Getty Images / Vicki Jauron, Babylon and Beyond Photography
If you’ve spotted a whale breaching while catching some rays at Rockaway Beach this summer, it isn’t your imagination. The number of whales swimming off New York’s coastline has exploded over the past few years, and a newly signed state law is changing the rules of the water to prioritize their safety.
The legislation, dubbed the New York Whale Awareness Act, was signed by Governor Kathy Hochul on August 7, 2026. It establishes comprehensive educational guidelines designed to reduce marine mammal interactions and prevent vessel strikes.
In other words, boaters will have to learn new rules before gassing up and sailing out on New York waters.
So, what exactly does the law entail–and is everything about to change for boaters? Here’s what you need to know.
What is the New York Whale Awareness Act?
The goal of the legislation is simple: protect the rapidly increasing number of whales navigating one of the busiest port regions in the country.
A higher concentration of whales sharing waters with commercial and recreational vessels has created serious risks, with vessel strikes being a leading cause of marine mammal mortality.
The legislation will establish new rules and guidelines to encourage safer navigation habits and prevent accidental injuries and deaths among local marine life, including humpback whales and the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale.
© Sarah Trabue, WCS Ocean Giants/Activities conducted pursuant to NMFS ESA/MMP Permit No. 27507
The main details
The law (A.8515A/S.2292B) directs the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and the Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) to implement the following changes:
Mandatory Education: Whale-safe boating education will be integrated directly into existing state boater safety courses
Registration Outreach: Whale safety information will be distributed to mariners during the vessel registration process
Standardized Best Practices: Boaters will learn collision-prevention techniques, such as how to identify whales in the area, keeping minimum distances, and cutting engines rather than speeding away to get a photo
Governor Hochul stated:
New York’s ocean waters are cleaner and more vibrant than they have been in decades, drawing extraordinary marine life back to our shores. The New York Whale Awareness Act ensures that everyone enjoying our state’s waterways has the tools and knowledge needed to navigate safely, avoid dangerous collisions and protect these special creatures.
Pexels / Jules Clark
Why is this happening now?
Thanks to cleaner waters, conservation efforts, and surging populations of Atlantic menhaden (a favorite food source), whales have made a remarkable comeback.
In July 2026, the local nonprofit Gotham Whale documented the 500th individual humpback whale in NYC waters
Researchers now catalog 80 to 100 individual whales annually, up from just 10 to 30 prior to 2018
Tragically, about 20% of the cataloged whales show evidence of propeller scars, and vessel strikes remain a top cause of mortality. Between December 2023 and February 2024 alone, 12 whales washed up dead across NY and NJ shores
What it means for boaters
The law takes an education-first approach.
Boaters won’t necessarily face new curfews like the proposed “Lights Out” bill, but they will be required to understand how to safely share the water.
As whales continue to feed closer to the shoreline during fall migrations—often creating traffic jams with local fishing boats—knowing when to shut down the propeller is becoming a critical maritime skill.