Today, the NOAA put into effect the shipping speed limit designed to protect North Atlantic Right Whale Populations! From the NYT:The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Wednesday issued a 11.5-mile-per-hour speed limit for ships 65 feet or longer that travel within 23 miles of major mid-Atlantic ports, and in areas where the North Atlantic right whale breeds, feeds and migrates. The regulation will go into effect in December.
Looks like it's a Christmas present. However, it is not the boon to the endangered North Atlantic right whale that researchers were aiming for. The original proposed rule called for a 10 knot limit 30 miles from shore. This rule enforces an 11.5 knot limit 23 miles from shore. A revised version that was submitted for public comment was asking for 20 miles from shore. It looks like the NOAA gave more on the distance but less on the speed.
This particular regulation has been a major focus for NEAQ researcher Amy Knowlton. I wrote about it here and here. It has also been a topic on the researchers' Bay of Fundy blog.
It remains to be seen if this will have the significant effect conservation experts were hoping for ... but at the very least we have lived to see some kind of speed regulation make it through the current administration.
1 comment:
We should have a hint o an idea a year from now and a good idea in three to five years! I really hope it was enough.
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