A group of top whale researchers is arguing that the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA should reexamine a major regulation designed to reduce collisions between ships and highly endangered North Atlantic right whales. New research, they say, emphasizes that the current zones of speed limits are not as extensive as they should be. NOAA says it is already beginning to evaluate the effectiveness of the regulation.
Only about 300 to 400 right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) still ply the waters of the North Atlantic. As they migrate up and down the eastern coast of North America, passing many major ports, some whales get tangled in fishing gear and others occasionally get hit by ships. Experts say these risks threaten the survival of the species.
In 2006, NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service proposed to set a 10-knot speed limit for ships travelling within 56 kilometers (30 nautical miles) of major ports, so that any collisions would be less likely to kill whales. The agency based its recommendation on a database of right whale sightings. But after objections from the shipping industry, the agency settled on a buffer zone of 37 kilometers (20 nautical miles).