Friend,
Here’s our proposed site for a Right Whale National Marine Sanctuary!
Our proposed sanctuary is next to the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary and encompass Cape Cod Bay, the Southeast Channel, and Nantucket Shoals, west to Block Island, an area approximately 4,500 square miles, including 160 miles of coastal communities.
A federally-protected marine sanctuary is critical to protect the North Atlantic right whales due to their critically endangered status, the detrimental impact of human activities like ship strikes and pollution, the moral responsibility to protect wildlife, the importance of maintaining ecosystem balance, the urgency to prevent extinction, and the collaborative efforts needed to ensure the survival of these majestic creatures.
We received input from a diverse group of individuals and stakeholders across the United States about how to protect right whales. Here’s what we heard:
- Establish an official national marine sanctuary specifically for right whales with designated boundaries
- Implement enforceable measures to prevent ship strikes, fishing gear entanglements, and man-made noise pollution such as inking and breakaway lobster trap lines, ship collision avoidance systems, and seasonal slow speed zones
- Urge local officials and organizations to take proactive steps to protect marine life and habitats
- Emphasize the importance of preserving biodiversity and interconnectedness of all species on Earth
- Publicize the need for urgent and effective action to prevent the extinction of right whales
- Advocate for the protection of all wildlife and the conservation of natural resources for future generations
- Collaborate with diverse stakeholders, activists, and all levels of government to ensure the safety and well-being of the right whales
- Increase public awareness, support conservation efforts, and take immediate measures to ensure the species’ survival
We are thrilled to move forward in the fight to protect these wonderful marine mammals and let future generations of New Englanders enjoy the beauty of the North Atlantic right whale.
Steady on,
Rob
