TY - RPRT
TI - North Atlantic  Right  Whale  (Eubalaena glacialis) Vessel  Speed  Rule  Assessment 
AU - NOAA Fisheries
AB - The North  Atlantic  right  whale (Eubalaena glacialis)  remains  one  of  the  most  endangered large whales  in the world with an estimated  population  size of  about  400 individuals  at  the  end of 2018 (Pace  et  al.  2017;  Hayes  et  al.  2019).  Despite decades  of  protection,  a  combination  of anthropogenic  impacts  and a low  calving  rate  continue to  impede  recovery  of  the  species  (Kraus et  al.  2016;  Corkeron et  al.  2018;  Hayes  et  al.  2019).  The  most  pressing  threats  to  right  whale survival  include  entanglement  in fishing  gear  and collisions  with  vessels,  which combined are responsible  for  a  minimum  of  86  mortalities  and serious  injuries  in  the U.S.  and Canada between 2000 and 2017  (Waring et  al.  2004;  Waring  et  al.  2009;  Waring  et  al.  2013;  Hayes  et al.  2019)  representing approximately  20%  of  the  extant  population. In 2008,  the National  Marine Fisheries  Service (NMFS)  implemented  a  seasonal,  mandatory vessel  speed  rule  in certain areas  along the  U.S.  East  Coast  to  reduce  the  risk  of  vessel collisions  with  right  whales.  We  conducted  a  review  of  the  speed  rule  to  evaluate  how  effective  it is  at  reducing  the incidence of  right  whale mortality  and serious  injury  due  to vessel  strikes  and where it  could be improved.  While it  is  not  possible to  determine  a direct  causal  link,  the  number of  documented  vessel  strike  mortalities  and  serious  injuries  decreased  from  12  during  the  10 years  prior  to  the  rule’s  implementation  to 8  in  the 10 years  since implementation.  This  overall decline demonstrates  progress  but  also  indicates  additional  action is  warranted  to  further  reduce the  threat  of  vessel  collisions. The  level  of  mariner  compliance with the  speed  rule increased  to its  highest  level  (81%)  during 2018-2019.  In  most  Seasonal  Management  Areas  (SMAs)  more  than 85%  of  vessels  subject  to the  rule maintained speeds  under  10  knots,  but  in  some  portions  of  SMAs  mariner  compliance is low,  with rates  below  25%  for  the  largest  commercial  vessels  outside  four  ports  in  the  southeast. Evaluations  of  vessel  traffic  in active SMAs  revealed  a  reduction  in vessel  speeds  over  time, even during  periods  when SMAs  were inactive.  An assessment  of  the voluntary  Dynamic Management  Area  (DMA)  program  found limited  mariner  cooperation  that  fell  well  short  of  levels reached in  mandatory  SMAs.  An examination of  AIS-equipped small  vessel  traffic  (<  65  ft  in length)  in SMAs,  not  subject  to  the  rule,  found  the  densest  activity  in the Mid-Atlantic  where less than 50%  of  transit  distance was  below  10 knots.  Off  New  England,  small  vessel  traffic  was sparser  with 83%  of  transit  distance  under  10  knots. Our  investigation  of  navigational  safety  revealed no indication of  impacts  from  implementation  of the  speed  rule.  Finally,  an economic  impact  assessment  was  conducted  to evaluate  the  cost  of compliance to  the  regulated community.  The  yearly  cost  to  industry  is  estimated  to  be $28.3  to $39.4  million annually,  with  the  majority  of  the  cost  (58  -70%)  borne  by  the  container  ship sector. Findings  from  this  review  include recommendations  for  further  action,  including  addressing  low compliance in some SMA  port  entrance  areas  and insufficient  cooperation  with voluntary  DMAs. More attention is  needed  to  further  investigate  the  impact  of  non-lethal  vessel  collision injuries  to i right  whales,  assess  conservation concerns  with  small  vessel  traffic  and strengthen our  ability  to enforce  the  speed  regulations
DA - 2020/06//
PY - 2020
PB - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
LA - English
KW - Collision
KW - Marine Mammals
ER -