Right Whales and Ships: Can They Coexist?

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Right Whales and Ships Can They Coexist?

• Gerald Leape
• Vice President for Marine Conservation
• National Environmental Trust

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Snow leopard between 3000 and 7000 found in the
high mountains of central Asia.
Mountain gorilla about 600 continue to survive
in the rainy mountain forests of Uganda.
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North Atlantic right whale

• Classified as endangered both internationally and
  in U.S.
• One of worlds most endangered large whales.
• Protected under U.S. law ESA, MMPA.
• Only 300-350 remaining.
• Extinction projected without drastic action.

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Entanglement in fishing gear
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Ship strikes
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Urban whales north

• Breed and feed in nearshore waters off RI, MA,
  NH, ME, CA
• High traffic areas are prime feeding habitat
  Great South Channel and Mass Bay, Bay of Fundy

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Urban whales south

• Calve in shallow warmer waters off
  Florida/Georgia coast.
• Feeding, resting, socializing bring them to
  surface often.

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How can we be certain ship strikes are to blame?

• Coastwide aerial surveys.
• Every carcass necropsied by expert team of
  scientists.
• Births, deaths, sightings all maintained in
  database.

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Crisis?

• At least 8 right whale deaths over past 18
  months.
• At least 4 ship strikes.
• Three times average mortality rate.

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Long-term impacts

• Five of 8 recent mortalities mature females.
• At least 3 pregnant.
• Represents loss of more than 5 of total female
  breeding population.

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Northern locations of recent whale mortalities
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Southern locations of recent right whale
mortalities
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What can we do??
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Legal obligations

• Both ESA and MMPA require NOAA Fisheries to
  protect and recover right whales.
• MMPA potential biological removal 0

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Emergency regulations speed

• Data indicate speeds 13 knots or less give right
  whales enough time to react and avoid ships.
• All ships leaving/entering East Coast ports
  should travel at 12 knots or less within 25
  nautical miles of shore during peak whale use
  periods.
• Nov 1 to April 30 Florida north to RI
• Jan 1 to May 31 in Cape Cod Bay
• Jan 1 to July 31 in Great South Channel and
  Boston Separation Scheme

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Emergency regulations DAMs

• Dynamic management areas
• In other areas when large aggregations of right
  whales are identified.
• Should include re-routing and/or speeds of 12
  knots or less.

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The right thing to do

• Difficult for industry
• Competitive disadvantges
• Better if permanent?
• Mariners are concerned with protecting endangered
  marine species.

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