WASHINGTON, D.C. — April 7, 2026 — North Atlantic right whales are dangerously close to extinction with fewer than 400 individuals remaining and only an estimated 70 reproductively active females. The loss of even a single whale, particularly a reproductive female or calf, has serious consequences for the survival of the species. Mothers and calves are especially vulnerable to vessel strikes leading to the implementation of seasonal speed restrictions to reduce this human-caused threat. In 2022, acknowledging that the current slowdown areas were no longer sufficiently protecting whales who were searching for food in new habitats, NOAA proposed to enhance the speed rule. This same Agency now aims to weaken and potentially eliminate the vessel speed rule, condemning this species to extinction.
The current vessel speed rule has been in place since 2008. The rule requires vessels 65 feet or longer to slow to 10 knots in seasonal management areas along the US east coast where, and when, critically endangered North Atlantic right whales are known to aggregate. NOAA estimates that vessel speed restrictions reduced mortality risk to right whales by approximately 90% (NOAA).
As food resources shifted, whales expanded their range, resulting in an increased risk of vessel strikes. Since 2017, at least 27 critically endangered right whales were killed or injured from a collision with a vessel. To better address this increasing threat, NOAA proposed enhancing the seasonal speed zones in 2022 and hosted a technology workshop in 2024 to improve detection of right whales through the use of technology. Knowing when and where whales are present can help identify times and places where slow down restrictions are warranted. During the workshop, the World Shipping Council, which moves 90% of containers globally, showed support of the mandatory vessel speed rule (NOAA), acknowledging that it was not an unreasonable burden on the shipping industry. However, NOAA withdrew its proposed expansion of the vessel speed rule on January 16, 2025, citing a lack of time to finalize the rule during the final days of the Biden Administration.
In spite of a NOAA commissioned report citing the inadequacies of numerous emerging technologies to adequately detect right whales in real time, NOAA issued an Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on March 4, 2026, proposing to replace the vessel speed rule with detection technology. The report, issued by MITRE, acknowledges that many of the proposed technologies remain in trial phases and that numerous technologies would be required but did not evaluate costs or reduction in risk as part of their report.
“Detection is a diagnosis, not a treatment,” said Regina Asmutis-Silvia, WDC-NA Executive Director. “Putting up a sign to identify where a school is located is not the same thing as a speed limit. The sign doesn’t reduce the risk of a child being hit, slowing down does.”
“An abundance of evidence shows that mandatory vessel slow zones work to keep whales alive,” said Jewel Tomasula, National Policy Director at Endangered Species Coalition. “A strong, science-based vessel speed rule is necessary to protect the critically endangered species North Atlantic right whale, and detection technology cannot replace it.”
The future of North Atlantic right whales is at risk, but we have the power to voice our concerns and save the species. We need you to tell NOAA that North Atlantic right whales need the vessel speed rule.