OCEAN CITY, Md. — NOAA Fisheries has extended a voluntary right whale Slow Zone, effective immediately, following the recent detection of right whales east of Ocean City. This extension is based on data from an Ocean City buoy jointly operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science. The detection, made on Feb. 29, has prompted the extension of the Slow Zone through March 15 from Jan. 30.
The extension underscores NOAA Fisheries' commitment to the protection of right whales, a species known for its vulnerability to vessel strikes. Mariners are being urged to either avoid the designated area or to transit at a speed of 10 knots or less. This precautionary measure is crucial in areas where persistent aggregations of right whales have been detected according to the Maryland Department of Natural Resources.
This Slow Zone is part of a larger effort by NOAA Fisheries to reduce the risk of vessel interactions with these endangered whales. Currently, five additional Slow Zones are in effect in various locations. The exact positions and effective dates of these zones are detailed on the NOAA Fisheries website, along with further information and guidance for mariners.
The east of Ocean City, Acoustic Slow Zone, initially established in response to acoustic triggers indicating the presence of right whales, is now in place from Feb. 29 to March 15. This proactive measure is a part of an ongoing effort to protect the dwindling right whale population from further decline according to Maryland Department of Natural Resources.