COURTESY OF NOAA FISHERIES
Endangered North Atlantic right whales
WASHINGTON – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has established a new voluntary speed restriction zone for vessels south of Martha’s Vineyard to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales.
The newly established zone is in effect to protect an aggregation of three right whales spotted in the area on April 29.
Mariners are requested to route around the area or transit through it at 10 knots or less as the whales were spotted in or near shipping lanes.
North Atlantic right whales are protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Scientists estimate there are slightly more than 400 remaining, making them one of the rarest marine mammals in the world.
In August 2017, NOAA Fisheries declared the increase in right whale mortalities an “Unusual Mortality Event,” which helps the agency direct additional scientific and financial resources to investigating, understanding, and reducing the mortalities in partnership with the Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and outside experts from the scientific research community.
By TIM DUNN, CapeCod.com News Center
About CapeCod.com NewsCenter
