Amid a difficult year for North Atlantic right whales, a proposed rule to help protect them is one step closer to reality.
“Our impacts are so great right now that the risk of extinction is very real,” said Jessica Redfern, associate vice president of ocean conservation at the New England Aquarium. “To be able to save the species, we have to stop our direct human-caused impacts on the population.”brink of extinctionTheir name comes from whaling: They were known as the “right” whale to hunt because they spend time relatively close to coastlines, often swimming slowly and near the surface, and they float when dead.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, or NOAA, in 2022 proposed expanding those restrictions in three ways. Third, the new rule would make the speed restrictions — the temporary speed limits where whales have been spotted — in dynamic management areas mandatory. A leading boating industry group is speaking out against the expanded speed restrictions, arguing they could hurt small businesses in the recreational boating industry.
NOAA estimated that, based on the size and placement of the propeller wounds, the boat that killed the months-old calf this year was between 35 and 57 feet in length — too small to fall under the existing speed restrictions, but subject to the new rule if it were to be implemented.
United Kingdom United Kingdom Latest News, United Kingdom United Kingdom Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: futurism - 🏆 85. / 68 Read more »
Source: BGR - 🏆 234. / 63 Read more »
Source: SciTechDaily1 - 🏆 84. / 68 Read more »
Source: CNBC - 🏆 12. / 72 Read more »