Endangered right whale spotted off the coast of Hilton Head. Here’s what to know.
While they’re a little ahead of schedule, two endangered right whales spotted off the coast of Hilton Head are still right on time.
Fishermen working 13 miles off the island’s coast spotted the two adult right whales and posted about the sighting on social media. Upon seeing the post, the Georgia Department of Natural Resources gathered additional information, Lauren Rust, executive director of the Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network, said.
The sighting comes a few days before the official start of right whale calving season, which starts Nov. 15 and lasts through March. There were no calfs spotted with the whales.
Critically endangered but beautiful sea creatures
North Atlantic right whales are critically endangered, once boasting up to an estimated 21,000 strong, according to one study. When commercial whaling took off, the right whale got its name due to its tendency to float once killed, making it the “right” whale to hunt. The species never recovered, and the population now stands at around 370 individuals.
The species migrates from the waters around New England and Canada, where they spend most of the year. During the winter months, they move down to the waters around the Carolinas, Georgia and Florida for calving season, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Throughout their journey, the mammals are met with a number of challenges. Part of the journey weaves through heavily industrialized waters with busy shipping lanes and commercial pot/trap lobster and snow crab fisheries. Research points to boat strikes and entanglement as the leading cause for the rapidly decreasing North Atlantic right whale population.
Researchers can sometimes identify the whales from unique patterns on the head, known as callosity patterns. Rust said that usually the Clearwater Marine Aquarium, which flies across the Southeast waters monitoring whales during calving season, can recognize the whales. The aquarium hasn’t started surveys yet, a video taken by the fisherman wasn’t enough to name the whales.
The aquarium’s surveys help alert the Coast Guard and boaters of the whale’s location. Any mariners should slow down when they are near a whale and remain at least 500 yards away, as ship strikes are one of the leading causes of death for whales.
Since 2017, there has been an “unusual mortality event,” with an unusually high number of injured and dead right whales, according to NOAA. During the last calving season, researchers counted 11 mother calf pairs. For it to be considered a productive season, scientists want to see around 20 births, though 50 is the number needed to stop the decline in population and begin recovery.
Anyone who spots a whale can report the sighting by calling 877-942-5343, hailing the U.S. Coast Guard on marine VHF channel 16 or using the Whale Alert app.
Dangers abound for right whales
In February 2024, a dead juvenile North Atlantic right whale was seen floating offshore of Savannah, Georgia, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The whale, born in 2022 to mother Pilgrim, was the 38th mortality of the endangered species in the ongoing Unusual Mortality Event.
Current federal law says that all vessels 65 feet or greater must travel at 10 knots or less between Nov. 1 and April 30 in “Seasonal Management Areas.” NOAA proposed changes in 2022 that would apply speed restrictions to all vessels 35 feet and greater. While NOAA and advocates push to strengthen the speed-reduction law, research indicates that many boaters go against current regulations. The law has designated spots — Seasonal Management Areas — off the coasts of northeast Florida, Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina where speed restrictions apply.
The proposed changes to the speed restrictions rules were withdrawn in January, following years of pushback from the fishing and boating industry. NOAA abandoned the proposal days before President Donald Trump took office, citing insufficient time to finalize the regulation, according to Inside Climate News.
