Understanding Vessel Strikes

Encouraging responsible vessel practices and understanding the distribution of marine mammals (e.g., whale, dolphins, and seals) and sea turtles are two key components to reducing the risk of vessel strikes. To keep whales safe from vessels, we work with the U.S. Coast Guard and shipping industry leaders to conduct mariner outreach, collect information on vessel strike events, and fund and coordinate aerial surveys and research programs to improve our understanding of animal distribution. For sea turtles, we work with other wildlife agencies to study the occurrence of vessel strikes to identify risk factors and strategies for reducing them.

NOAA Fisheries has taken many actions to reduce vessel strikes:

Whales

• Establishing vessel speed restrictions in parts of the U.S. eastern seaboard during certain times of the year to reduce the threat of vessel collisions to North Atlantic right whales
• Working with the U.S. Coast Guard to establish recommended vessel routes and approaches to ports to reduce the overlap of whales and vessels
• Establishing temporary precautionary zones, called Dynamic Management Areas, around recently sighted right whale groups in which mariners are asked to reduce speed or steer clear of the area
• Alerting vessel and watercraft operators to the dangers to whales of collisions
• Developing and implementing “approach” regulations and guidance for operating vessels around whales in a number of regions
• Developing and distributing written material, placards, brochures, and posting signs in marinas to alert mariners to safe practices around whales
• Developing and implementing Mandatory Ship Reporting Systems with the U.S. Coast Guard. Ships are required to report to a shore-based station when entering key right whale habitats, and in return they receive a message about whales, their vulnerability to ship strikes, precautionary measures ships can take to avoid hitting one, and locations of recent sightings. The systems were endorsed by the International Maritime Organization, a specialized organization of the United Nations.
• Working with partners to modify shipping routes at a number of heavily used ports in U.S. waters to minimize overlap and chances of vessel collisions with blue, fin, humpback, and right whales and other species
• Tracking of vessel strike occurrence through carcass examinations by the Marine Mammal Stranding Network
• Supporting apps and tools that provide information to mariners and ships about where whales are located:
  • WhaleWatch—alerts vessel operators to areas where U.S. West Coast blue whales are aggregating.
  • Whale Alert—smartphone app for fishermen, recreational boaters, industry partners, volunteer networks, and the public to share real-time whale sightings.

Sea Turtles

• Tracking of vessel strike occurrence through the Sea Turtle Stranding and Salvage Network.
  • Strandings of sea turtles with injuries caused by vessel strikes are tracked in coastal areas to understand the frequency of collisions and risk factors
• Promoting awareness

We have also developed guidelines for viewing marine life to ensure their safety and yours.