Every year, North Atlantic right whales migrate from New England to the Atlantic coast of Georgia and Florida to give birth to their calves. The whales can be seen off the coastal waters of northeastern Florida from December through March.

Because there are only 350 to 400 right whales left today, a great effort is being made to monitor these beautiful creatures. That's where you come in. Volunteers are needed.

One of the biggest threats to the survival of right whales is the danger of collisions with ships. A network of more than 600 volunteers helps to spot whales. Military and commercial ships are notified of the whales' location so collisions can be avoided.

The Northern Right Whale Monitoring Program, run by the Marine Resources Council coordinates the Right Whale Volunteer Sighting Network. Volunteers learn how to identify right whales and report their sightings to a special hotline (1-888-979-4253).

For the last eight years, the Marine Resources Council has combined whale monitoring efforts with the Marineland Right Whale Project. Free education and training classes are provided to volunteers who want to participate in spotting right whales in Florida.

For more information, contact the Marine Resources Council at 888-979-4253 or 321-725-7775. Visit the Marine Resources website: http://mrcirl.org/whale/whale.html , or the Marineland Right Whale Project: http://www.aswh.org/whale/newmain.html .

For information specific to volunteer efforts between St. Augustine and Daytona Beach, call 904-471-4058.