Dear MARMAM Community, On behalf of myself and my co-authors, I am pleased to share our latest publication in the African Journal of Marine Science on the "Recent increased presence of blue whales *Balaenoptera musculus* and fin whales *B. physalus* in the southeastern Atlantic: evidence of recovery?" The open access publication is available here https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.2989/1814232X.2026.2626591 ABSTRACT: Populations of blue whales *Balaenoptera musculus* and fin whales *B. physalus* were severely depleted by 20th-century commercial whaling. Historic whaling data suggest that the southeastern Atlantic Ocean was an important nursery and feeding area for both species. Here, we collate published and opportunistic sightings and strandings of two subspecies, the Antarctic blue whale *B. musculus intermedia* and southern fin whale *B. physalus quoyi*, in the southeastern Atlantic off the coasts of Namibia and South Africa, between May 1964 and March 2025. Blue whales were sparse, with 12 sightings, 1 stranding and 5 published records, whereas fin whales were seen more frequently, with 76 sightings and 6 strandings. Blue whale sightings in the Benguela ecosystem peaked between late spring and autumn, whereas fin whales appeared to be present throughout the year. The majority of offshore sightings were obtained from marine mammal observer data, which covered all months of the year but had the greatest effort between November and April. Although the total number of sightings of each subspecies was relatively low, sightings appear to be steadily increasing as these whale populations recover, with 95% of the observations recorded since 2012. Given the vulnerability of these populations and the anthropogenic risks the subspecies face across their ranges, their distribution and species-specific risks should be investigated, such as by using passive acoustic monitoring and increased presence of shipboard observers across commercial sectors, and as far as possible included in marine spatial development plans. Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions. Best -- *Dr Bridget James* Postdoctoral Researcher MAPRU, Nelson Mandela University MRI Whale Unit, University of Pretoria
