Utilizing Technology Safety Features to Conserve North Atlantic Right Whales
Recently, ASA’s Atlantic Fisheries Policy Director, Mike Waine, joined Viking Yachts to explore onboard technology safety features that have meaningful benefits in conserving the endangered North Atlantic right whale. We already possess the tools to reduce vessel strike risk to right whales without needing to implement the burdensome speed restrictions being promoted by NOAA Fisheries.
Instead of limiting fishing and boating along the entire East Coast for six months each year, tools such as infrared cameras, passive acoustic monitoring, and forward-facing sonar can be used TODAY to reduce strike risk to right whales.
Despite their availability, NOAA ignored these technological approaches as a management alternative. Additionally, the risk model used to establish the proposed speed zones was not based on sound science and even NOAA admits that current speed zone restrictions have not had a causal relationship in protecting right whales.
Both the right whale and the fishing industry deserve better. The proposed rule needs to be withdrawn to include these technology-based alternatives. In this short video, Mike describes how these products can be operationalized as part of conservation plans moving forward.