NOAA Abandons Lifesaving Rule To Protect Critically Endangered North Atlantic Right Whales From Vessel Strikes

Conservationists are expressing deep frustration and anger following yesterday’s announcement that NOAA Fisheries is withdrawing a proposed rule to expand protections for critically endangered North Atlantic right whales from deadly vessel strikes. This decision is a major setback for one of the world’s most imperiled marine species.

The stakes could not be higher: in 2024 alone, four right whales—including two breeding females and their dependent calves—were killed by vessel strikes in U.S. waters. Since 2020, at least 16 right whales have been fatally struck or injured by boats and ships. With fewer than 370 individuals remaining, including just 70 reproductive females, every loss inches the species closer to extinction.

Research has consistently shown that reducing vessel speeds to 10 knots or less significantly decreases the risk of fatal collisions. The rule, proposed in 2022 and now withdrawn, aimed to impose speed restrictions in additional areas frequented by right whales and to include smaller vessels, which are currently exempt from speed limits. This proposal followed years of advocacy by groups such as the Center for Biological Diversity, Defenders of Wildlife, and Whale and Dolphin Conservation, who first petitioned for stronger protections in 2012. Despite resubmitting the petition in 2020 and filing a lawsuit in 2021, their efforts have been repeatedly delayed and are now met with disappointment.

“This is a tragic day for endangered right whales who desperately need our help. I’m outraged that the federal government’s years of foot-dragging led to this outcome, which isn’t based on science or evidence but on cowardice and politics,” said Kristen Monsell, oceans legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity. “The agency’s inaction means that more right whales will suffer and die. The survival of these whales as a species depends on more protections from deadly ship strikes and deadly entanglements in fishing gear. If we don’t curb these manmade threats, these beautiful animals will vanish forever.”

In the meantime, emergency petitions submitted in 2022 and 2023 to protect mother-calf pairs in the whales’ southeastern calving grounds were also denied. NOAA claimed it lacked the resources to implement interim measures while working on a final rule—one that now appears abandoned.

The plight of North Atlantic right whales has only worsened as they adapt to rapidly shifting habitats driven by climate change. These movements have brought them into areas without adequate safeguards against vessel strikes or fishing gear entanglements. Conservationists have long criticized NOAA’s reliance on “dynamic management areas,” where vessel speed reductions are voluntary. Compliance rates in these zones are low, underscoring the need for mandatory and enforceable measures.

This reversal by NOAA is especially frustrating given the urgency of the situation. With the population teetering on the brink of collapse, every preventable death has an outsized impact. North Atlantic right whales are more than just a marine species—they are a critical indicator of ocean health and a measure of our commitment to protecting biodiversity.

Mandatory speed limits, better enforcement, and expanded protections are critical to giving these whales a fighting chance. Conservationists are now left questioning how much longer the species can endure without meaningful action. The clock is ticking, and frustration is mounting as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to save this species slips further out of reach.