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Defenders in Action: Victory for Rare Right Whales
Following a lawsuit by Defenders of Wildlife and others, a federal appeals court in July reversed a lower court decision that upheld the U.S. Coast Guard to review the impact of shipping traffic lanes on endangered North Atlantic right whales. The ruling is a crucial step toward ending ship strikes in right whale habitat.
Vessel strikes are the leading cause of injuries and deaths to right whales, and are known to kill or injure a minimum of three of the endangered marine mammals each year on the East Coast. Many ship strikes are also believed to go unreported. Only about 350 North Atlantic right whales remain, and according to the National Marine Fisheries Service the loss of even one whale brings the species closer to extinction. Adult female right whales reproduce slowly, giving birth to one calf every four years, and they do not reach reproductive maturity until age 8.
In 2006 the National Marine Fisheries Service proposed a rule to limit ship speeds in right whale habitat to further avoid ship strikes and save the species, but the Bush administration has delayed implementation of this rule.
"Ship collisions are the greatest threat to the survival of the right whale, so ensuring that the Coast Guard protects the whale in shipping lanes is a great conservation victory," says Robert Dreher, vice president of conservation law for Defenders.
Learn more about our recent victory for the critically imperiled right whale!
