North Atlantic Right Whale

The first sighting of the season has been recorded of a mother and calf right whale in Cape Cod Bay. It's something whale experts wait for as a sign the species might yet survive.

For almost a full day, the Army Corps of Engineers declared no boats could pass through the canal until the whales had cleared the area, causing a backup of boats waiting for passage.

Four Massachusetts lobstermen have filed a class action suit against the Monterey Bay Aquarium and Marine Stewardship Council, groups that urged distributors and grocery stores to avoid purchasing lobster because of the fishery's impact on North Atlantic right whales.

“Song of the Whale,” which is operated by the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), is traveling from Florida to Canada following the critically endangered species on their migration route. According to IFAW, no other research boat has ever attempted such a long trip to study these whales.

A critically endangered right whale found dead off the coast of Virginia likely died after being hit by a boat, officials say. Its death has become a call to action for environmental groups, who say “blood is on the hands” of federal regulators.

“What we've seen over the last two decades is, simply put, mortality caused by humans is outpacing reproduction in the species,” said Heather Pettis, research scientist at the New England Aquarium.

While many activists are looking to state law for a way to stop Pilgrim, Sheila Lynch-Benttinen of Duxbury says she has a different plan.

"Questions have been coming at us about potentially euthanizing Snow Cone. The science of euthanizing a whale at sea is, let's say, in its extreme infancy," Landry said. "But if we find a weather window, we do feel as though there are things that we can do to make her life better."

The “Red List” is used by more than 25,000 restaurants, stores, and distributors — including Whole Foods, Red Lobster, Hello Fresh, Blue Apron, and Disney to guide purchasing and menu choices.

A federal judge has ruled that the National Marine Fisheries Service, which is in charge of protecting North Atlantic right whales, failed to do so. The agency's rules and regulations that are meant to reduce entanglements in lobster fishing gear were insufficient, the court found.