Update on DMR Right Whale Surveys

By Sarah Leiter, DMR Division of Marine Mammal Research

The Department of Marine Resources (DMR) Division of Marine Mammal Research Survey Program is designed to increase our understanding of when and where North Atlantic right whales occur in the Gulf of Maine by conducting monthly visual surveys from vessels and planes. A better understanding of right whale habitat use will improve the ability of federal regulators to assess entanglement risks. Maine’s data will be summarized and integrated into risk modeling efforts, including those used by the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team.

The results presented here are preliminary findings from aerial and vessel surveys for North Atlantic right whales and other marine species conducted July – September (2025). Only large and medium whale sightings are reported here, including North Atlantic right, blue, fin, sei, humpback, sperm, and minke whales. These surveys have been conducted monthly since July of 2024.

To date (since DMR surveys began), there have been no detections of North Atlantic right whales from vessel surveys and two detections from aerial surveys. Total effort in nautical miles from both survey platforms is summarized in tables by month.

More information on the DMR survey program, including monthly and annual reports, can be found at:

www.maine.gov/dmr/science/right-whale/monitoring/visual-surveys.

Sightings of North Atlantic right whales and effort track lines from the Survey Program are posted on the day following each aerial or vessel survey to www.whalemap.org.

Data collection by the DMR Survey Program is conducted under US NMFS Permit No. 27858. The Survey Program enthusiastically accepts feedback and/or questions from the fishing community. Please submit feedback/questions to Sarah.Leiter@Maine.gov.

To view recent Right whale sightings visit https://whalemap.org/WhaleMap.

For more information DMR’s whale survey work visit https://www.maine.gov/dmr/science/right-whale/monitoring/visual-surveys.