Trackers that ping satellites every time a whale surfaces for air. Thermal cameras that can detect the animals day and night. Acoustic devices that monitor their calls.<\/p>\n
These and other emerging technologies could help protect the world\u2019s last surviving North Atlantic right whales from collisions with vessels, a leading threat to their survival. And the Trump administration, as part of its deregulatory agenda, is considering whether the new systems could replace a simple, core protection almost two decades old: seasonal speed limits for large vessels.<\/p>\n
The innovations, some of which are already in use to various extents, collectively show great promise. But they each face limitations and would require enormous resources to roll out comprehensively, meaning they are not yet a viable substitute for broad, mandatory speed restrictions, according to interviews with several of the scientists who are developing the technologies.<\/p>\n
\u201cThat geographic scale is going to be very, very, difficult,\u201d said Mark Baumgartner, a senior scientist at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution who uses underwater acoustic monitoring to detect the whales. \u201cIt\u2019s going to be expensive and it\u2019s going to be a major challenge.\u201d<\/p>\n
North Atlantic right whales are one of the most endangered species in the United States. Whaling drove them to near extinction. Since 2017 they\u2019ve been experiencing what the government calls \u201can unusual mortality event,\u201d with an elevated number of whales being found dead or injured. Only about 380 remain on the planet.<\/p>\n
Vessel strikes and entanglements in fishing gear are the two primary threats, according to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries. Global warming also appears to be playing a significant role, as changing ocean conditions cause the whales to follow their prey<\/a> into new areas where they are less protected from traffic and fishing gear. Females are giving birth to fewer calves<\/a>, probably because of a combination of stress and difficulty finding food.<\/p>\n For the species to recover, NOAA Fisheries has determined that even one human-caused death per year is too many.<\/p>\n The very nature of North Atlantic right whales makes them especially vulnerable to vessel strikes. They stick close to the coast, often swim at or near the surface and lack a dorsal fin, making them harder to spot.<\/p>\n Since 2008, vessels 65 feet or longer have been required to operate no faster than 10 knots, just under 12 m.p.h., along certain stretches of the coast at certain times of year. During the Biden Administration, NOAA Fisheries sought to expand those areas and include smaller boats, starting at 35 feet. But the boating industry, sport fishermen and harbor pilots fought the measure, saying it would cause economic devastation. The proposal quietly died.<\/p>\n In March, the Trump administration announced that it was reconsidering the existing seasonal speed restrictions and looking at the possibility of replacing them with alternative management areas and technology-based alternatives. The goal, according to the notice, was \u201cto reduce unnecessary regulatory and economic burdens on the regulated community.\u201d The public comment period<\/a> ends on June 2.<\/p>\n \u201cTechnology has the potential to provide transformational tools to prevent species extinction while allowing marine industries, including fisheries, boating, and shipping, to continue to flourish,\u201d Rachel Hager, a spokeswoman for NOAA Fisheries, wrote in response to questions.<\/p>\n The boating industry has welcomed the move. Ten-knot speed limits are prohibitively slow, affecting transit times and fuel efficiency for recreational vessels, said Gettys Brannon, president and chief executive of the South Carolina Boating and Fishing Alliance, a trade group.<\/p>\n \u201cRegulations that were written 20 years ago shouldn\u2019t remain frozen in time despite major advances in technology,\u201d Mr. Brannon said. \u201cIn 2008, most people didn\u2019t even have smartphones yet.\u201d<\/p>\n An industry task force is working to identify, develop and implement technologies and monitoring tools to prevent strikes.<\/p>\n