After conservationists pushed for more, NOAA Fisheries withdrew a proposal that would have expanded boat speed limits and protected North Atlantic Right Whales.

The proposed changes, which they argued could hurt the fishing and boating industries and other related businesses.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has withdrawn a proposed regulation intended to protect the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale from vessel strikes. The decision has left conservationists and Maine’s lobster industry expressing disappointment,

NOAA has withdrawn vessel speed rule changes aimed at strengthening protections for North Atlantic right whales, drawing mixed reactions.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has withdrawn its proposal to amend vessel speed regulations that had been designed to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales. According to federal filings from NOAA,

Federal regulators are abandoning a proposal to expand ocean speed limits that were designed to protect North Atlantic right whales. The whales, which give birth off Georgia’s coast in the winter, are nearing extinction;

The proposed speed limits would have impacted all ferry service to Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket, as well as ferries from Boston to Provincetown.

The rule would have limited boats as small as 35 feet to 10 knots when North Atlantic right whales were migrating through NC's near-shore waters.

Federal regulators are abandoning a proposal to expand ocean speed limits that were designed to protect North Atlantic right whales. The whales, which give birth off Georgia’s coast in the winter, are nearing extinction: just 370 remain,