Viking Yacht Co. welcomed a recent executive order directing the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to use avoidance technology and work with the private sector as part of the effort to modernize the 2008 North Atlantic right whale vessel speed rule.
Signed Sept. 17 by President Donald Trump, the order gives NOAA direction from the administration but does not repeal or suspend the existing speed rule. The current 10-knot limit remains in effect for most vessels 65 feet or larger in designated Seasonal Management Areas along the East Coast.
“The executive order makes clear that this is a priority, and we need to use that momentum to keep the rulemaking process moving forward,” John DePersenaire, Viking’s director of government affairs and sustainability, said in a press release. “NOAA has the comments, and we expect a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking from the agency by December. Technology has emerged as a way to address this important conservation issue without unnecessarily restricting boaters. We have made great progress since the rule took effect 18 years ago, and it’s time to acknowledge that progress and modernize the rule accordingly.”
In a Sept. 18 letter to NOAA Administrator Neil Jacobs, Viking urged the agency to prioritize the 2008 rule and move promptly toward a proposed rule that would modernize the current regulatory framework. The letter cited the executive order’s direction that federal agencies take steps to initiate action within 30 days. The letter also asked NOAA to work directly with the companies developing and testing marine mammal avoidance technology.
NOAA opened an Advance Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on March 4, seeking information on possible changes to the 2008 rule. The comment period closed June 2. NOAA said it is considering replacing current seasonal speed restrictions with alternative management areas and technology-based strike-avoidance measures. Any Notice of Proposed Rulemaking would then be opened for public comment before NOAA could issue a final rule.
“We have been working on this since 2022 because technology has to be part of the solution,” Viking president and CEO Pat Healey said in the release. “We want to protect the whales, we want to make boating safer, and we want a rule that reflects how today’s recreational boats operate. The Whale and Vessel Safety Taskforce has put technology on the water and gathered real-world data. The executive order gives NOAA direction to use that technology. Now we need to keep the process moving.”
The executive order also directs the Secretary of Commerce and other federal officials, within 30 days and consistent with applicable law, to take steps to initiate action to suspend, revise or rescind regulations that overly burden boaters, anglers and outdoor businesses.
