The Humpback Whales of Stellwagen Bank

  Les Kaufman, CI and Boston University professor along with John Williamson, president of Stellwagen Alive talk with Rob about their whale watch voyage onto Stellwagen Bank August 5th where forage fish were running strong and humpback whales feeding voraciously. Les Kaufman explains the biology and feeding behaviors of humpback whales. John Williamson tells of decades working as a New England fisherman often on Jeffrey’s Ledges. Williamson, nominated by two states (NH and ME), served on the New England Fisheries Management Council. He explains the work of managing fish populations where the corner has been turned on over-fishing.  Sustainable seafood is being achieved through the work of the Fisheries Management Council.  There is
also a need for more ecosystem-based research and Stellwagen Bank would be a good place to begin area-based management in addition to the NEFMC’s population-based management.  Stellwagen Alive, John’s friends group for the Sanctuary is actively recovering lost fishing gear http://www.stellwagenalive.org 

For more info on Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary visit http://stellwagen.noaa.gov

Tune in to this podcast or stream into a cyber story, to hear how humpback
whales bring blowing bubbles to new depths and fish dinners to the surface.
And talk about gulping one’s food, these guys lung and loll in it.  Listen
in and you shall hear whale tales of leviathan proportions when Stellwagen
Bank becomes chuck wagon bank.