NOAA Withdraws Controversial Vessel Speed Reduction Proposal
On January 15, 2025, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced the withdrawal of its proposed vessel speed reduction rule, which aimed to mitigate vessel strikes on endangered North Atlantic Right Whales (NARW) by restricting speeds for vessels 35 feet and longer. The existing 2008 speed reduction rule for vessels 65 feet and up […]
East Coast Extreme Vessel Speed Reduction Update
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) have proposed a 10 mph speed limit for all vessels 35 feet and longer. While this proposal is still under review and has NOT yet been implemented, a 10 mph limit ALREADY applies to vessels 65 feet and longer as of […]
Update on Speed Restricted Zones
Speed Reduction Zones – TBF opposes the two recently issued proposals by NMFS and NOAA to apply extreme vessel speed reductions (10.5 mph) along the East Coast to all vessels 35 feet and longer when transiting Slowdown Zones. The goal of the first proposal aims to reduce vessel strikes of whales, yet documentation of whale strikes by vessels of 35 to 64 feet was not even included in the proposal. The Northern Right Whale has been listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) since 1970, yet populations continue to decline. Failure by large container vessels (25% compliance) to comply
