Speeding Toward Extinction: Vessel Strikes Threaten North Atlantic Right Whales

• Main Authors: Pfleger, Mariah, Mustain, Patrick, Valentine Ph.D., Marla, Gee, Emma, Webber, Whitney, Fenty, Brianna
• Format: Report
• Language: English
• Published: Zenodo 2021
• Subjects: North Atlantic
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5120727

Oceanafoundthat most vessels are exceeding speed limits in areas designed to protect critically endangered North Atlantic right whales, of which only around 360 remain. Oceana’sreport analyzesvessel speeds from 2017 to 2020 in speed zones established by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) along the U.S. Atlantic coast, and foundnon-compliance was as high as almost 90% in mandatory speed zones, and non-cooperation was as high as almost 85% in voluntary areas. Collisions with vessels are aleading cause of injury and death for North Atlantic right whales. Studies have found that slowing vessel speeds to 10 knots reduces a North Atlantic right whale’s risk of death from vessel strikes by between 80% to 90%. Oceana isurgentlycalling on NOAA to immediately revise vessel speed regulations for the U.S. Atlanticto save North Atlantic right whales from extinction.