The North Atlantic right whale is one of the world’s most endangered large whale species with only approximately 370 individuals remaining, including about 70 reproductively active females.
Human impacts continue to threaten the survival of this species including fatal strikes with ships.
As these whales migrate from their feeding grounds in the northern US states and Canada to the shallow, coastal waters of their calving grounds off South Carolina, Georgia, and northeastern Florida speed restrictions are put in place to reduce the risk of fatal collisions.
Read about these and other protection measures here.
Seasonal Management Areas (SMAs) in the Mid-Atlantic to protect North Atlantic right whales
NOAA Fisheries have announced the opening of Seasonal Management Areas (SMAs) in the Mid-Atlantic to protect North Atlantic right whales starting on 1 November and running until 30 April 2026.
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.
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.
Mid-Atlantic SMA (Migratory Route and Calving Grounds) includes:
Block Island Sound waters bounded by:
40º51'53.7" N 070º36'44.9" W
41º20'14.1" N 070º49'44.1" W
41º04'16.7" N 071º51'21.0" W
40º35'56.5" N 071º38'25.1" W then back to starting point.
Within a 20-nm (37 km) radius of the following (as measured seaward from the COLREGS lines):
Ports of New York/New Jersey:
40º29'42.2"N 073º55'57.6"W
Entrance to the Delaware Bay (Ports of Philadelphia and Wilmington):
38º52'27.4"N 075º01'32.1"W
Entrance to the Chesapeake Bay (Ports of Hampton Roads and Baltimore):
37º00'36.9"N 075º57'50.5"W
Ports of Morehead City and Beaufort, NC:
34º41'32.0"N 076°40'08.3"W
Within a continuous area 20-nm from shore between Wilmington, North Carolina, to Brunswick, Georgia, bounded by the following:
A- 34º10'30"N, 077º49'12"W
B- 33º56'42"N, 077º31'30"W
C- 33º36'30"N, 077º47'06"W
D- 33º28'24"N, 078º32'30"W
E- 32º59'06"N, 078º50'18"W
F- 31º50'00"N, 080º33'12"W
G- 31º27'00"N, 080º51'36"W
and west back to the shore.
In addition to protect whales in the calving and nursery grounds from 15 November to 15 April 2026 Vessel speed is restricted in the area bounded to the north by latitude 31º27'N; to the south by latitude 29º45'N; to the east by longitude 080º51'36"W.
BE ALERT TO DYNAMIC MANAGEMENT AREAS (DMAs)
Members are also asked to be alert to dynamic management zones where short term whale protection measures may be introduced in certain areas. Examples include:
New Right Whale Slow Zone: East of Ocean City, MD - Effective to 10 November 2025
On October 26, 2025, the Ocean City buoy operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science detected the presence of right whales east of Ocean City, MD.
New Right Whale Slow Zone: East of Portland, ME - Effective to 7 November 2025
On October 23, 2025, the Gulf of Maine Slocum glider operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution detected the presence of right whales east of Portland, ME.
Mariners are requested to avoid or transit at 10 knots or less inside the Dynamic Management Areas (DMAs).
Conclusion of the 2025 voluntary ship slowdown at Swiftsure Bank and route alteration in the Strait of Juan de Fuca on 31 October
The ECHO Program’s voluntary ship slowdown at Swiftsure Bank and route alteration in the Strait of Juan de Fuca concluded on 31 October after 20 weeks of encouraging ships to slow down or move away from key areas of southern resident killer whale critical habitat.
However, as southern resident killer whales were heard on hydrophones in Haro Strait on the morning of 23 October, the Haro Strait and Boundary Pass ship slowdown will remain in effect until November 30, or until southern resident killer whales are confirmed absent from the area.
More Information
Members are encouraged to use the BIMCO whale resource to keep up to date with all whale measures.
Other useful resources include the Whale Alert app for iPad, iPhone, and Android which provide for real time updates on Slow Zones, SMAs, and other right whale sightings and the Whale Atlas which provides digitised whale conservation zones and protection measures relevant to shipping.
Related information
Contact Us
