North Atlantic right whale population fell to 340 in 2021: report

A new report has found that the population of North Atlantic right whales dropped again last year, indicating an ongoing downward trend.

The North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium (NARWC) released a preview of its annual report on the status of critically endangered right whales on Monday, with researchers estimating the species’ population fell to 340 in 2021.

In last year’s report, the consortium reported the 2020 population estimate to be 336. That estimate was later adjusted to 348 after it said photographic data was processed.

In a post on the New England Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life website, researchers said the latest population numbers represent a continuing downward trend amid concerns about human impacts on the whales.

“While certainly good to see the slope of the trajectory slow, the unfortunate reality is that the species remains in a decline, with fewer than 350 individuals alive in 2021,” said research scientist Heather Pettis.

Scientists blame human threats including fishing gear entanglement, vessel strikes, and the shifting distribution of right whale food sources, for the decline. They also say the ongoing threats affect the animals’ ability to reproduce.

The U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service tracks the cause of each documented right whale death and says human-caused factors have been implicated in 20 of the 34 most recent deaths.

Scientists say eliminating human-caused stressors on right whales is “critical” for their survival.

“With this new population estimate, the species’ number is now down to what it was around 2001. In the ensuing decade, the population increased by 150 whales; that tells us this species can recover if we stop injuring and killing them,” said Philip Hamilton, a senior scientist at the New England Aquarium.

While there have been no documented right whale deaths so far this year, the Anderson Cabot Center says only about one in three right whale deaths are observed.

So far this year, five whales have been spotted in entangled gear, and are not expected to survive because they could not be fully untangled.

Last month, a right whale named Snow Cone was spotted by New England Aquarium researchers in a condition they deemed “near death.” The 17-year-old female was previously spotted by scientists in the Gulf of St. Lawrence between northern New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island.

The NARWC is made of more than 100 individuals, organizations and U.S. and Canadian government agencies focused on right whale conservation efforts.

The NARWC is holding its annual meeting this week with attendees from the U.S., Canada, Europe, and Australia expected.

The Consortium will draft a comprehensive annual report after the meeting, with a full report to be published early next year on their website.