New Legislation Requires Bush Administration to Stop Procrastinating and
Protect Endangered Whales
WASHINGTON, Feb. 20 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Senator John Kerry today
introduced legislation that would help protect critically endangered North
Atlantic right whales from injury and death due to ship strikes. The Ship
Strike Reduction Act of 2008 would require the Bush Administration to finalize
a rule establishing speed limits for specified vessels in migratory paths of
North Atlantic right whales. The federal rule enforcing the speed limits,
known as "the Ship Strike Rule," was first proposed in February, 2007, but the
rule has been buried in the regulatory process for over a year.
"The Bush Administration needs to stop dragging their feet, follow the best
available scientific evidence, and take immediate action to protect endangered
right whales. A continued delay in finalizing these protections will result in
even more deaths that are easily avoidable, and push the species closer to
extinction," Kerry said.
Ship strikes are the leading cause of death for the North Atlantic right
whale. Top scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
(NOAA) declared that a reduction in speed was absolutely vital to protecting
this critically endangered species. The proposed rule calls for reductions in
speed limits to 10 knots for boats at least 65 feet long and traveling within
30 nautical miles of ports between Savannah, GA, and New York City, NY, during
the peak right whale migratory months, November through March.
"Limiting vessel speed to 10 knots or less is the most effective, viable
option for protecting right whales," said Jeff Flocken, Washington, D.C.
Office Director for the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW). "As the
possibility of more collisions from ship traffic continues to increase, the
right whale faces an imminent threat of extinction."
"The Administration's own scientists have told us what needs to be done to
save this species, yet there has been no movement on the recommendations in
over a year. Senator Kerry's bill compels the Administration to finally move
forward in protecting this endangered whale," Flocken said.
The North Atlantic right whale population was decimated by whaling at the turn
of the last century. Less than 350 North Atlantic right whales exist today,
making them one of the rarest whales in the world.
Founded in 1969, IFAW is an international animal welfare and conservation
organization that works to protect wild and domestic animals and to broker
solutions that benefit both animals and people.
To learn more and to take action, visit www.ifaw.org today.
SOURCE International Fund for Animal Welfare
Brandon Frazier of IFAW - US, +1-202-536-1907, bfrazier@ifaw.org; or Abby
Berman, The Rosen Group, +1-212-255-8455, abby@rosengrouppr.com, for IFAW
