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Business Wire
01-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Wire
Green Oceans and Three Tribes Petition NOAA to Revoke Offshore Wind Companies' Authorizations That Harm 61% of the Critically Endangered North Atlantic Right Whales While Building their Projects
LITTLE COMPTON, R.I.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Three Native American tribes, the Shinnecock Nation, the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head/Aquinnah, the Narragansett Tribe, ACK for Whales, and Green Oceans have petitioned the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to revoke the authorizations granted to harass and harm whales and other marine mammals during the construction of the Sunrise, Revolution, and New England Wind projects. In violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), the Letters of Authorization (LOAs) issued by NOAA allow the offshore wind developers to illegally 'take' or harm an excessive number of marine mammals, including the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whale (NARW), while building offshore wind projects.. The petition also provides hard evidence connecting the construction of offshore wind projects and the deaths of endangered NARW, of which there are fewer than 350 left and demonstrates that the government's basis for allowing the LOAs relies on incomplete and flawed analysis. 'The collective harm from these projects will be devastating and likely irreversible if they are not stopped,' said Dr. Lisa Quattrocki Knight, co-founder and President of Green Oceans. 'We urge Commerce Secretary Lutnick to look at the previous administration's reckless permitting that threatens the health of our ocean and the animals that live there. The facts speak for themselves: these projects should not be allowed to proceed.' On an annualized basis, Revolution Wind 'takes' constitute approximately 12% of the NARW population, a figure that the courts and the National Marine Fisheries Service have said exceeds the statutorily allowed 'small numbers.' Over a five-year period, the combined 'takes' by Revolution, Sunrise, and New England Wind constitute 61% of the NARW population alive today. Whales cannot discern the boundaries between projects so NOAA shouldn't evaluate projects as one-offs in the same general lease area that will engage in construction activities at the same time. 'This is a death sentence for the Right Whales and an egregious violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act,' Dr. Knight said. 'NOAA's Letters of Authorization protect offshore wind investors at the expense of the environment. The law says the exact opposite.' About Green Oceans Green Oceans is a nonpartisan, nonprofit, community organization dedicated to combating climate change without jeopardizing the health of the ocean or the life it sustains.
Time of India
10-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
NASA satellites track plankton swarms from space to protect North Atlantic right whales
The North Atlantic Right Whale (NARW), one of the most critically endangered mammals on Earth, continues to be threatened with several dangers despite the prohibition of commercial whaling. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Entanglement in fishing nets and collisions with ships are now the greatest dangers to their existence. To help protect these whales from these dangers, scientists have come up with creative ways of monitoring their habits and reducing these dangers. Another core part of this study is determining the whale's feeding habit, or how they depend on a specific species of plankton, Calanus finmarchicus, a reddish-colored copepod. Researchers are charting the density of these copepods from NASA satellite imagery and more precisely forecasting the whales' migratory routes. NASA tracks plankton populations from space to support right whale protection The NARW's food intake is the deciding factor on where they migrate across the ocean. The whales feed mainly on Calanus finmarchicus, a copepod that inhabits huge herds in the ocean. These herds are in certain places, and monitoring where they are is the key to being able to predict the migration of whales. The Gulf of Maine, one of the primary feeding grounds for NARWs, is a place where these copepods occur in large numbers. Researchers have also been looking to map the populations of these copepods so they can estimate where NARWs will be apt to feed, cutting down on ship collision hazards and net entanglements. Satellite technology has a key role to play in this research. Source: NASA To track the copepod blooms, scientists used the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), a sensor on NASA's Aqua satellite. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now MODIS monitors the manner in which sunlight reflecting off the sea surface varies as it travels through different materials in the water. In this case, it looks for astaxanthin, the red color in Calanus copepods. The occurrence of this pigment affects light scattering and absorption by the sea, which is a parameter that MODIS can observe. When the copepods form swarms in high density, the pigment changes the spectrum of reflected light, and scientists can remotely map their distribution. This is a non-destructive, large-scale technique for finding planktonic swarms without looking at them in situ in the ocean. Source: NASA How satellites use astaxanthin to track copepods Astaxanthin, the reddish pigment in copepods, is of pivotal importance when it comes to MODIS observing zooplankton in the ocean. As massive populations of copepods migrate towards the sea surface, the areal density of the pigment accumulates and thereby affects the scattering and absorption of photons by the ocean. All of these can be observed from orbit, and scientists now have means to quantify copepod population density. Researchers first tested the satellite-based copepod detection method in Norwegian waters but have now expanded the technique to the Gulf of Maine, an important feeding ground for North Atlantic Right Whales. Through the use of satellite measurements, field observations, and sophisticated modeling methods, scientists have improved their capacity to estimate the density of copepods in an area. By integrating data from several sources, scientists are able to paint more precise pictures and forecasts of Calanus swarms on the ocean surface. Through the combined method, it is possible to have better monitoring of whale feeding habits, which can be employed to inform conservation efforts and mitigate the associated risks. Challenges in satellite-based copepod detection Although promising, this satellite method has some drawbacks. The MODIS sensor is able to sense the red hue of the copepods but cannot actually sense the organisms themselves. This leaves open the potential for false positives—where the satellite can sense other reddish small animals that are not necessarily copepods. Moreover, satellite remote sensing can be disrupted by clouds and extremely rough seas to the extent that precise readings are not possible under some weather. In addition, if the copepod swarms are deeper in the water column, they cannot be reached from the surface. In its quest to bypass some of those limitations, is introducing the PACE (Plankton, Aerosol, Cloud, ocean Ecosystem) satellite in 2024. The PACE mission has a great deal to bypass zooplankton and phytoplankton detecting ability, greatly lightening the job of monitoring for whales' target prey. Its satellite replacement will offer more accurate high-resolution observations and improved detection of plankton in different forms of the water, and handling cloud occlusions and the sort of churned ocean water which tends to plague cruise ships. By putting together more modern technology with current research methods, PACE is to provide much more accurate and reliable means of tracking and preserving the North Atlantic Right Whale population. Advancements in satellite tracking help protect right whales Observation of the North Atlantic Right Whale through their main source of food, the Calanus copepod, has become an essential component of whale conservation. Through a combination of satellite technology and new approaches, scientists are learning more about whale migration patterns, which may potentially translate to fewer cases of fatal encounters with fishing nets and boats. While the reliability of data and climatic conditions provide hurdles to cross, the future for ocean observation is bright with NASA's PACE satellite being launched, with still more accurate data to aid in the preservation of these terribly beleaguered animals. Also Read |
Associated Press
08-04-2025
- General
- Associated Press
Save LBI Petitions Federal Agencies to Create a Safe Migration Corridor from Georgia to Maine to Save the North Atlantic Right Whale from Extinction
LONG BEACH ISLAND, N.J., April 8, 2025 (SEND2PRESS NEWSWIRE) — Save LBI, the non-partisan organization dedicated to protecting our oceans from the destructive impacts of offshore wind projects, has filed a petition urging the U.S. Department of Commerce (DOC)/National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) and Department of the Interior (DOI)/Bureau of Ocean Energy Management (BOEM) to create a safe migration corridor from Maine to Georgia that will allow the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale (NARW) to survive as a species. With a population that has dwindled to 340, the magnificent right whale is perilously close to extinction and faces a new, greater and ominous threat from numerous proposed offshore wind-turbine complexes up and down the East Coast. Save LBI's 234-page petition seeks to establish a migratory corridor as a critical habitat that would provide a vital 'missing link' between critical habitats the NMFS designated in 1994, and later expanded, to protect the right whale's feeding grounds off the coast of Maine (and New England) and its calving grounds off the coast of Georgia and South Carolina. No habitat protections currently exist between these areas in the far north and south, putting the whale's survival at great risk. Central to the petition is the call to prohibit offshore wind development within the proposed protected zone and to establish a buffer that would allow noise from any nearby wind turbines to dissipate and drop below levels known to disturb the whales. 'Restricting the development of offshore wind projects in the migration path of the North Atlantic right whale is crucial to preventing its extinction,' explained Bob Stern, president and co-founder of Save LBI. 'Our petition defines the whale's primary historic migration corridor and presents calculations showing how operational noise from the numerous proposed offshore wind turbine complexes will at a minimum seriously impair and potentially block its annual migration. Without a protected migration corridor and a prohibition on wind complexes in its path, the North Atlantic right whale will not survive.' Save LBI data reveals that nearly 80 percent of NARW deaths between 2000 and 2020 occurred within the proposed critical habitat migration corridor — even though vessel speed-restriction zones have been in place since 2008. 'Sadly, all efforts to date have not reversed the decline of the right whale,' emphasized Stern, an experienced Ph.D. engineer who managed the U.S. Department of Energy office overseeing environment protection related to energy programs. 'The threat is real. The Atlantic Shores South and North projects less than 9 miles off the coast of southern New Jersey, and others like it, are sited directly in the whale's migratory path, which will accelerate and ultimately seal its extinction unless we act.' (For more on the Atlantic Shores projects and Save LBI's actions related to those projects, click here: The Save LBI petition also seeks new federal rules that would: Cancel wind-energy lease areas within the corridor consistent with the designation of a critical migration habitat. Reinitiate Endangered Species Act [Section 7(a)(2)] consultations where, based on regulation criteria, the designated habitat 'may be affected' by a wind project. Establish a dedicated general taxpayer fund to defray potential costs associated with any new restrictions from the critical habitat designation that would otherwise be borne by specific industries, including shipping and fishing enterprises. Pending the outcome of a rulemaking decision, the Save LBI petition further aims to preserve the proposed migration corridor in the interim by: Pausing all activities associated with placing wind turbines in the designated area. Suspending high-resolution geophysical surveying during the NARW migration season. Reinitiating Endangered Species Act [Section 7(a)] consultations based on 'new information revealing effects not previously considered'— in this case, as shown in the petition, major systemic underestimates in the NARW 'take number' estimates used to approve Atlantic Shores South and other projects that use the same methods to calculate the number of incidental NARW deaths or injuries likely to occur during construction and operation of an offshore wind-turbine complex. NARW: A National Treasure The North Atlantic right whale, also known as the 'urban whale,' is one of the largest and longest living animals on earth. This storied creature spends most of its life within 50 miles of the Atlantic coast as it moves gracefully between feeding grounds to the north and calving areas in the south, returning to the same locations annually thanks to its uncanny sense of navigation. Marine mammal migration is one of the great wonders of the world — especially when it involves a rare species such as the NARW — and public fascination is high, which explains the popularity of 'whale watching' tours and town festivals up and down the East Coast as well as a preponderance of academic studies devoted to whales. Given a tiny population, every right whale saved is a step toward recovery, and every one lost, a step toward extinction — which is why Save LBI's well-tailored legal protections are so important. The Struggle for Survival 'For centuries, humans have failed the North Atlantic right whale — first through near-eradication from whaling and, more recently, through narratives that downplay the risk of offshore wind projects,' said lead researcher and Save LBI board member Denise Boccia. 'The National Marine Fisheries Service and BOEM have approved projects based on flawed and unsupported assumptions that significantly underestimate impacts, while major environmental organizations that protest similar impacts from oil and gas development remain silent or supportive, apparently mistakenly believing offshore wind offers discernible climate benefits. It does not,' Boccia continued. 'University researchers who once voiced concern now appear content to pursue grant-funded projects. As a result, the responsibility to act falls to us, and to other groups and people who care about the many resources and natural treasures the ocean has to offer — including the endangered North Atlantic right whale.' 'Save LBI believes its petition provides a sensible approach to protecting the right whale from extinction, while restricting wind turbines from places where they obviously do not belong. Because the proposed migration corridor is relatively close to shore, the turbine prohibitions would also protect shore tourism industries, and avoid interference with our land-based air-defense radar systems. If we as a society want to save the North Atlantic right whale species from extinction, the migratory critical habitat designation is crucial,' Stern concluded. 'Readers are encouraged to express their support for the NARW migratory corridor petition to The White House, the Department of Commerce, and Department of the Interior.' Contact information is listed below: :: The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Ave NW Washington, DC 20500 :: Douglas Burgum, Secretary U.S. Department of the Interior 1849 C Street, NW, MS-4106 Washington D.C. 20240 (202) 208-3100 Email: [email protected] :: Howard Lutnick, Secretary U.S. Department of Commerce 1401 Constitution Ave, NW Washington D.C. 20230 About Save LBI Save Long Beach Island (Save LBI) is an organization of citizens and businesses on and off the Island working together to protect the ocean and Long Beach Island and neighboring communities from the destructive impact of the Atlantic Shores Offshore Wind projects and potentially other offshore wind projects. As a not-for-profit, non-partisan entity, we do not endorse any political candidates but vigorously pursue policies and actions that protect the Island and New Jersey communities. The organization is led by Beach Haven resident Bob Stern, a Ph.D. engineer with experience in environmental law who previously managed the U.S. Department of Energy's office overseeing environment protection related to energy programs and projects. Visit for more information. MULTIMEDIA: Image caption: The critically endangered North Atlantic right whale. Credit: Save LBI (generated with AI tools). NEWS SOURCE: Save Long Beach Island (Save LBI) Keywords: Environment and Ecology, North Atlantic right whale, Save LBI, Save Long Beach Island, offshore wind, offshore wind projects, LONG BEACH ISLAND, N.J. Send2Press® Newswire. Information is believed accurate but not guaranteed. Story ID: S2P125378 APNF0325A
