Stronger speed limits could save the right whales

This coverage is brought to you in partnership with WABE and Grist, a nonprofit organization committed to sharing stories of climate solutions and a sustainable future. In the face of a challenging year for North Atlantic right whales, progress is being made towards implementing a rule to protect them. A proposed expansion of speed limits for boats, a major threat to the endangered whales, has moved forward for review by the White House Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs. With less than 360 whales remaining, and only about 70 capable of reproduction, each individual right whale is crucial to the survival of the species. Since 2017, an Unusual Mortality Event has led to the death of 39 right whales, largely due to human activities, including climate change. The primary causes of death are boat strikes and entanglement in fishing gear. Efforts are being made to prevent these tragedies, such as implementing speed restrictions for ships over 65 feet in areas where whales are present. However, more comprehensive speed limits are needed, covering larger geographic areas and including smaller vessels like fishing boats. Despite concerns raised by some in the boating industry, expanding these speed limits is crucial to protecting the North Atlantic right whales and ensuring their survival.