Bush Administration Stalls Ship Strike Ruling for an Entire Year as Two More Endangered Whales Are Struck

Ocean Conservancy asks how many more whales need to be killed or hurt before the Administration finally acts

February 20, 2008

Media Contact: Kelly Ricaurte

Washington, DC - Today marks the one-year anniversary of the Bush Administration’s stall on putting protections in place for endangered whales from death and injury caused by ship strikes. The protections include slowing down large ships in important right whale habitat. One year ago today, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) submitted to the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) a draft final rule to slow ships down. Orders signed by the President require OMB to complete their review within 90 days so that the rule can be published. This delay by OMB represents a blatant violation of their legal responsibilities to complete their review within the required timeframe.

About four North Atlantic right whales more than 1% of the endangered population are estimated to be killed or seriously injured due to ship strikes along the East Coast of the U.S. every year. Two right whales have been reported as struck while OMB has stalled releasing the protections for whales. Many ship strikes go unreported. The species is also threatened by entanglement in fishing gear. The North Atlantic right whale is protected under both the Endangered Species Act and the Marine Mammal Protection Act. Only about 350 North Atlantic right whales are left, and the loss of even one whale is detrimental to the species. Though ship strikes are the number one cause of right whale injuries and mortalities, the government still has not issued rules to protect whales from ship strikes as required by law.

"This is one anniversary we will not be celebrating. Today is a troubling day for one of the world’s most endangered animals. Though the scientific and environmental communities are in agreement that slower speeds are needed to save right whales from ship strikes, the administration is not taking the necessary and legally required steps to protect this critically endangered species from further harm," Vicki Cornish, Vice President of Marine Wildlife Conservation at Ocean Conservancy. "Rather than asking shipping companies many of which are not even U.S. companies to be responsible in their business practices, the government’s approach is to put the interests of a few influential shipping companies ahead of endangered whales."

In 2004, NMFS declared that ship strikes are a serious threat to endangered right whales and the agency announced that a rule to address this threat would be proposed. It took two years until June 2006 for the proposed ship strike rule to be released for public comments. Now, a year after completion of the draft final rule, the administration continues to delay even though rigorous, independent scientific research indicates that slower speeds are necessary to save this endangered species.

Notes for the media:

• A shipping industry representative who supports the passage of the rule and is agreeable to slower ship speeds is available to speak with you upon request.
• A graphic depicting the timeline of the rule-making process and right whale injuries and deaths during the process is available upon request.
• Photos of ship-struck whales are available upon request.
• The North Atlantic right whale is a critically endangered marine animal once hunted to near extinction by whalers. Now there are only about 350 of these whales left.
• Adult female right whales reproduce slowly they give birth to one calf every three to five years.
• The environmental community is working together on this issue, and is also available for comment, including Defenders of Wildlife, International Fund for Animal Welfare, Humane Society of the United States, New England Aquarium, Provincetown Center for Coastal Studies and Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.

About Ocean Conservancy

Ocean Conservancy is the world’s foremost advocate for the ocean. Through science-based advocacy, research, and public education, we inform, inspire and empower people to speak and act for the oceans. Ocean Conservancy is headquartered in Washington, DC, and has offices in New England, Florida, the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, and California with support from more than half a million members and volunteers.

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