Data collected using the Whale Alert app is available resource management agencies in near real-time on the Online Mapping Tool.
NOAA’s National Marine Sanctuaries use near real-time data to alert ships to either reduce their speed or choose alternative routes when approaching areas where whales have been sighted. Sanctuaries also use the complete archived Whale Alert data set to determine the timing and duration of the Vessel Speed Reduction season.
The California Department of Fish and Wildlife use near real-time data to assess the presence and trends in abundance of whales in three critical regions along the coast, and inform the opening and closure of the Dungeness Crab fishing season to prevent whale entanglements.
Click here to see the latest information about where the whales are.