NOAA Fisheries Service conducted a series of fact finding/scoping workshops along the East Coast to identify:

1. Areas where low profile groundline should be considered;
2. Appropriate height above the ocean bottom (based primarily on bottom type, but will include the limited information available on whale behavior);
3. Techniques to modify groundline;
4. Gear marking options for low profile areas; and
5. Contingency plan ideas in the event of an entanglement occurs in low profile groundline.

The current knowledge of large whale (right, humpback and fin) ecology (including foraging and diving behavior), prey, habitat and oceanography in various areas were discussed in the context of low profile groundline. A proxy height for specific areas were discussed until large whale ecology information is available to further refine the concept of low profile groundline. These workshops were information gathering whereby information, ideas or recommendations from individual participants and the public were provided. Summaries from these meetings were provided to the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team (ALWTRT) and discussed during the December 2006 ALWTRT meeting.

• Agenda
• Dates/Locations/Venues
• Terms of Reference
• Background Information
• Press Release
• Main ALWTRP Webpage
• Protected Resources Division Webpage
• Summary of the 2005 Low Profile Meetings
  

Contact Diane Borggaard
ALWTRP Coordinator
(978) 281-9300 ext. 6503
National Marine Fisheries Service
Protected Resources Division
One Blackburn Drive
Gloucester, MA 01930