mechanical time release;
  • Thwartable bottom link, located at the bottom of a buoy line, that will act as a weak link until the gear is ready to be hauled. At that time the device is switched from a weak link mode to a strong link mode, allowing the gear to be hauled;
  • Continue with field testing of time tension line cutter bottom release units and improve handling and safety concerns. Time tension line cutters, located at the bottom of a buoy line, will release the buoy line from the bottom gear after a predetermined load and time period have been exceeded.
• Research related to lowering the profile of groundlines. Important data gaps include studies to improve the abrasion resistance and overall durability of sinking/neutrally buoyant rope.
• Research the profile of gillnet and trap/pot gear in the water column in various habitats and oceanographic conditions.
• Develop technology for producing knotless splices.

The below priorities were identified for the 2006 Request for Proposals (Round 6) for the Right Whale Research Program. Note that these priorities may be updated in the future.

Right whale biological needs priorities to support the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan are:

• Research on the horizontal and vertical distribution of right whales in the water column throughout their range in U.S. waters. Important data gaps include behavior over rocky, coral or wreck habitats (e.g. inshore areas and depths over 100 fathoms), as well as on the migratory corridor and breeding grounds.
• Information on the temporal and spatial distribution of right whales (e.g. utilizing aerial surveys, vessel surveys, and passive acoustics). Important data gaps include 1) the occupancy of right whales in coastal waters of Maine; 2) the mid-Atlantic, from the coast to the EEZ; and 3) discovery of the principle wintering area for non-calving right whales.
• Research on the vertical distributions of both the processes and the prey organisms related to right whale foraging for habitat characterization and predictive modeling.
• Develop technical advances/improvements for disentanglement including sedatives and tools. Also, investigate behavioral issues that may affect and should be considered during disentanglement.
• Research on the development of long-term tracking tags suitable for deployment on right whales with minimal health risks.