Sanctuary Speed Limits

The good news is that whale populations on the West Coast are increasing. The bad news is that there is a corresponding increase in ship strikes. "Ship strikes are now one of the leading threats to whales migrating through California’s waters," says a press release issued jointly by the Environmental Defense Center, Center for Biological Diversity, Friends of the Earth, and Pacific Environment. The groups report that more than 50 whale deaths have been attributed to commercial shipping in the last decade — and that doesn’t take into account unreported cases, of which the groups suspect there are many.

That’s why the group filed a petition Monday — just in time for World Oceans Day, which is today — with the federal government to set a mandatory speed limit of 10 knots for large commerical vessels traveling though California’s marine sanctuaries: Channel Islands, Monterey Bay, Gulf of the Farallones, and Cordell Bank. “Reducing ship speed is a simple, reasonable way to protect whales and other aquatic life, as well as public health, from risks posed by large vessels that travel through California’s waters,” said Marcie Keever, director of the Oceans and Vessels Project at Friends of the Earth.

The petition argues that slower speeds would allow whales to detect and move away from ships before being hit. Added bonuses would be less air and noise pollution, and increased fuel efficiency.

The shipping industry is opposed to the speed limit, saying there’s little evidence that slow speeds through the 9,300-square miles of sanctuaries would reduce ship strikes. Instead of slowing down, which would delay shipments, commercial vessels would likely skirt the sanctuaries altogether, leaving whales outside the areas at risk. Indeed, ships have routinely ignored a voluntary speed limit advised by NOAA through the Santa Barbara Channel during the height of the migration season.

NOAA says it is also concerned with whale ship strikes and will review the petition. If adopted as written, the speed limit would apply to "vessels greater than 65 feet" — which means Chris Welsh’s Newport Beach-based Spencer 65 Ragtime might not need to file for redress in offshore races!