<p>Each summer and fall, whales visit Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary to feed on krill. Busy shipping lanes that coincide with whale feeding areas present a ship strike threat to whales, so sanctuary staff conduct monthly aerial surveys to better understand whale distribution and inform management decisions. During an October aerial survey of marine mammals, sanctuary staff recorded 11 endangered blue whales and two humpback whales in the Santa Barbara Channel shipping lanes. While most of the whales were away from high-traffic areas, this is the highest number of individuals so far recorded during 2016 surveys. By using the Whale Alert app, mariners and members of the public can help sanctuary staff track where the whales are so they can be better protected! 
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Photo Credit: Jess Morten/NOAA
<a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.flickr.com/people/44124469278@N01">National Marine Sanctuaries</a>
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