The North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) is one of the most endangered large whales. Their very name references their devastating decline—they were the “right” whales for whalers to target, since the animals floated after being killed. Estimates for North Atlantic right whale populations are slowly increasing, according to a New England Aquarium statement. In Massachusetts, for example, Cape Cod’s mitigation efforts include fishing limits for when right whales are known to be in the area. “Removing those vertical ropes from the water is a huge conservation benefit to right whales,” Pettis explains.