Vessel speed restrictions to reduce ship collisions with North Atlantic right whales

[1] The purpose of the regulations was to reduce the probability of deaths and injuries to endangered North Atlantic right whales due to collisions with ships.

[2] It is difficult for the North Atlantic right whale to quickly increase its population due to its low reproduction level.

A collision with a vessel may result in fractured bones, crushed skulls, severed tail stocks, internal hemorrhaging, and deep propeller wounds.

[5][6] From 1971 to 2011, 91 North Atlantic right whale deaths occurred due to ship strikes, entanglements in (ghost) fishing nets, or unknown causes.

[1] In October 2008 NMFS and NOAA implemented regulations to reduce the mortality of ship strikes to North Atlantic right whales.