Protect Marine Mammals Below is the text of a statement released by President Clinton in early May regarding an instruction to proceed with a proposal to establish mandatory ship reporting systems in key areas of North Atlantic Right Whale habitat. This is an effort to educate mariners and reduce ship collisions, which are a major source of mortality in this critically endangered population. Today, I instructed the United States representatives to the International Maritime Organization to seek strong measures to protect the northern right whale, one of the world's most endangered marine mammals. Like many other species of whale, the northern right whale was once hunted nearly to extinction. The 300 or so that survive spend much of the year in waters off of Cape Cod and off the Georgia and Florida coasts.
Biologists believe the greatest human threat they face today is collisions with large ships.
We must address this threat so these magnificent creatures can flourish once again. Under our proposal, which the IMO will address when it meets in July, commercial ships entering the whale's calving and feeding grounds will be required to report by radio to the U.S. Coast Guard, which will relay back the latest information on the whales' locations and advice on avoiding collisions. We believe this reporting system is essential if we are to ensure the survival of these majestic creatures.