North Atlantic Right Whale Sighting Survey (NARWSS) and Right Whale Sighting Advisory System (RWSAS) 2013 results summary

During 2013 , NARWSS flew 185 hours over 48 surveys, including directed flights over right whales reported near Atlantis Canyon, Cultivator Shoal, Great South Channel, and Nantucket Sound. NARWSS detected 45 right whales (including possible duplicate sightings of the same individual), with 30 right whales sighted within survey blocks and 15 right whales sighted during transit to or from survey areas. Table 1 summarizes survey effort and right whale sightings by month. Figures 3a-d display the locations of right whales and survey effort by season. In 2013, NARWSS did not conduct aerial surveys from February - April or August - October. Figure 2 and Table 2 provide a comparison of NARWSS flights, flight hours, and right whale sightings from 2002 through 2013. In 2013, right whale sightings were an order of magnitude lower than in previous years (0.17 right whales per hour of survey effort in 2013 compared to the previous average of 1.47 right whales per hour of survey effort). Table 4 summarizes internal and external requests for NARWSS survey data.