The long-awaited final North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Speed Rule will likely not be finalized by the end of 2023, according to Janet Coit, Assistant Administrator of Fisheries at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). This rule, which proposes to put in place a 10-knot speed limit on all vessels 35 feet or larger from November through May, was expected to be finalized before the end of the year.

The proposed rule was first introduced in August 2022. During the public comment period, which was only open for 90 days, more than 90,000 comments were submitted. NOAA is required to go through each of these comments and use them to inform its final agency action on the proposed rule. Additionally, since the introduction of the proposed rule, the recreational boating and fishing community has worked tirelessly to educate elected officials and others of the economic harm the proposed rule would have on our industry, small businesses and coastal communities alike.

Our outreach, combined with the tens of thousands comments, may be adding to the delay as the agency works to finalize a rule that maintains access for recreational vessels and provides Right whale protection and conservation — the end goal the recreational boating industry has prioritized since the start.

Currently, the MRAA and a large coalition of partners in the recreational boating and fishing industry continues to push back against these proposed regulations while also educating members of Congress and other elected officials about the potential impact. The coalition supports current legislation to pause implementation of the final rule until near and real-time monitoring technology is deployed and its effectiveness is evaluated and shared with Congress.

Additionally, MRAA and others will participate, March 5-7, 2024, in the North Atlantic Right Whale Strike Risk Reduction Technology Workshop, hosted by NOAA. The workshop will explore and promote new technologies to reduce the risk of vessel strikes as NOAA pursues innovative tools and management practices to offer mariners additional options for reducing lethal collision with whales.

The MRAA will continue to keep you updated on this proposal as it moves through the regulatory process. If you have questions, please reach out to me at Chad@mraa.com.