The National Marine Manufacturers Association expressed disappointment with the decision by the Department of Commerce to advance the North American Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction Rule to the Office of Management and Budget.
Proposed by NOAA, the rule would restrict boats to 11 mph along much of the Eastern Seaboard for up to seven months of the year. NMMA says this would significantly hurt coastal economies and the small businesses that comprise the boating industry.
“We are extremely disappointed and alarmed to see this economically catastrophic and deeply flawed rule proceed to these final stages,” NMMA president and CEO Frank Hugelmeyer said in a statement. “The proposed rule is based on incorrect assumptions and questionable data, and fails to distinguish between large, ocean-crossing vessels and small recreational boats, which could not be more different from each other. Most concerning, the proposed rule ignores the advanced marine technologies available now that can better protect the North Atlantic right whale and prevent vessel strikes.”
According to the NMMA, the rule could put more than 810,000 jobs and nearly $230 billion in economic contributions in jeopardy. Many coastal economies are built around boating, fishing and the hospitality industry, which could suffer is the rule is passed.
In February, the industry hosted NOAA Fisheries assistant administrator Janet Coit at the Miami boat show to discuss technologies available to detect whales. Prior to that, representatives from the boating and fishing communities met with members of Congress to discuss the economic ramifications of the proposed limits.
“The rule’s many blind spots spell dire consequences for boater safety and accessibility, the economic vitality of coastal communities and marine manufacturers, and the livelihoods of countless supporting small businesses, all while undermining years of progress in marine conservation,” Hugelmeyer said in the statement. “We strongly urge the administration to withdraw this rule and consider the technological solutions for which we have been advocating since 2022, which promise protections for the right whale, the economy and boaters.”
