DELMARVA - NOAA Fisheries has received $82 million in federal funding as part of the Inflation Reduction Act to help protect endangered North Atlantic right whales that are facing the threat of extinction.
The dwindling right whale population has now dropped to approximately 360, only 70 of which are reproductively active females. Due to climate change, right whales have begun to hunt for prey by straying into warmer waters where they are increasingly vulnerable to deadly vessel strikes and entanglement.
According to NOAA, the aforementioned funds will be used to invest in new technologies such as satellite observation to more closely monitor the whales' distribution and habitat use.
The whales are currently experiencing an "unusual mortality event," according to NOAA, and their protection is incumbent upon effective collaboration with various marine industries such as fishing, offshore wind and shipping.
The $82 million grant from the Biden-Harris administration will also be divvied up into five sub-categories, including: $35.8 million for monitoring and modeling; $20.1 million for vessel strike reduction; $17.9 million for on-demand fishing; $5 million for enforcement; and $3.2 million for general support.
NOAA Fisheries also plans to host a public right whale vessel strike risk reduction technology workshop in Washington, D.C., in early 2024.