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NOAA Fisheries announces the annual opening of a Seasonal Management Area (SMA) in Cape Cod Bay to protect North Atlantic right whales starting on January 1, 2024. All vessels 65 feet or longer must travel at 10 knots or less in this area to reduce the threat of vessel collisions with these endangered whales. The Cape Cod Bay SMA is in effect through May 15, 2024.
Because vessels of all sizes can strike and injure a right whale, NOAA Fisheries also encourages vessels less than 65 feet in length to slow down to 10 knots or less within active SMAs.
CAPE COD BAY SMA:
Includes all waters of Cape Cod Bay with Northern Boundary of 42°04'56.5"N, 070°12'W to 42°12'N, 070°12'W then due west back to shore.
OTHER ACTIVE SEASONAL MANAGEMENT AREAS:
Mid-Atlantic U.S. SMAs (November 1 - April 30)
Southeast U.S. SMAs (November 15 - April 15)
SPREAD THE WORD:
All boaters from Maine to Virginia, or interested parties, can sign up for email or text notifications about the latest Right Whale Slow Zones. You can also follow us on Facebook (@NOAAFisheriesNEMA) and Twitter (@NOAAFish_GARFO) for announcements.
DOWNLOAD THE WHALE ALERT APP FOR iPAD, iPHONE, AND ANDROID FOR REAL-TIME UPDATES.
FOR RECENT RIGHT WHALE SIGHTINGS, VISIT OUR WEBSITE.
ACOUSTIC DETECTIONS ALONG THE U.S. EAST COAST.
FOR AN AUTOMATIC RETURN EMAIL LISTING ALL CURRENT U.S. DYNAMIC MANAGEMENT AREAS AND SEASONAL MANAGEMENT AREAS, PLEASE SEND A BLANK MESSAGE TO: NMFS.GAR.Rightwhale@noaa.gov
DETAILS AND GRAPHICS OF ALL SHIP STRIKE MANAGEMENT ZONES CURRENTLY IN EFFECT.
APPROACHING A RIGHT WHALE CLOSER THAN 500 YARDS IS A VIOLATION OF FEDERAL AND STATE LAW. PLEASE REPORT ALL RIGHT WHALE SIGHTINGS TO: 866-755-NOAA (6622)
INFORMATION ABOUT THE 2022 PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE VESSEL SPEED RULE.
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