Charter boat captains, boating industry experts speak out against NOAA Vessel Speed Rule
by National Marine Manufacturers Association 1 Jun 2024 08:45 PDT
Offshore Fishing Boat © National Marine Manufacturers Association
As NOAA’s vessel speed rule is considered by the Office of Management and Budget, the recreational boating industry continues to advocate for the withdrawal of the rule in favor of the advanced marine technologies available today.
The rule, which would require small recreational boats to travel at speeds of 10 knots along much of the Atlantic coast for up to seven months of the year, is ill-conceived, dangerous to boaters, economically disastrous, and ineffective at achieving its goal of protecting the North Atlantic right whale.
Since the rule was proposed nearly two years ago, the recreational boating and fishing industry has worked tirelessly to alert NOAA to the flaws in the rule and propose a technology-based approach to protecting marine mammals without putting boater safety at risk and devastating coastal economies.
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