The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said it plans to announce proposed changes to protections for endangered North Atlantic right whales, setting off criticism from environmental groups who argue that the existing rules—especially ship speed slowdowns—have been central to reducing collision deaths. In a Thursday statement to The Associated Press, NOAA said it would pursue a “modernize” effort that the agency described as “deregulatory-focused” and intended to reduce regulatory and economic burdens while still ensuring “responsible conservation practices” for the whales.
NOAA said a rulemaking notice is listed on the U.S. Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs website, but the notice does not include details on what the proposal would do. In its statement, the agency said more information would follow and that its focus would be on “implementing new technologies, engineering approaches, and other advanced tools” to protect right whales.
A key component of the current protections is a vessel speed rule that requires large ships to slow down at certain times, a measure designed to prevent collisions that have been described as a leading cause of death for the species. The North Atlantic right whale is protected under federal rules and is believed to number fewer than 400, with whales living off the East Coast.
Environmental groups said the planned direction is the wrong one amid a fresh mortality event. They cited the Feb. 10 confirmation of the death of a 3-year-old female right whale off Virginia. The cause of the animal’s death was not yet determined, but advocates said the whale died at a younger age than typical.
Jane Davenport, a senior attorney at conservation group Defenders of Wildlife, said, “Another female right whale — the future of this species — has lost her life. We urgently need more right whale protections, not fewer. The Trump administration’s apparent determination to weaken the vessel speed rule could not come at a worse time.” Davenport’s comments put the spotlight on the vessel-speed approach and framed the NOAA shift as a weakening of collision-prevention protections.
Right whales migrate each year from calving grounds off Florida and Georgia to feeding areas off New England and Canada. During those seasonal movements, advocates say the animals remain vulnerable to ship strikes and to becoming entangled in commercial fishing gear. Environmental groups have said that combination of threats contributes to the species’ ongoing decline following decades of whaling that reduced their numbers.
The planned changes also come after a previous push to expand slow zones. The Biden administration had planned to expand slow zones off the East Coast and broaden the classes of boats that would be required to reduce speed. But the federal government withdrew that proposal in the final days of the administration, with officials saying they did not have time to finalize the regulations due to the scope and volume of public comments.
Shipping and other marine industries have long challenged vessel speed rules, and some groups have argued that slowdowns are outdated. The National Marine Manufacturers Association, for example, has described speed restrictions as “archaic” and said it has advocated for solutions that rely on technology.
The dispute now hinges on how NOAA will translate its stated emphasis on “new technologies” and engineering approaches into proposed rule text, and whether the agency’s “modernize” plan would keep vessel-speed slowdowns in place or reduce their role compared with the current framework.