Speak Out Against NOAA Fisheries’ Vessel Speed Restrictions

What’s happening? In August 2022 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) – a scientific and regulatory agency within the U.S. Department of Commerce – proposed changes to its “North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction Rule.”

What this means for boaters: If NOAA’s proposed changes go into effect, this impacts boaters’ ability to get on the water along the Atlantic coast.

What changes does NOAA want? 

• A mandatory 10-knot (11 mph) speed restriction for all boats 35 feet and greater in length.

• An expansion of the mandatory speed zone to cover a broader swath of the ocean, from Massachusetts to Florida.

• A 10-knot speed restriction up to 100 miles out from the shoreline, in some instances, for up to 7 months.
  
  

What you need to do: Fill out the form to the right, and submit a letter to your members of Congress urging they engage the Biden administration and NOAA to protect boating access and make changes to its rule.