VIRGINIA BEACH, Va. — If you’re going to be boating off the coast of Virginia or New Jersey, watch out for North Atlantic right whales.
Because of recent sightings, NOAA is creating temporary slow zones for boaters tor try to help protect the whales.
As News 3 has reported, multiple whales have washed up dead on beaches in Virginia and North Carolina in 2024.
Environment
A timeline of the whales that have died off Virginia, NC coast this year
The deaths have raised a lot of questions and concerns.
“It’s absolutely concerning and it’s absolutely not normal," Regina Asmutis-Silvia told News 3 in April after a North Atlantic right whale was found dead off the coast of Virginia.
Asmutis-Silvia is the executive director of the North American Office of Whale and Dolphin Conservation, which was helping with the necropsy of the latest dead whale at the time.
“North Atlantic Right Whales are approaching extinction," NOAA Regional Large Whale Ship Strike Reduction Coordinator Alicia Schuler said.
News 3 spoke to Schuler about the slow zones. As of Friday, the agency's website showed four zones.
Boaters are asked to slow down to no faster than 10 knots in these areas.
“When a slow zone starts, they are active for 15 days," Schuler explained. "If a redirection occurs, whether we hear them or we see them again, within a week of it expiring it’ll extend."
Schuler said the whales may be migrating or may be coming to the area to feed.
The exact coordinates of the zones can be found on NOAA's website.
Outer Banks
NOAA's law enforcement arm investigating dead whale off Pea Island
As of Friday, one zone will expire June 2. Two zones will expire June 6, and the last will expire June 10.
“There have been lots of right whale sightings by local researchers lately," said Rudee Tours Naturalist Kristin Rayfield. "They have seen at least 14 different right whales."
Rudee Tours offers dolphin and whale watching tours out of Virginia Beach.
The company posted about the zones on Facebook.
“We’re always glad to see more protection for them," said Rayfield.
If you see a whale, you are asked to report it. You can do that here.
