Starting in July 1999, all commercial ships of 300 gross tons and greater will be required to report to a shore-based station when entering two right whale aggregation areas. This measure, in conjunction with other measures being taken by the United States, is an important attempt to help recover the species. There are only about 300 right whales remaining in the North Atlantic.
Ship strikes kill more right whales than any other source of human-related mortality.
Best estimates indicate that an average of about two deaths or serious injuries per year result from collisions with ships, and since 1991, about one-half of all recorded right whale deaths have been attributed to ship strikes. This may represent only a fraction of the total number of whales killed by ships, as many deaths may go undetected if whales drift out to sea. Although other large whale species may also be hit by ships, the behavior of right whales makes them particularly vulnerable to ship strikes. Right whales occur close to shore, and in areas in or adjacent to major shipping lanes. Their feeding and calving areas, and migratory corridors are crossed by international shipping routes.