b'LEGISLATIVE REPORTLEGISLATIVE NOAA Proposes RevisedRight Whale Vessel Speed LimitsED WELCH // PVA LEGISLATIVE DIRECTORO n July 29, 2022, the National Ocean- operation seasons of members that operate ves- Vessel strikes are not the only human-caused icandAtmosphericAdministrationsels of 65 feet or more in length. peril facing North Atlantic right whales. The (NOAA) announced a proposed rule toanimals are also too frequently entangled in expand the existing North Atlantic right whaleThe proposed rule has the potential of more 10-knotvesselspeedrequirementforwatersfar conflicts with PVA members that operate along the East Coast of the United States. Manyin open ocean waters along the U.S. East Coast. PVA vessel members that operate in Atlantic wa- It will apply the speed limits to vessels of 35Vessels of 35 feet in ters are likely to be substantially affected. feet in length and above. Vessels of this length thatserveasferries,overnightcruiseships,length and aboveOn Wednesday, Sept. 7, at 11 a.m. EDT, PVAwhale-watchingcruises,andcharterfishingthat serve as ferries, will host a Zoom call to discuss the proposedboats will have to contend with the speed limits.rule and its impact on PVA vessel operators.overnight cruise Send an email to ewelch@passengervessel.comNOAA says that North Atlantic right whales for details as to how to call in. are approaching extinction with fewer thanships, whale-watching 350 individuals and fewer than 100 reproduc-Theexistingvesselspeedlimitstoprotecttively active females remaining. Collisions withcruises, and charter North Atlantic right whales went into effectvessels are contributing to the species contin-in 2008, about 14 years ago. Leading up to theued decline, and changes to federal vessel speedfishing boats willfinalization of that rule, PVA worked with po- regulations are needed to further reduce thehave to contend with tentially affected members, especially operatorslikelihood of right whale deaths and serious in-of fast ferries and commercial whale-watchingjuries that result from collisions with vessels.the speed limits.vessels in Massachusetts, to ensure that theirNOAA also said that a revision to the existing concerns were addressed by NOAA. The finalrule is justified because of changes in patterns rule had limited impacts on these operators,of right whale distribution, which have proba-primarily because the seasons in which speedbly occurred as a response to alterations in foodfishing lines, especially in the New England limits are in effect overlap only slightly with thesupply and ocean water temperatures. lobster fishery. NOAA has issued other right whaleregulationsforlobstermen.Thereis concernthatdevelopmentofoffshorewind energy platforms will introduce a new risk.Currently, large oceangoing vessels of 65 feet andabove,regardlessofflag,aresubjectto theexistingrulesmandatoryspeedrestric-attention to detail tion of 10 knots or less in known areas of the ocean at certain times of the year (these areas are designated as seasonal management areas). The dates for the seasonal management areas are tied to the north-south annual migration of the whales. The areas tend to be in the ap-proaches to East Coast ports. The proposed rule will broaden the spatial boundaries and timing of the seasonal speed restriction areas along the U.S. East Coast. The dates the speed limits will be in effect are being adjusted in some locations. For example, the existing Cape Cod seasonal management area has 10-knot speed limits until May 15, but the proposed rule extends them until May 31. This could cause conflicts with high-speed ferries serving Provincetown. Also, the eastern edges of the zones may be pushed further out to sea.www.beurteaux.comFOGHORN 24'