With the North Atlantic right whale population in the hundreds, conservationists called for new speed regulations in protected "slow zones" off the East Coast, according to The Associated Press. However, this push to increase vessel speeding rules was withdrawn by the Biden administration days before President Donald Trump took office.
What's happening?
The North Atlantic right whale has been endangered since 1970, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. While the number of whales increased from 2000 to 2010, it plummeted by more than 25% in the following decade. Along with entanglements, vessel strikes are "a leading cause of the species' decline," the National Marine Fisheries Service said.
While previous efforts to protect the endangered species focused on fishing gear, the 2022 proposal called for new rules that would expand the East Coast's seasonal slow zones — which require boats and ships to slow down 10 knots (or 19 km per hour) — and require slower speeds when the whales are present outside the seasonal slow zones.
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Definitely 👍 The proposal was withdrawn in January 2025, as the government could not sort through the feedback of over 90,000 public comments before the administration changed. Those against the proposal are primarily shippers and boaters, who say slower speeds could be economically devastating to their industry.
Why is protecting these whales so important?
The North Atlantic right whale is crucial to keeping carbon dioxide at bay, thus reducing climate heating.
It does more than diversify ecosystems and balance the food chain. One whale, which can reach around 140,000 pounds, can store up to 33 tons of carbon dioxide over its lifespan of up to 70 years. Moreover, once whales die, their bodies sink to the ocean floor, where the carbon generally does not return to the atmosphere. In comparison, a live oak tree with a 500-year lifespan captures about 12 tons of carbon.
With less carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, we can experience less intense weather events and lower sea levels, improving human, animal, and infrastructure health.
What's being done about the whales' population decline?
While the Trump administration is shifting from environmental conservation to support for marine industries, conservation groups such as NOAA are offering resources to prevent further population decline for the whales.
NOAA states that while some regulations exist throughout the North Atlantic right whale's migration path — from Florida to New England — they are not strongly enforced. To promote compliance with the rules, it suggests encouraging education on the whales' vital environmental impact.
It also recommends that those on the water observe slow-zone regulations, respect voluntary speed reduction areas, and take alternative shipping routes to avoid the species.
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