
Right whales are smaller than they used to be, in part due to commercial fishing and changing oceans, study says
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Scientists have found that, even though right whales are protected from direct catch, they are significantly shorter compared to 40 years ago due in part to commercial fishing, according to a new study.
The study -- written by Joshua Stewart of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and his colleagues at the New England Aquarium, Oregon State University and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution -- documents the challenges faced by right whales as indicated by changes in their life history characteristics, including size, according to a news release. "On average, a whale born today is expected to reach a total length about a meter shorter than a whale born in 1980," Stewart said. "That represents an average decline in length of about 7%. But that's just the average -- there are also some extreme cases where young whales are several meters shorter than expected."More Related News