New measures announced to protect North Atlantic right whales
The new protections will include increased aerial surveillance to try
to spot the whales in the gulf and extending speed limits for ships east
of the current speed-restriction zone, where vessels will have to
reduce speed to 10 knots when a right whale is spotted in the area.
to spot the whales in the gulf and extending speed limits for ships east
of the current speed-restriction zone, where vessels will have to
reduce speed to 10 knots when a right whale is spotted in the area.
Ships travelling in a buffer zone of up to five nautical miles around
these areas will also have to slow down if a whale is seen – a doubling
of the previous buffer zone of 2.5 nautical miles.
Smaller ships – those longer than 13 metres – will now also be
subject to the speed restrictions, where previously only ships over 20
metres were affected.