Another Whale Killed: Demand Speed Limits in Marine Sanctuaries Today

The San Francisco Chronicle is reporting that another large, baleen whale has been killed by a container ship traveling through California’s marine sanctuaries while traveling to the Port of Oakland.

A representative from the National Marine Fisheries Service has concluded that the animal was alive when struck: he also stated that “[i]f ships hit whales at 10 knots or less, there’s a greater chance there won’t be any injury. It’s very difficult for the vessels to do that because time is money.”

That’s where you come in: as part of the Golden Gate National Parks Endangered Species Big Year we’ve been empowering people to see and help save the endangered Humpback Whale throughout 2010 by calling on our marine sanctuaries to impose speed limits whenever whales are present.

Contact the Gulf of the Farallones, Cordell Banks, and Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuaries today and ask them to implement a speed limit for large vessels when whales are present.

To Contact the Marine Sanctuaries:

Cordell Bank National Marine Sanctuary
Superintendent Dan Howard
PH:(415) 663-0314 × 102
Email: dan.howard@noaa.gov

Gulf of the Farallones National Marine Sanctuary
Superintendent Maria Brown
PH: (415) 561 6622 × 301
Email: maria.brown@noaa.gov

Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary
Superintendent Paul Michel
PH: (831) 647-4201
Email: paul.michel@noaa.gov

We can afford to ensure whales aren’t killed by ships: we just need the political will to do so. Please make your calls today and help make sure these senseless deaths end.