The survival of the endangered North Atlantic right whale population hinges on less than 100 breeding females that journey south along the East Coast every year, but federal protections are still in limbo after their initial proposal last year.
Two breeding females were spotted off the coast of the Carolinas this week, renewing optimism that the species can still be saved from extinction.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in summer 2022 proposed expanding speed limits that are meant to reduce deadly boat-whale collisions. It would set a speed limit of 10 knots in more places where whales migrate and give birth, and for the first time, the speed restrictions would include small boats.
“Vessels are speeding at an incredibly alarming rate, all the way up and down the East Coast,” Julia Singer, a marine scientist with Oceana, said in a Provincetown Independent report. This trend, she said, presents a “very, very high danger” to right whale populations.
NOAA currently imposes a 10-knot speed limit on vessels over 65 feet long in designated zones of the Atlantic coast during parts of the year when right whales are typically present. Enforcement, however, is low. And compliance is even lower. In the 2022-2023 season, NOAA’s Office of Law Enforcement has levied $900,000 in fines against 53 speeding vessel operators based on data from the automatic information system — far fewer than the 7,300 vessels that Oceana has recorded speeding.
A NOAA official told The Post and Courier in December 2022 that a final action on the proposed rule would take place “in 2023,” but that deadline seems to have been pushed back. A vessel strike has already killed one right whale this year, prompting formal calls from Oceana and other groups to impose the expanded rule early under an “emergency” order. Federal leaders declined such measures last year, however.
In other recent headlines:
CP NEWS: Cogswell narrowly beats Tecklenburg in Charleston mayor’s race. Former GOP state Rep. William Cogswell beat incumbent John Tecklenburg by 2 percentage points in the Charleston mayoral runoff election, according to unofficial S.C. Election Commission results.
CP NEWS: Commonhouse Aleworks now open in Charleston International Airport. Park Circle brewery Commonhouse Aleworks this week opens for service in the Charleston International Airport, replacing the former Sam Adams Bar near gate B5. Service starts Nov. 21.
S.C. hurricane evacuation zones set to change next year. The new zones focus on communities that would likely be impacted by storm surge, the invasion of water that a hurricane brings when it churns ashore.
250 jobs coming to North Charleston from California-based logistics firm expansion. A West Coast-based logistics firm that recently underwent a makeover is expanding its operations to North Charleston.
Boeing relies on China trade despite tensions. A thaw in relations between the U.S. and China may help the manufacturer sell more planes — and finally deliver aircraft ordered years ago.
Reusable plastic bags may no longer be exempt from Charleston ban. “Reusable” plastic bags, made of thicker materials, may be exempt from the single-use plastics ban in Charleston, but more are turning up in waterways, which may lead to a rule change.
- To get dozens of South Carolina news stories every business day, contact the folks at SC Clips.
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