Right Whale

Mariners are urged to avoid the area or reduce their speed to 10 knots or less when transiting through the designated Slow Zone. 

OCEAN CITY, Md.- The presence of endangered North Atlantic right whales has been detected east of Ocean City, prompting the establishment of a right whale Slow Zone. This zone will remain in effect through January 2, 2025.

"Endangered North Atlantic right whales are at heightened risk for vessel strikes because they spend a lot of time at or close to the water surface," a NOAA Fisheries post reads. "Vessel strikes are a primary threat to the species."

Right whales can be very difficult to spot from a boat due to their dark color and lack of a dorsal fin. Poor weather and sea state or low light conditions can make spotting these whales nearly impossible.

Mariners are urged to take immediate action by either avoiding the area or reducing speeds to 10 knots or less when transiting through it. These measures are critical to reducing the risk of vessel strikes, which are a leading threat to the survival of this endangered species.

There have been multiple slow zones for the right whales this year. 

To learn more about the Slow Zone and its boundaries, visit the official guidelines here.

 

Evening Broadcast Journalist

Madeleine has been with Draper Media since 2016, when she first worked as Sussex County Bureau Chief. She helped launch the rebranded CoastTV in 2019. As co-anchor of CoastTV News at 5 and 6, Maddie helps organize the evening newscasts and performs managerial responsibilities such as helping find and assign stories, approving scripts, and making content decisions.

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