WORCESTER COUNTY, Md - Two new voluntary right whale Slow Zones off the Ocean City shore have been announced by NOAA Fisheries along with the extension of a current Slow Zone.
On Monday, the Azura mid-Atlantic aerial survey team detected the presence of right whales south of Ocean City, Maryland. The two right whale Slow Zones are in effect through February 8, 2024.
Also, on January 24, the Ocean City buoy operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science redetected the presence of right whales east of Ocean City, Maryland. The slow zone is in effect through February 8.
Five additional Slow Zones are currently in effect. Locations and effective dates are shown in the image below.
VOLUNTARY Right Whale "Slow Zone" AREAS
Mariners are requested to avoid or transit at 10 knots or less inside the areas where persistent aggregations of right whales have been detected. The NOAA Fisheries website has more information.
South of Ocean City, MD DMA Slow Zone: Effective January 24-February 8, 2024
Waters bounded by:
NORTHERN BOUNDARY: 38°10' N
SOUTHERN BOUNDARY: 37°29' N
EASTERN BOUNDARY: 74°34' W
WESTERN BOUNDARY: 75°24' W
South of Ocean City, MD #2 DMA Slow Zone: Effective January 24-February 8, 2024
Waters bounded by:
NORTHERN BOUNDARY: 37°56' N
SOUTHERN BOUNDARY: 37°16' N
EASTERN BOUNDARY: 74°55' W
WESTERN BOUNDARY: 75°45' W
East of Ocean City, MD Acoustic Slow Zone: January 24-February 8, 2024
Waters bounded by:
NORTHERN BOUNDARY: 38°38' N
SOUTHERN BOUNDARY: 37°58' N
EASTERN BOUNDARY: 74°13' W
WESTERN BOUNDARY: 75°04' W