經康乃爾鳥類學實驗室生物聲學研究項目組和紐約環保局（DEC）的聲學專家證實，紐約沿海水域首次發現藍鯨的歌聲。
2009年1月10日和11日長島南岸外海70英哩處，發現一雄性藍鯨由東到西緩慢游動。藍鯨發出的聲音被康乃爾部署在距紐港入口約10英哩處，持續延伸入大西洋80英哩外的聲效設備監測到。這項行動的目的是爲了研究紐約沿岸水底的噪音環境，像航運交通等各類噪音對鯨魚的影響。
監測工作從2008年3月開始，記錄露脊鯨從佛羅里達州東岸的繁衍地，一路向北遷移到緬因州、新罕布什爾州和麻州的覓食區。而期間還意外地收錄到藍鯨的叫聲。
該研究計劃組主任，也是辨識藍鯨叫聲的人，克拉克（Clark）表示：「這些瀕危的藍鯨是史上所有存活在地球上最大的動物，他們的聲音可以穿透整個海洋。」
環境保護部專員格蘭尼斯（Grannis）說:「藍鯨在20世紀中葉幾乎完全滅絕。雖然美國水域禁止捕鯨行爲，但鯨魚仍面臨包括遭船隻撞擊和海洋廢棄物污染等問題的威脅。這項最新的發現將有利於環保局和其夥伴共同開發系統性的管理計劃，保護這些令人驚艷的動物。」
從6月1日起，聯邦政府將採取措施，保護麻州沿岸瀕危的北大西洋露脊鯨。
4月到7月，露脊鯨遭船隻撞擊機率最高期間，總噸數300及以上往來大南渠道（Great South Channel）的大型船舶將受限制，因爲渠道是300頭僅存露脊鯨的覓食地。此外，為減少船舶碰撞瀕危露脊鯨和其他鯨種的危險，南北航道也經過修改。
一旦付諸實行，估計可減少露脊鯨遭船擊的相對風險達74%。專家說，其中的63%會因調整航道與限航的緣故，而11%則是縮小航道。
每年接近有3500船隻來往通行于波士頓地區的航道，而世界上一半以上的北大西洋露脊鯨春季都會在這一帶活動。
隸屬于美國「國家海洋和大氣管理局」（NOAA）的「漁業局」與「海洋事務局」積極和美國「海岸警衛隊」接洽，把修改内容加入航海圖和美國西岸航海指南中。
The voices of singing blue whales have been identified for the first time in New York coastal waters, acoustic experts at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's Bioacoustics Research Program and the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation have confirmed.
The voice of a male blue whale was tracked about 70 miles off the south shore of Long Island on January 10 and 11, 2009, as the whale swam slowly from east to west. The blue whales were recorded by Cornell acoustic monitoring equipment deployed from about 10 miles east of the entrance to New York Harbor out 80 miles into the Atlantic Ocean to study the acoustic environment of New York waters and examine whether noises, including shipping traffic, are affecting whales.
The monitoring began in March 2008 to record the northward migration of right whales from their calving grounds off Florida's east coast to their feeding grounds off Maine, New Hampshire and Massachusetts. In addition to the calls of right whales, the recorders picked up the blue whale voices.
"These endangered blue whales are the largest animals ever to have lived on this planet, and their voices can travel across an ocean," said Christopher Clark, director of Cornell's Bioacoustics Research Program, who identified the blue whale songs.
Department of Environmental Conservation Commissioner Pete Grannis said "Blue whales were almost hunted to extinction by the middle of the 20th century. Although whaling no longer occurs in U.S. waters, whales still face numerous threats including vessel strikes and marine debris, and this latest finding will enable the DEC and its partners to develop science-based management plans to protect these magnificent creatures."
Beginning on June 1, the federal government is implementing measures to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales off the coast of Massachusetts.
Large ships 300 gross tons and above will be asked to avoid an area in the Great South Channel from April through July, when right whales face the highest chance of being struck by ships. The channel is a feeding area for the remaining 300 right whales. Also, the north-south traffic lanes have been modified to reduce the threat of ship collisions with endangered right whales and other whale species.
Implementing these changes will reduce the relative risk of right whale ship strikes by an estimated 74 percent during April-July. Experts say 63 percent of the risk will be reduced from the area to be avoided and 11 percent from the shipping lane narrowing.
Some 3,500 ships move through the Boston shipping lanes area every year, and more than half of the world's North Atlantic right whales are known to be in this area during the spring.
NOAA's Fisheries Service is working with NOAA's Ocean Service and the U.S. Coast Guard to have these changes added to nautical charts and to the U.S. Coast Pilot as well.
Click here for a video of the singing blue whales.
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In my healing journey and learning to attain the breath awareness, I become aware of the reality that all the creatures of the world are breathing the same breath. Take action, here and now. From my physical being to the every corner of this out of balance's planet.
