NOAA Implements Voluntary Speed Restriction Near Nantucket
November 23, 2018
Update - 12/10/2018: The voluntary speed restriction has been extended after multiple sightings of North Atlantic right whales from November 24th to December 1st with a sighting of a group of 17 right whales on November 26th. The Vineyard Gazette reported that the NOAA has instituted a voluntary vessel speed restriction zone, also known as a DMA, or dynamic management area, that encompasses Nantucket and extends to the southeastern coast of Martha’s Vineyard and Chappaquiddick. Boaters are asked to limit their speed to 10 knots or less when sailing through the area, which spans latitudinally from 40 degrees, 28 minutes north to 41 degrees, 22 minutes north, and longitudinally from 70 degrees, 39 minutes west to 69 degrees, 29 minutes west. Overall, the rectangular area encompasses approximately 360 square nautical miles." Unfortunately, it is still only a voluntary speed restriction which is absurd to us considering the fact that at least 17 right whales were seen in the area - representing nearly 5% of the population. There should be a mandatory and strictly enforced speed limit to protect the whales that have been seen in the area. Source: Concern Grows for Future of Right Whales - Vineyard Gazette
Two North Atlantic right whales that were among the group of 17 sighted on November 26th are seen here in a photograph taken during an aerial survey from that day.
credit: Leah Crowe, NOAA/NEFSC, permit #21371
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has implemented a voluntary speed restriction in a zone 21 nautical miles south of Nantucket, an island off the southeastern coast of Massachusetts. This was put in place after four North Atlantic right whales were seen in the area on Sunday, November 18th and will be in effect until December 3rd. Mariners are asked to go through at 10 knots or less or to avoid the area altogether. The next day, on the 19th, there was a group of six right whales sighted just southeast of the initial sighting of four.
We support this new speed restriction zone but right now we are remembering the death of a North Atlantic right whale calf in 2016 who was killed by a ship strike off the coast of Massachusetts. The necropsy showed he had nine propeller cuts on his underside and multiple broken and fractured bones that were found to have been the cause of death. The Marine Mammal Commission stated that the calf "was estimated to have died two to four days prior to its necropsy on May 6th. A drift analysis suggests the calf was struck in the Race Point special management area, which requires large ships to limit their speed to 10 knots. However, the ship strike apparently occurred just a few days after the seasonal effective period for the area’s speed restrictions ended on April 30th."
This is why we call on NOAA to make the speed limits permanent, to expand them and to make them mandatory as we highly doubt that all boaters will adhere to a voluntary speed limit. As we write on our Ship Strikes page, "The death of this calf just days after the speed restrictions ended is particulary upsetting and shows just how crucial it is to expand the duration of the Special Management Areas and that the speed restrictions continue to be enforced. With the death of one whale affecting the future of the species there is no time to waste in expanding the protections for these whales. With this in mind we recommend that mariners stick to the speed restrictions any time and any place they're piloting a boat, not just when they're officially in effect."
A group of just six North Atlantic right whales represents at least 1.5% of this endangered and declining population so there is no time to waste in protecting them. The article uses an older population estimate that put the Speed limits that are voluntary, temporary and fairly small in size don't do these whales justice - more must be done to protect these whales.
To find out more about what is happening to North Atlantic right whales and how we can all take actions in our everyday lives to protect them, please visit our Facts and Action sections on our website and stay tuned for more news about these whales and more actions we can take to help them on our Facebook and tumblr.
Source:
Reduced Speed Zone to Protect Whale in Effect to December - U.S. News