The Biden administration has scrapped a proposed vessel speed rule designed to protect the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale from fatal ship collisions. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA Fisheries, cited insufficient time to finalize the regulation under the current administration as the reason for pulling the proposal, which had drawn nearly 90,000 public comments.
The proposed rule, introduced in August 2022, sought to expand vessel size restrictions, increase seasonal speed zone boundaries, and enforce dynamic speed zones when right whales were detected. With its withdrawal, current speed regulations remain in place. Under existing laws (50 CFR 224.105), vessels over 65 feet must reduce speed to 10 knots in designated areas along the U.S. East Coast during specific seasons. Government, law enforcement, and some foreign vessels are exempt.
Since 2017, the North Atlantic right whale population has suffered a catastrophic decline due to vessel strikes and fishing gear entanglements, with only around 370 individuals remaining—just 70 of them breeding females. Conservationists warn that delays in implementing stronger protections could push the species toward extinction.
Oceana Campaign Director Gib Brogan criticized the decision, warning that the East Coast has become a "graveyard" for right whales. He urged action from the incoming Trump administration to support both the marine economy and whale conservation.