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Protected Marine Mammals in Inshore Waters                 Onslow Bay provides seasonal habitat for six marine mammal species protected under the Endangered Species Act:  fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), humpback whale (Megaptera novaeangliae), northern right whale (Balaena glacialis), sei whale (Balaenoptera borealis), and sperm whale (Physeter catodon).  Although all of the whales have been documented in the vicinity of Onslow Bay, the norhtern right whale is the most frequently encountered.  Protective measures for marine mammals include aerial surveys before any live fire exercise in the N-1/BT-3.  If whales are spotted during an exercise, the exercise is held in a check-fire status until the animals have left the vicinity.   

Florida Manatee  Manatees are seasonal migrants along the coastal waters of North Carolina.  They follow the warm waters from Florida northward along the Atlantic Coast visiting productive estuarine habitats.  Manatees have been observed at Camp Lejeune in the Intracoastal Waterway and the vicinity of Mile Hammock Bay.  Encounters with manatees in NC are most likely to occur from June through October.

    Manatees graze on floating plants at the water's surface and on underwater vegetation.  They are slow moving marine mammals that are often injured by fast moving boats as they surface to breathe and while feeding.If a manatee is spotted, please notify the Environmental Conservation Branch.  If you see a manatee while boating, slow down to no wake conditions to avoid injuring this endangered species.

Northern Right Whale  The Northern Right whale is one of the most imperiled marine mammals- protected under both the Endangered species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act.  Right Whales embark on long migrations along the Atlantic Coast following the warm, productive currents to and from their calving grounds off the coast of Georgia.

    Right Whales with calves in tow may be observed in the nearshore waters along Onslow Beach during their northward migration from February through April.  They may also be spotted in their southward migration in the fall.  If a northern right whale is spotted in waters surrounding Camp Lejeune please notify the Environmental Conservation Branch. 

*For more info check out the following internet sites.

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/prot_res/species/Cetaceans/cetaceans.html

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/mar_mammals.htm

http://www.rightwhale.noaa.gov/right_whale/about_whale.html

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Environmental Management Division	Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
Installations & Environment Department	Last Updated:  October 09, 2002