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Urge Congress to Protect Right Whales & Oppose H.R. 4323/S. 1833

Dear John,

Since 2017, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has documented 115 dead, seriously injured, or sick North Atlantic right whales (NARW). NOAA estimates this count only accounts for one-third of total NARW deaths during this period. With fewer than 340 North Atlantic right whales remaining, even a single fatality is enough to significantly accelerate the species' decline.

Two threats are ultimately pushing the species to the brink of extinction: entanglements in commercial fishing rope and strikes by vessels. While solutions ([link removed]) to help address entanglements are in the works, the federal government has already found one to mitigate vessel strikes: Reducing vessel speeds to 10 knots decreases a NARWs risk of death by more than 80 percent.

NOAA currently requires vessels 65 feet in length or greater to travel at 10 knots or less in specific areas and during specific times of year. Now, in response to the unsustainable number of NARW deaths, NOAA is proposing to amend this rule to cover broader geographic areas and times, determined by calving season, when NARWs are most at risk, and to apply the rule to vessels 35 feet in length or greater.

Unfortunately, these planned protections are under attack. S. 1833, introduced by Sens. Joe Manchin (D-WV) and John Boozman (R-AR), and H.R. 4323, introduced by Rep. Earl Carter (R-GA), would undermine our bedrock conservation laws and prohibit NOAA from issuing the urgently needed amended rule until "monitoring technologies" are available to help reduce vessel strike risks in near-real time, presumably lessening the need for speed restrictions. However, technologies and protocols capable of reducing vessel strike risk to the level required to save the species, do not yet exist.

TAKE ACTION ([link removed])

What You Can Do

Please urge your US representative and senators to oppose H.R. 4323/S. 1833 and any other legislative efforts that would push North Atlantic right whales toward extinction and block the necessary strengthening of existing federal rules ([link removed]).

Thank you in advance for your help and for all you do for animals!

Sincerely,

Ericca Gandolfo
Policy Advisor

P.S. Follow us on Facebook ([link removed]), Twitter ([link removed]), and Instagram ([link removed]) for other important animal protection actions and news. Check out the latest edition of the AWI Quarterly ([link removed])!

Photo by FWC/Tucker Joenz, NOAA Fisheries (Permit #18786)

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