Marine industry leaders are calling a special meeting to persuade NOAA not to proceed with proposed 10-knot speed restrictions for vessels 35 feet and larger to reduce North Atlantic whale strikes along the Eastern Seaboard.
Viking Yacht Co. is hosting the session Oct. 28 at the Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show at 9 a.m. at the Bahia Mar Yachting Center’s D Dock.
“We want to build a coalition and show a united front,” Viking CEO Pat Healey said in a statement. “Please join us because this is a very serious threat to our industry.”
The initiative has gained support from several conservation groups, including the Guy Harvey Ocean Foundation, as well as the National Marine Manufacturers Association and other industry groups.
“The industry will be truly decimated if this goes into effect,” NMMA president and CEO Frank Hugelmeyer told Trade Only Today. “A 10-knot speed limit for almost all of the coast for most of the year — nobody will keep their boats.”
