AMO Currents - NOAA regulation will require ships to reduce speeds in right whale zones

AMO Currents - Posted: October 28, 2008

NOAA regulation will require ships to reduce speeds in right whale zones

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued a new regulation requiring large ships to reduce speeds to ten knots in areas where whales feed and reproduce to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales. The new rule will take effect in early December of this year.

Slow moving right whales are vulnerable to collisions with ships since their migratory paths cross East Coast shipping lanes, NOAA reported. The rule will require vessels to travel at ten knots or less during the seasons whales are expected to be present in designated areas along the East Coast. It will be up for renewal in five years, after scientists assess its effectiveness. More information about the regulation is available online at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/shipstrike.