North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction Rule
Published Date: 1/16/2025
Proposed Rule
Summary
The government is pulling back a plan to tighten boat speed limits to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales. This means current speed rules stay the same for now, giving everyone more time to weigh in. If you captain a big boat in whale areas, no new changes or costs are coming your way just yet.
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
No New Whale Speed Limits Now
As of January 16, 2025, the agency has withdrawn the August 1, 2022 proposed rule and the existing North Atlantic right whale vessel speed regulations (50 CFR 224.105) remain in effect. That means the proposed changes — expanding the size class of regulated vessels, enlarging boundaries and extending timing of seasonal speed zones, creating mandatory temporary (“dynamic”) speed zones, and updating enforcement, safety deviation, and reporting rules — will not take effect now.
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