The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will initiate the first formal step in a review process related to its 2008 vessel speed rule, which established a 10-knot limit for vessels 65 feet and larger along portions of the East Coast.
NOAA will launch an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking that will include a public comment period and a series of questions focused on operational realities, economic impacts and alternatives to speed-based mitigation measures.
“This is an important and appropriate first step,” said John DePersenaire, director of government affairs and sustainability with Viking Yachts, said in a statement. “An ANPRM allows NOAA to gather facts, data and real-world operational insight before determining next steps related to the 2008 rule.”
That rule established seasonal 10-knot speed limits in designated areas to reduce the risk of vessel strikes with North Atlantic right whales. While intended to address conservation concerns, the rule has raised questions about its application to recreational vessels, vessel maneuverability, enforcement practicality and economic impact.
DePersenaire said advances in technology have fundamentally changed how boats operate, reducing risk in ways that were unavailable when the rule was adopted.
“We’ve consistently said that conservation and safe vessel operation are not mutually exclusive,” DePersenaire said. “This process allows for a data-driven discussion that reflects how boats are built, equipped and operated today, and how technology can be leveraged to meet conservation objectives for the species.” The Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is under review by the Office of Management and Budget and will be published in the Federal Register. After that review is complete, the public comment period will open. —David Conway, for Soundings Trade Only
