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NOAARulemakingNOAA-NMFS-2022-0022

Amendments to the North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction Rule

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Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) filings
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Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) filed 1 comment on this docket between Oct 14, 2022 and Oct 14, 2022. 109 other organizations filed here. The comment window closed 1366d ago.

What Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) filed (1)

Oct 14, 2022· Comment from Natural Resources Defense Council· NOAA-NMFS-2022-0022-3781

Filed on regulations.gov — full text not in the inline record.

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Abstract

NMFS is proposing changes to the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) vessel speed rule to further reduce the likelihood of mortalities and serious injuries to endangered right whales from vessel collisions, which are a leading cause of the species’ decline and a primary factor in an ongoing Unusual Mortality Event. The proposed rule would: 1) modify the spatial and temporal boundaries of current speed restriction areas referred to as Seasonal Management Areas (SMAs), 2) include most vessels greater than or equal to 35 ft (10.7 m) and less than 65 ft (19.8 m) in length in the size class subject to speed restriction, 3) create a Dynamic Speed Zone framework to implement mandatory speed restrictions when whales are known to be present outside active SMAs, and 4) update the speed rule’s safety deviation provision. Changes to the speed regulations are proposed to reduce vessel strike risk based on a coastwide collision mortality risk assessment and updated information on right whale distribution, vessel traffic patterns, and vessel strike mortality and serious injury events. Changes to the existing vessel speed regulation are essential to stabilize the ongoing right whale population decline and prevent the species’ extinction.

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Co-filers (109)

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