Make Way for North Atlantic Right Whales

Nova Scotia

With only 350 North Atlantic right whales left in the world, scientists and mariners alike are working towards finding ways to protect the population from further decline.

Their small numbers mean the whales tend to stick together, within a relatively small geographical area of the sea near Nova Scotia. While it has been illegal to hunt these whales since 1935, until recently their curious nature attracted them to passing ships, which would accidentally strike and kill several the curious 70 ton animals who had surfaced to take a look around.

Luckily, last year the International Maritime Organization adopted a proposal made by Canada's UN ambassadors to designate the Roseway Bay as an "Area to Be Avoided," or ATBA for short. Each year between June and December when the whales return to in Nova Scotia from their summer vacations in the south, ships weighing 300 tons and larger are asked (not forced) to go around the Roseway Bay. Despite its voluntary nature, most ships are obeying, and some shipping companies are enforcing official policies. Going around the whale pods only adds about 8.6 minutes to a 16-hour voyage between Halifax and New York, with negligible additional fuel costs.

Thanks to the willing participation of ships in the night, we really can save the whales!

http://edition.cnn.com/2008/TECH/science/07/10/rightofway/