Publications

Below you will find a list of selected peer-reviewed publications and reports completed by our team. These are organized by date. Authors who are CWI team members are bolded.


Philip K. Hamilton, Brenna A. Frasier, Lsa A. Conger, R. Clay George, Katherine A. Jackson and Timothy R. Frasier 2022 Genetic identifications challenge our assumptions of physical development and mother–calf associations and separation times: a case study of the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) Mammalian Biology

Erin L. Meyer-Gutbrod, Charles H. Greene, Kimberley T. A. Davies, 2021.David G. Johns, Ocean Regime Shift is Driving Collapse of the North Atlantic Right Whale Population, Oceanography, Volume 34, No. 3,  22 - 31


Durette-Morin, D., K.T.A. Davies, M.W. Brown, H.D. Johnson, H. Moors-Murphy, B. Martin, C.T. Taggart. 2019. Comparison of visual and acoustic monitoring of North Atlantic right whale and implications for future passive acoustic monitoring. Marine Mammal Science 35(4): 1-24 


Davies, K.T.A., M.W. Brown, P.K. Hamilton, A.R. Knowlton, C.T. Taggart, and A.S.M. Vanderlaan. 2019. Variation in North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) occurrence in the Bay of Fundy, Canada, over three decades. Endangered Species Research 39: 173-185 2019

Accardo, C.M., L.C. Ganley, M.W. Brown, P.A. Duley, J.C. George, R.R. Reeves, M.P. Heide-Jørgensen, C.T. Tynan, C. A. Mayo. 2018. Sightings of a bowhead whale (Balaena mysticetus) in the Gulf of Maine and its interactions with other baleen whales. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 19: 23–29.

Mayo, C.A., L. Ganley, C.A. Hudak, E. Burke, S. Brault, M.K. Marx, and M.W. Brown. 2018. Distribution, Demography, and Behavior of North Atlantic Right Whales (Eubalaena glacialis) in Cape Cod Bay Massachusetts: 1998­2013.Marine Mammal Science 34(4): 979-996 2018 


Reimer, J, C. Gravel, M.W. Brown, and C.T Taggart. 2016. Mitigating vessel strikes: the problem of the peripatetic whales and the peripatetic fleet. Marine Policy 68: 91-99.

Frasier T.R., R.M. Gillett, P.K. Hamilton, M.W. Brown, S.D. Kraus, and White, B.N. 2013. Postcopulatory selection for dissimilar gametes maintains heterozygosity in the endangered North Atlantic right whale. Ecology and Evolution 3: 3483-3494.

Baumgartner, M.F, D.M. Fratantoni, T. Hurst, M.W. Brown, T.V.N. Cole, S.M. Van Parijs, and M.P. Johnson. 2013. Real-time reporting of baleen whale passive acoustic detections from ocean gliders. Journal of the Acoustical Society of America 134:1814-1823

Pendleton, D.E, P.J. Sullivan, M.W. Brown, T.V.N. Cole, C.P. Good, C.A. Mayo, B.C. Monger, S. Phillips, N.R. Record, and A.J. Pershing. 2012. Weekly predictions of North Atlantic right whale Eubalaena glacialis habitat reveal influence of prey abundance and seasonality of habitat preferences. Endangered Species Research, 18: 147-161.

Silber, G.K., A.S.M. Vanderlaan, A. Tejedor Arceredillo, L. Johnson, C.T. Taggart, M.W. Brown, S. Bettridge, and R. Sagarminaga. 2012. The role of the International Maritime Organization in reducing vessel threat to whales: Process, options, action and effectiveness. Marine Policy, 36: 1221–1233.

Miller, C.A. D. Reeb, P.B. Best, A.R. Knowlton, M.W. Brown, and M.J. Moore. 2011. Blubber thickness and its relationship with reproduction, life history status and possibly prey abundance in right whales Eubalaena glacialis and Eubalaena australis. Marine Ecological Progress Series 438: 267–283.

Frasier, T.R., P.K. Hamilton, M.W. Brown, S.D. Kraus and B.N. White. 2010. Reciprocal Exchange and Subsequent Adoption of Calves by Two North Atlantic Right Whales (Eubalaena glacialis). Aquatic Mammals 36(2): 115-120.

Clark, C.W., M.W. Brown and P. Corkeron. 2010. Visual and acoustic surveys for North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) in Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts, 2001-2005. Marine Mammal Science 26: 837–854.

Pendleton, D.E., A.J. Pershing, M.W. Brown, C.A. Mayo, R.D. Kenney, N.R. Record and T.V.N. Cole. 2009. Regional-scale mean copepod concentration indicates relative abundance of North Atlantic right whales. Marine Ecology Progress Series 378:211.225.

Pershing, A.J. N.R. Record, B.C. Monger, C.A. Mayo, M.W. Brown, T.V.N. Cole, R.D. Kenney, D.E. Pendleton, and L.A. Woodard. 2009. Model-based Estimates of Right Whale Habitat Use in the Gulf of Maine. Marine Ecological Progress Series 378: 245-257.

Brown, M.W., D. Fenton, K. Smedbol, C. Merriman, K. Robichaud-LeBlanc and J. Conway. 2009. Recovery Strategy for the North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena glacialis) in Atlantic Canadian Waters. Species at Risk Act Recovery Strategy Series. Fisheries and Oceans Canada. vi + 66p.

Frasier, T.R., P. K. Hamilton, M. W. Brown, S. D. Kraus and B. N. White. 2009. Sources and rates of errors in methods of individual identification in the North Atlantic right whale. Journal of Mammalogy 5: 1246-1255.

McLeod, B.A., T. R Frasier, M. W. Brown, and B. N. White. 2010. DNA profile of a 16th century western North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis). Conservation Genetics 11:339-345.

Nichols, O.C., R.D. Kenney, M.W. Brown. 2008. Spatial and temporal distribution of North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) in Cape Cod Bay, USA, and implications for management. Fishery Bulletin 108:270-280.

Vanderlaan, A.S.M., C.T. Taggart, A.R. Serdynska, R.D. Kenney, and M.W. Brown, 2008. Reducing the risk of lethal encounters: vessels and right whales in the Bay of Fundy and on the Scotian Shelf. Endangered Species Research 4: 283-297.

McLeod, A.B., M.W. Brown, M. J. Moore, W. Stevens, and B. N. White. 2008. Bowhead whales, and not right whales, were the primary target of 16th - 17th-century Basque whalers in the western North Atlantic. Arctic 61 no. 1: 61-75.

Frasier T.R., P.K. Hamilton, M.W. Brown, L.A. Conger, A.R. Knowlton, M.K. Marx, C.K. Slay, S.D. Kraus, and B.N. White. 2007. Patterns of male reproductive success in a highly promiscuous whale species: the endangered North Atlantic right whale. Molecular Ecology 16: 5277-5293.

Jiang, M., M.W. Brown, J.T. Turner, R.D. Kenney, C.A. Mayo, Z. Zhang, and M. Zhou. 2007. Springtime transport and retention of Calanus finmarchicus in Cape Cod Bay, USA and implications for North Atlantic right whale foraging. Marine Ecological Progress Series. 349: 183-197.

Parks, S.E., M.W. Brown, L. A. Conger, P. K. Hamilton, A. R. Knowlton, S. D. Kraus, C. K. Slay, and P. L. Tyack. 2007. Occurrence, composition and potential functions of North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) surface active groups. Marine Mammal Science 23 (4): 868–887.

Brown, M.W., S.D. Kraus, C.K. Slay, and L.P. Garrison. 2007. Surveying for discovery, science, and management. Chapter 4 in Kraus, S.D. and R.M. Rolland (eds.). The Urban Whale: North Atlantic Right Whales at the Crossroads. Harvard University Press. Cambridge. MA.

Knowlton, A.R. and M.W. Brown. 2007. Running the Gauntlet – Right Whales and Vessel Strikes. Chapter 14 in Kraus, S.D. and R.M. Rolland (eds.) The Urban Whale: North Atlantic Right Whales at the Crossroads. Harvard University Press. Cambridge. MA.

Frasier, T.R., B.A. McLeod, R.M. Bower, M.W. Brown, and B.N. White. 2007. Right Whales Past and Present as Revealed By Their Genes. Chapter 7 in Kraus, S.D. and R.M. Rolland (eds.) The Urban Whale: North Atlantic Right Whales at the Crossroads. Harvard University Press. Cambridge. MA.

Frasier T.R., T. Rastogi T, M.W. Brown, P.K. Hamilton, S.D. Kraus, and B.N. White. 2006. Characterization of tetranucleotide microsatellite loci and development and validation of multiplex reactions for the study of right whale species (genus Eubalaena). Molecular Ecology Notes: 1025-1029.

Kaliszewska, Z.A., J. Seger, R.V. J. Rowntree, S.G. Barco, R. Benegas, P.B. Best, M. W. Brown, R. L. Brownell JR, A. Carribero, R. Harcourt, A.R. Knowlton, K. Marshall Tilas, N. J. Patenaude, M. Rivarola, C. M. Schaeff, M. Sironi, W.A. Smith, and T.K. Yamada. Population histories of right whales (Cetacea:Eubalaena) inferred from mitochondrial sequence diversities and divergences of their whale lice (Amphipoda:Cyamus) 2005. Molecular Ecology 14:3439-3456.

Kraus, S.D., M.W. Brown, H. Caswell, C.W. Clark, M. Fujiwara, P.K. Hamilton, R.D. Kenney, A.R. Knowlton, S. Landry, C.A. Mayo, W.A. McLellan, M.J. Moore, D.P. Nowacek, D.A. Pabst, A.J. Read, and R.M. Rolland. 2005. North Atlantic Right Whales in Crisis. Science 309: 561-562.

Rastogi, T., M.W. Brown, B. Mcleod, T.R. Frasier, R. Grenier, S.L. Cumbaa, J. Nadarajah, and B.N. White. 2004. Genetic analysis of 16th-century whale bones prompts a revision of the impact of Basque whaling on right and bowhead whales in the western North Atlantic. Canadian Journal of Zoology 82: 1647-1654.

COSEWIC. 2004. COSEWIC assessment and update status report on the North Pacific right whale Eubalaena japonica in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada.Ottawa. vi + 22 pp. (www.sararegistry.gc.ca/status/status_e.cfm). Authored by Moira W. Brown, Miriam O and John Ford under contract with Environment Canada.

COSEWIC. 2003. COSEWIC assessment and update status report on the North Atlantic Right Whale Eubalaena glacialis in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa vii + 28 pp. Authored by Moira W. Brown and Scott D. Kraus under contract with Environment Canada.

Cumbaa, S.L., M.W. Brown, and B.N. White. 2003 Zooarchaeological and molecular perspectives on Basque Whaling in 16th Century Labrador. Canadian Zooarchaeology/Zooarchéology canadienne No. 20: 6-15.

Waldick, R.C., S. Kraus, M. Brown, and B.N. White. 2002. Evaluating the effects of historic bottleneck events: an assessment of microsatellite variability in the endangered North Atlantic right whale. Molecular Ecology 11:2221-2249.

Brown, M.W., S. Brault, P.K. Hamilton, R.D. Kenney, A.R. Knowlton, M.K. Marx, C.A. Mayo, C.S. Slay, and S.D. Kraus. 2001. Sighting heterogeneity of right whales in the western North Atlantic: 1980-1992. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management (special issue 2): 245-250.

Malik, S., M.W. Brown, S.D. Kraus, and B.N. White. 2000. Analysis of mitochondrial DNA diversity within and between North and South Atlantic right whales. Marine Mammal Science 16(3):545-558.

Rosenbaum, H.C., R.L. Brownell Jr., M.W. Brown, C. Schaeff, V. Portway, B.N. White, S. Malik, L.A. Pastene, N.J. Patenaude, C.S. Baker, M. Goto, P.B. best, P.J. Clapham, P. Hamilton, M. Moore, R. Payne, V. Rowntree, C.T. Tyan, J.L. Bannister, and R. DeSalle. 2000. World-wide genetic differentiation of Eubalaena: questioning the number of right whale species. Molecular Ecology 9:1793-1802.

Rosenbaum, H.C., M.G. Egan, P.J. Clapham, R.L. Brownell Jr., S. Malik, M. Brown, B.N. White, P. Walsh, and R. DeSalle. 2000. Utility of North Atlantic right whale museum specimens for assessing changes in genetic diversity. Conservation Biology 14(6):1837-1842,

Waldick, R.C., M.W. Brown, and B.N. White. 1999. Characterization and isolation of microsatellite loci from the endangered North Atlantic right whale. Molecular Ecology 8 (10):1763-1765.


Malik, S., M.W. Brown, S.D. Kraus, A.R. Knowlton, P.K. Hamilton, and B.N. White. 1999. Assessment of mitochondrial DNA structuring and nursery use in the North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena glacialis). Canadian Journal of Zoology 77 (81):1217-1222.

Schaeff, C.S., S.D. Kraus, M.W. Brown, J. Perkins, R. Payne, and B.N. White. 1997. Comparison of genetic variability of North and South Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena), using DNA fingerprinting. Canadian Journal of Zoology 75: 1073-1080.

Brown, M.W., J.M. Allen, and S.D. Kraus. 1995. The designation of seasonal right whale conservation zones in the waters of Atlantic Canada. Pages 90-98 in Shackell, N. Willison, M. (eds). Marine Protected Areas and Sustainable Fisheries, Science and Management of Protected Areas Association, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Brown, M.W. 1994. Population Structure and Seasonal Variation of North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis). PhD Thesis, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Brown, M.W. 1994. Caution Mariners: Please avoid collisions with Right Whales. Minister of Supply and Services, Communications Directorate, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, (DFO/4982) Ottawa, ON.

Brown, M.W., S.D. Kraus, D.E. Gaskin, and B.N. White. 1994. Sexual composition and analysis of reproductive females in the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) population. Marine Mammal Science 10:391-400.

Schaeff, C.M., S.D. Kraus, M.W. Brown, and B.N. White. 1993. Assessment of the population structure of western North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) based on sighting data and mtdna data. Canadian Journal of Zoology 71:339-345.

Brown, M.W., S.D. Kraus, D.E. Gaskin, and B.N. White. 1992. The use of visual and molecular sex identification to assess the sexual composition of the catalogued western North Atlantic right whale population: significance to population recovery. Page 39 in: Hain, J. (ed) Proceedings of The Right Whale in the Western North Atlantic: A Science and Management Workshop. NEFSC/NMFS/NOAA Reference Document 92-05, Woods Hole, MA.

Kraus, S.D. and M.W. Brown. 1992. A right whale conservation plan for the waters of Atlantic Canada. Proceedings of the International Conference on the Science and Management of Protected Areas, May 14-19, Wolfville, N.S. Elsevier, Germany.

Kraus, S. D. and M.W. Brown. 1992. Right whales on the southern Scotian Shelf. In The Right Whale in the Western North Atlantic: A Science and Management Workshop. Edited by J. Hain. NOAA/National Marine Fisheries Service, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, U. S. A. pp. 25-26.

Schaeff, C.M., S.D. Kraus, M.W. Brown, and B.N. White. 1992. Right whale population structure. Page 40-1 in: Hain, J. (ed) Proceedings of The Right Whale in the Western North Atlantic: A Science and Management Workshop. NEFSC/NMFS/NOAA Reference Document 92-05, Woods Hole, MA. 88 pp.

Brown, M.W., S.D. Kraus, and D.E. Gaskin. 1991. Skin Biopsy sampling of right whales, (Eubalaena glacialis), for genetic and pesticide analysis. International Whaling Commission, Special Issue 13:81-89.

Brown, M.W. and W.J. Richardson. 1991. Documented disturbance responses of right whales. Report TA910 -2 LGL Ltd. environmental research associates, King City, Ontario for BHP Petroleum, Melbourne, Australia.


Brown, M.W., B.N. White, A.M. Helbig, P.T. Boag, and D.E. Gaskin. 1991. Sex determination of belugas, (Delphinapterus leucas), by DNA markers. Canadian Journal of Zoology 69:1971.

Schaeff, C., S. Kraus, M. Brown, J. Perkins, R. Payne, D. Gaskin, P. Boag, and B. White. 1991. Mitochondrial variation within and between the right whale species Eubalaena glacialis and Eubalaena australis. International Whaling Commission, Special Issue 13. pp. 217-223.

Woodley, T.A., M.W. Brown, S.D. Kraus, and D.E. Gaskin. 1991. Organochlorine insecticide and PCB levels in North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis). Archives of Environmental Contaminants and Toxicology 21:141-145.