The primary objectives of the study are: 1) to determine the spatial and temporal distribution of Mola mola off the northeast coast of the United States; 2) to study their movement and migratory patterns; and 3) to quantify temperature and depth preferences of M. mola. To achieve these objectives, the project will: 1) analyze aerial sightings of Mola mola in northeast shelf waters from the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium Database (1974 – present) and from the OBIS-SEAMAP Database (1989-present); and 2) tag individuals with pop-up satellite archival tags in order to track their vertical and horizontal movements over a period of time.
| Dr. Hunt Howell | Marine Program | Zoology Dept. | College of Life Sciences | UNH Home |