The survey was conducted on the NOAA Ship Delaware II from July 7^th to August 3^1st, 2000, beginning and ending in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. The study area encompassed the offshore waters from Georges Bank to the Bay of Fundy, and over Roseway Basin on the Scotian Shelf. The cruise consisted of three legs, the first from July 7^th to July 28^th, the second from July 31^st to August 6^th, and the third from August 8^th to August 31^st. The in-port stop between the legs was in Woods Hole. Tim Cole served as Chief Scientist for the first and second legs, Phil Clapham for the third.
 

The cruise had three main objectives: (1) to deploy satellite-monitored radio tags on North Atlantic right whales to document the fall emigration from the summer feeding grounds and discover the wintering grounds, (2) to deploy VHF-linked time-depth recorders (TDRs) on right whales to examine diving behavior relative to prey abundance and availability and (3) to conduct systematic, broad-scale oceanographic and marine mammal surveys to characterize right whale habitat. Other cruise priorities included obtaining follow-up photographs of satellite-tagged whales to assess possible tag effects on whales, and providing assistance during right whale disentanglement efforts. While in the area of Roseway Basin,  right whales were photographed for individual identification and biopsy sampled for genetic, toxicological and stable isotope analyses. Humpback whales were also photographed opportunistically. Operations during the cruise were coordinated with concurrent NEFSC aerial surveys and also with New England Aquarium, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and other organizations' northern right whale research being conducted in the Bay of Fundy.
 

Satellite Tagging

Satellite-monitored radio tags were deployed from a 7.5 m rigid-hulled inflatable boat (RHIB) outfitted with a bow platform elevated 1.2 m above the sea surface. Digital video footage of the tagging event was obtained from a pole-mounted camera system at the bow platform as well as a hand-held camera at deck level. Additional digital video footage and still photographs were occasionally obtained from a second RHIB. Special effort was made to obtain high quality video and photographs suitable for the identification of the target animal prior to tagging. Videotape and photographs of right whales (including tagged animals) have been forwarded to the New England Aquarium for identification purposes and inclusion in the North Atlantic Right Whale Catalog.

The satellite-monitored tag consisted of a Telonics ST-15 UHF ARGOS transmitter housed in a stainless steel case with associated electronics to record cumulative surfacings. The tag is programmed to transmit the tag identification number and cumulative surfacings in four 1-hour intervals timed to coincide with overpasses of the NOAA/TIROS-series satellites on which the ARGOS system receivers are carried. This transmission schedule is designed to extend the battery life of the tag to beyond 6 months. Sixteen satellite-monitored radio tags were deployed on right whales in the lower Bay of Fundy on July 9 (n = 3), July 13 (n = 1), August 11 (n = 5) and August 12 (n = 7). All of the tags were deployed in Grand Manan Basin (Figure 1).
 

TDR Tagging

Time-depth recorders were deployed from the bow of the 6.5 m RHIB as well as from the bow of another 5.5 m RHIB using a telescoping pole. Video footage was collected prior to and during the tagging event in the same manner as described above for satellite tagging. The TDR tag consisted of a Wildlife Computers MK7 Recorder that measured pressure, temperature and light level at one second intervals. To this was attached a silicone or rubber suction cup, a Telonics VHF radio transmitter (model CHP-1P), a light-emitting diode (LED) beacon and syntactic foam floatation. After deployment, the tag was tracked via VHF radio receivers aboard the Delaware II and the two RHIBs, and visually tracked using two 25x "big-eye" binoculars mounted on the flying bridge, hand-held 7x50 binoculars and the naked eye. After the tagging event, the time and position of the initial resurfacing after each long dive was recorded. Often, the exact resurfacing position was obtained by parking one of the RHIBs on the whale's footprint, but occasionally this position was roughly estimated from the flying bridge using the ship's position, a magnetic bearing and a distance estimate. The Delaware II was moved to each of these resurfacing locations and a vertical cast with the CTD/OPC instrument package (described below) was made. After detachment from the whale, the tag was recovered with the aid of the VHF radio signal.

Twenty eight right whales were tagged with TDRs in Grand Manan Basin (Figure 1) while a total of 66 CTD/OPC casts were made near TDR-tagged right whales. In the 28 successful tag deployments, all but 2 of the tags were recovered. For most tagging events, between 1 and 3 vertical casts were made, however three exceptionally long deployments yielded 8, 9 and 13 vertical casts. On four occasions, the tag detached from the whale before any vertical casts could be made.

Broad-scale Surveys

Surveys were conducted in two known right whale high-use areas: the lower Bay of Fundy and Roseway Basin on the Scotian Shelf. Transects and station locations were the same as those occupied during Delaware II cruise DE-99-08 in 1999 with some additional transects and stations included. A single broad-scale survey unit consisted of standard NMFS sighting survey effort 2.5 nautical miles before and after a station along the transect line. While underway, marine mammal observations and sighting conditions (Beaufort sea state, visibility, glare, etc.) were recorded. At each station, a vertical cast was made with an instrument cage housing a conductivity/temperature/depth (CTD) instrument (Seabird model SBE19, serial number 1468) and an optical plankton counter (OPC; Focal Technologies model OPC-1T, serial number TOW47). 
 

Data from the ship's Scientific Computer System (SCS) and an EK500 Scientific Echo Sounder were recorded continuously during broad-scale surveys. The SCS interrogates and records data from a variety of shipboard sensors and navigation systems including hull-mounted temperature sensors, a Seabird thermosalinograph, a flow-through fluorometer, a gyro compass and a GPS unit. The EK500 Scientific Echo Sounder recorded acoustic backscatter over the water column at 38 and 120 kHz frequencies.
 

During survey operations, 108 broad-scale units were sampled. Of these, 65% (n = 70) were in the Bay of Fundy while the remaining 35% (n = 38) were in Roseway Basin (Figure 2). The Bay of Fundy was sampled twice during the cruise, once in mid-July and again in mid-August. Roseway Basin was sampled only once in late July and early August. Some broad-scale units were sampled more than once during each leg since survey operations were conducted opportunistically as weather and other cruise priorities allowed. Cetacean sightings during the broad-scale surveys are summarized in Table 1.
 

OPC Calibration

Plankton tows were occasionally conducted using 61 cm bongo frames outfitted with 333 micron mesh nets to provide average water column abundance of zooplankton. The nets were towed obliquely to 5 m off the sea floor. The depth of the nets was measured during the tow using a Seabird SBE19 CTD affixed to the tow wire and the flow of seawater through the nets was measured using General Oceanics flow meters. Zooplankton samples from one of the nets were preserved in a 5% formalin-seawater solution and will be sorted and enumerated at the lowest possible taxonomic level. Samples from the opposite net were frozen for stable isotope analysis. The zooplankton abundance data will be used to "calibrate" the OPC-derived abundance estimates of zooplankton-sized particles.
 

Bongo tows were conducted occasionally during both broad-scale and TDR tagging operations. Tows were also conducted opportunistically in the presence of right whales and during bad weather days when no other cruise objectives could be achieved. In total, 14 plankton tows were conducted and each was accompanied by a CTD/OPC vertical cast.
 

Photographic and biopsy sampling

Photographs were taken with a 35 mm camera equipped with an autofocus zoom or telephoto lens, power winder and either 400 ASA black and white or 200 ASA color slide film. Whales' individual identity was documented using the following natural or acquired characteristics: callosity pattern and scarring (right whales), and ventral fluke pattern and dorsal fin shape/scarring (humpback whales). A total of 10 right whales were recorded as photographed during work in the vicinity of Roseway Basin; this number will likely change after an analysis of the photographs. The number of individual right whales videographed during tagging efforts is not known at this time. Three of the humpbacks were photographed near the Bulkhead in the Bay of Fundy, and three along the north side of Georges Bank during the return trip to Woods Hole at the end of Leg 3 of the cruise.
 

Skin biopsies were taken with a 70-kg-draw crossbow. Each biopsy was divided three ways: (1) central core into formalin for toxicological studies; (2) part of the dermis and epidermis into DMSO for genetics; and (3) remaining skin frozen for stable isotope analysis. A total of eight skin samples were collected during the cruise, including one sample of sloughed skin. All samples were from right whales. 
 
 

The final disposition of the tissue samples is as follows: right whale genetic subsamples to McMaster University (B. White and M. Brown); and all stable isotope subsamples to NEFSC (S. Wetmore). Sighting data are archived at NEFSC, and all tagging and oceanographic data will be archived at Oregon State University, with copies to be provided to NEFSC following analysis.
 

Maureen Taylor (NMFS Woods Hole) provided the CTD instruments, Jerry Prezioso (NMFS Narragansett) provided the zooplankton sampling gear and Rick Trask (WHOI) provided the cage hardware. Bill Michaels and Michael Jech (NMFS Woods Hole) provided EK500 Scientific Echo Sounder expertise and data management. Peter Cornillon (URI) acquired remotely-sensed AVHRR data for this project. The cruise was made successful by the able assistance provided by the officers and crew of the NOAA Ship Delaware II captained by Jack McAdam (leg 1) and Scott Stolz (legs 2 and 3).
 
 

Click here for Figure 1.  Right Whale Tagging Map (.PDF format)

Click here for Figure 2.  Broadscale Map of Survey Area (.PDF format)