Go Slow, Whales Below: - VESSEL STRIKES CONTINUE TO THREATEN NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALES

SMAs and DMAs/Slow Zones, and by all vessels outside of the conservation areas, as the range of these whales To address the vessel strike threat to North Atlantic has shifted since the regulations were established. [...] To protect this species, Oceana recommends that NMFS promptly releases the final updated Vessel Speed Rule that would: • Update the timing and location of seasonal mandatory slow zones to reflect the current footprint of North Atlantic right whales compared to where the whales were 15 years ago; • Make compliance with voluntary Dynamic Management Areas mandatory; and • Expand the rule to include v. [...] less to reduce the risk of death or serious injury to North These dates align with the expected seasonal migrati on Atlanti c right whales from vessel strikes.⁴ of whales, beginning with their calving season in the southeast United States and ending once many of the Entrance to the Chesapeake Bay The mandatory SMAs are acti ve for a disti nct part of the whales have entered Canadian waters. [...] With only around 340 whales left and more than 82% of traffic in and around North Atlantic right whale habitats The current SMAs were developed by NMFS as part of vessels exceeding the voluntary speed limit, it is time to that stretch along the Atlantic coast, the risk to the To save this species, NMFS must not only expand the 2008 Vessel Speed Rule — over 15 years ago.⁴ Since take action: NMFS mu. [...] Non-fishing vessel classes in one AIS signal exceeding 10 knots divided by the total anyone to track vessel speeds in speed zones designed NMFS and Oceana’s findings underscore the immediate this analysis include: cargo, tanker, passenger, tug, non- number of MMSIs detected in the area over the relevant to protect North Atlantic right whales along the East need for the Vessel Speed Rule to be upda.