This browser does not support the Video element.
Aerial surveillance of right whales begins
Kailey Tracy reports
CLEARWATER, Fla. - Calving season for North Atlantic right whales has begun and, as the endangered species migrates down the U.S. East Coast, researchers with Clearwater Marine Aquarium are tracking their every move.
Every day, from November to April, (weather permitting), a team of CMA scientists flies above the ocean, hoping to spot one of the massive, rare sea creatures.
The South Carolina Right Whale Aerial Team leader Shelby Yahn said when there's a sighting, they begin to collect data above and determine if a boat crew should be deployed.
This browser does not support the Video element.
June: Whale shark spotted off Sarasota coast
A pair of boaters spotted a whale shark off the coast of Sarasota over the weekend.
It's believed that only about 350 right whales still exist. Yahn said the research her team is doing is critical to brining that number up and saving the species.
MORE: Rare right whale calf spotted by Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute biologists
"We are able to confirm, in real time, the life histories of these animals," Yahn said.
This browser does not support the Video element.
2021: Unknown species, possibly a whale, spotted off Pass-A-Grille
There was a rare sighting off Pass-A-Grill beach in south Pinellas County this weekend. It's creating a lot of excitement, but also debate over what exactly was photographed just offshore.
They track everything from mating behavior, the number of calves born, entanglements and other environmental threats.
Yahn's team works with the North Carolina and Georgia teams, and NOAA, to record as much information as possible about the whales and their habitats.
This browser does not support the Video element.
Mariners warn boaters to slow down as rare right whales have been sighted
A right whale mother and calf were spotted off the coast of South Carolina. NOAA officials said 50 North Atlantic right whales were seen south of Nantucket Island in January and enacted a voluntary speed restriction.
"Every nose of a right whale will basically be like its fingerprint, and it can change slightly, but at this point, because we have so many dedicated teams all the way from Canada through Florida, we can document every single whale," Yahn said.
RELATED: Endangered right whale and calf spotted swimming with dolphins off Florida coast
The information helps researchers predict future population patterns and helps NOAA decide what federal regulations to implement to protect right whales, like speed restrictions for boats.
NOAA can actually send notifications to boaters in areas where right whales might be present, warning them to slow their speed and be alert.
This browser does not support the Video element.
2021: NOAA studying new species of whale
The Rice's whale carcass washed ashore in the Everglades and scientists have been scrambling to find out more about it before it's too late.
RELATED: Researchers discover new whale species in the Gulf of Mexico
Yahn said they can also dispatch a team to respond if a whale looks sick or injured.
Their flight season is when most right whales migrate from Canada and Massachusetts down to the coasts of Georgia and Florida.
So far, Yahn says it has been a slower start to the season.
Anyone who sees a right whale is asked to call NOAA’s hotline and a team will respond to evaluate the situation.
It’s illegal to get within 500 yards of a North Atlantic right whale.