The appearance of propeller injuries suffered by the first North Atlantic right whale calf of the season kicked off another round of demands by conservation organizations for action by the federal government and ocean-going companies.
There is a mandatory speed restriction zone along the South Atlantic coast, in which vessels 65 feet or longer are required to transit at 10 knots or fewer, but an analysis by the advocacy group Oceana showed 79% of ships covered by the law violated it in those waters in the week leading up to people aboard a charter fishing vessel encountering the calf Jan. 6.
Specifically, Oceana found 454 vessels violated the mandatory restriction.
“Speeding boats and whales are a deadly mix – it’s no different than allowing an 18-wheeler to plow through a school zone,” said Gib Brogan, the North Atlantic right whale campaign director for Oceana. “We are outraged that yet again, a critically endangered North Atlantic right whale calf is on the brink of death due to a preventable boat strike.
“Just weeks ago, we were celebrating this calf’s birth, and now we’re anticipating its untimely death. Further delays in issuing the vessel speed rule will predictably invite more devastating events like this one and that is simply unacceptable.”
Anglers near the South Edisto River inlet in South Carolina saw the calf, born of the whale Juno and first seen by scientists Nov. 28. Georgia Department of Natural Resources biologists determined the injuries were a few days old when spotted by the anglers. The wounds to the calf’s head, mouth and lip are consistent with a propeller strike.
NOAA Fisheries biologists reviewed the matter and determined the injuries rise to the level of “serious injury,” which means they believe the calf will likely die from the vessel strike. It’s the 35th recorded serious injury since 2017. In the past six years, scientists documented 36 dead, 35 seriously injured and 51 otherwise sick or injured right whales.
NOAA is pursuing a rule change that would expand mandatory speed restriction during calving season to vessels 35 feet or longer, but that change is delayed amid opposition by charter fishing interests and members of Congress.
Conservation groups, including Oceana and Defenders of Wildlife, petitioned the federal government for emergency regulations regarding right whales but have been rebuffed.
“A right whale calf currently has a 1-in-14 chance of dying before its first birthday from a vessel strike,” said Jane Davenport, a senior attorney with Defenders of Wildlife. “Yet the Biden administration is inexplicably dragging its feet in finalizing a new regulation to protect vulnerable mother-calf pairs from being run over by boats – and suffering protracted, agonizing deaths like the one Juno’s calf likely faces – if they aren’t killed outright.”
There are about 356 right whales in existence, and 13 calves born so far this calving season. Scientists estimate there needs to be seasons of 50 calves or more to stabilize the population and save the species from extinction.
Observers saw the ninth calf of the season Jan. 3 with its mother, Swerve, near the Altamaha Sound. She calved five times previously, the most recent in 2016, and suffered two fishing gear entanglements in her 36 years.
Another of Juno’s offspring, Limulus, a 25-year-old whale, gave birth recently and an observer team saw her with her calf off Ossabaw Island on Jan. 11. She previously calved twice, the last time in 2013, and suffered two entanglements.
The 11th calf of the season came courtesy of 41-year-old Half Note, her eighth overall and the first since 2022. Only one of her calves has survived to become an adult – all the others died in the calving grounds. The newborn calf also looked thin when observers saw it, and expectations are not optimistic for its survival. Half Note has suffered two entanglements as well.
The right whale Fenway, seen with the 12th calf of the season near Cumberland Island, is about 27 years old and previously calved three times, with the last one being in 2019. She’s dealt with eight entanglements, but they’re all described as minor incidents.
Right whale Catalog No. 1950, who has yet to be named, gave birth to her sixth calf for the season’s 13th. A group of observers saw the pair near St. Simons Sound on Jan. 11. She last calved in 2015, and so far suffered three entanglements.
People can report sightings of calves and other right whales to 877-WHALE-HELP (877-942-5343) or to the Coast Guard through marine VHF channel 16. It’s important to note the time, location and sighting details. However, people are also urged to stay at least 500 yards away from right whales and never follow one.