Conservation of endangered right whales faces ‘serious setback’ as U.S. drops proposed rule

The recent decision by the U.S. government to drop a proposed rule aimed at protecting endangered North Atlantic right whales has been met with disappointment from conservationists. Dr. Jessica Redfern, the associate vice president of ocean conservation science at the New England Aquarium, has expressed her concerns about the setback this decision poses to preventing the extinction of this critically endangered species.

With only an estimated 370 North Atlantic right whales remaining, of which just 70 are breeding females, the species is at serious risk of extinction. The proposed rule, introduced by the National Marine Fisheries Service more than two years ago, would have required more ships to slow down in East Coast waters to help prevent collisions with the whales. However, U.S. officials cited the inability to implement the proposed changes before the inauguration of Donald Trump as the reason for dropping the rule.

Dr. Redfern highlighted three key changes in the proposed rule that could have significantly improved protections for the whales. Firstly, the rule would have expanded speed restrictions to better align with right whale habitats and areas where past ship strikes occurred. Secondly, the rule would have extended speed restrictions to smaller vessels, addressing the documented strikes by smaller vessels in recent years. Lastly, the rule aimed to make dynamic speed zones mandatory rather than voluntary, as voluntary slow zones have shown little cooperation in the past.

Since the proposed rule was introduced, at least four whales have died and five others have been injured due to vessel strikes in U.S. waters, underscoring the urgency of the situation. Dr. Redfern emphasized the importance of not losing hope, as scientific evidence suggests that reducing human-caused mortalities can help the species recover from the brink of extinction.

While the decision to drop the proposed rule is disappointing, conservation groups like the New England Aquarium are committed to finding solutions that balance environmental protection with the needs of industries. Dr. Redfern stressed the importance of working with maritime and fishing communities to develop technologies that reduce entanglements and communicate about reducing vessel strikes.

The aquarium plans to continue collaborating with lawmakers locally, nationally, and internationally to develop science-based protections for the whales and ensure their survival. Despite the setback, Dr. Redfern remains hopeful that with collective efforts, the North Atlantic right whales can be saved from extinction.