Oceana Report Finds Excessive Vessel Speeds Endanger Whales

A new report published by the international advocacy organization for ocean conservation, Oceana, has shown that most vessels are violating speed limitations while endangered North Atlantic right whales are in zones designed to protect them. In the research from the environmental organization Oceana, they found that noncompliance is at least as high as 90% in the speed zones created by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) along the U.S. Atlantic coast, and noncooperation is at least as high as 85%.

One of the two top causes of injury and mortality for North Atlantic right whales is caused by collisions with vessels. Vessel speeds have been proven to lower the likelihood of a North Atlantic right whale’s death by vessel impacts by 80 to 90 percent if vessels are kept at speeds of 10 knots. The data included in the report is derived from vessel tracking devices of 65 feet or greater, although Oceana argues that smaller vessels also contribute to the cause of collision. Serving as an example, the death of a calf earlier this year was linked to injuries in which it received in a collision with a 54-foot recreational fishing vessel. Broken ribs, a fractured skull and propeller wounds were to be found on the animal.

Oceana is strongly urging NOAA to revamp U.S. vessel speed laws.