SIGHTINGS AND EARLY WARNING SYSTEM 

Sightings Network 

The Voluntary Sightings Network will be comprised of members of the Maine commercial lobster and gillnet industries, Maine Marine Patrol (MMP), whale watch vessels, and other mariners (ship pilots, ferry captains, tugboat pilots). 

All large whale sightings will be reported to and filtered through the Maine Take Reduction Coordinator using the dedicated 1-800-532-9551 Whale Hotline; once verified, they will be fed into the Sightings and Early Warning System (SEWS) web-based GIS application by a GIS intern based at the Department of Marine Resources (DMR) in West Boothbay Harbor. 

Level I Responders (including trained lobstermen, Marine Patrol officers, and whale watches) will be available coast-wide to verify sightings or provide stand-by assistance in the event of an entangled animal (see DISENTANGLEMENT section, back page). 

Responses to verified sightings will be determined by the nature of the event.  Calls will be routed by the Take Reduction Coordinator to appropriate parties (NOAA, NMFS, CCS, NEAq, USCG, MMP). 

Sightings protocol will be further developed and refined through discussions with MMP, industry, and NOAA/NMFS.  A sightings reporting form will be designed to document each sighting, using existing reporting forms as a model. 

GIS Application 

This web-based, interactive program will allow the State to monitor and make available real-time (between 4-24 hours old) sightings data of large whale distribution in Maine state waters.  It will incorporate historical sightings data of all large whales as well as daily data generated by the SEWS Network. 

The intended end-user of the program is the fishing industry.  The program will feature whale sightings in Maine waters as defined by Lobster Zones, and will allow the user to look at specific dates or areas.  The goal of the program is to allow fishermen to know when whales are in areas that they are fishing, so that they might take precautionary measures (i.e. keep a sharper look-out for whale-gear interaction, choose not to move gear into the area until the whales have moved out, or choose to move gear out of the way). 

The program will also be used to generate faxed, phoned and emailed reports to industry members, buying stations, or other Network members who do not have access to the Web. 

Any federal Dynamic Area Management (DAM) restrictions will be red-flagged to guide the user to the NOAA/NMFS website for that information.

DISENTANGLEMENT 

The State of Maine whale disentanglement program will provide 24-hour, 7-day a week response to reports of entanglements through the Whale Hotline (800-532-9551).  Response to the entanglement will be from MMP, trained industry members, USCG, and CCS, depending on nature of event. 

The DMR will establish joint MMP and industry standby assistance for support that may be needed  for disentanglement efforts.  The MMP will be connected to a State and Gulf of Maine-wide network of people trained in how to disentangle whales.   

Minke whale disentanglement efforts will be led by MMP and industry Network members.  Specialized disentanglement tools have been installed on all MMP vessels. 

Right whale and other large whale disentanglement efforts will be conducted by federal contractors with the assistance of MMP officers and trained industry members, who will assist at these large whale disentanglement efforts whenever possible. 

TRAINING WORKSHOPS 

Species identification and behavioral training workshops for Network members have been conducted by experienced leaders so that sightings can be made and reported with confidence.  Boat-side and classroom identification workshops and “whale watches” will be held as the program develops. 

Shore-based, hands-on disentanglement training will be conducted along the coast using a 17’ model whale and disentanglement tools.  The whale, built by a tuna fisherman/urchin diver, allows for the demonstration of how a whale might run afoul of fishing gear, and how the disentanglement tools are specially suited for the job. 

At-sea whale disentanglement training will be offered to Network members when the opportunity exists. 

OUTREACH AND EDUCATION 

The State has hosted workshops to broaden communication between fishermen and technology experts which will aid in the development and implementation of gillnet and lobster fishing gear with a reduced risk of entanglement. 

The State will develop and present information and education programs and materials throughout Maine, especially targeting fishing communities.   

TO JOIN THE NETWORK OR FOR MORE INFO CALL THE DMR, 207-633-9513.

Back to Whale page