Bubble-net feeding

[4] Humpback whales typically spend summer months in feeding grounds with cooler waters that they return to every year.

[citation needed] Humpback whales have 14 to 35 throat grooves that run from the top of the chin all the way down to the navel.

[7] It is similarly executed as the whale dives down beneath a school of fish and rises to the surface with its mouth wide open.

They have several vertical grooves running down the length of their body so that they can hold large volumes of water and fish at one time.

[5] The only time they feed is during the summer months; in the winter, they live solely off fat reserves that they have stored.

Alaska's cold waters and the high amounts of sun exposure in the summer time produce food for humpbacks.

Areas such as Antarctica and the North Pacific are host to diverse marine ecosystems that provide adequate feeding opportunities for humpback whales.

[10] Southeast Alaska, for example, is home to coastal glaciers that provide plentiful nutrients for suitable fish habitats.

There are strict rules enforced by the Coast Guard to help keep vessels from disrupting the whales’ natural behavior.

If a marine mammal does approach a vessel, it must shut down its engines immediately to prevent affecting the animal's behavior.

It is also common to see birds flock to the area where the whales will feed hoping to catch the fish being brought to the surface.

The increase in human to cetaceans contact has resulted in short term behavior changes, this includes feeding methods.

The amount of noise that is emitted from vessels is disruptive to communications between humpbacks and affects their ability to bubble net feed.