The North Atlantic right whale, with its distinctive bow-shaped mouth, has not yet recovered from the drastic decline caused by commercial whaling, and there are only about 300 of them in the world. One of the factors that have contributed to the current decline in their population is collisions with ships. North Atlantic right whales are difficult to spot because of their dark color and lack of dorsal fins, and collisions with ships are a common occurrence. Mother-calf pairs are especially prone to collisions, so it is important to slow down during the right whale calving season.
Just as we humans lower the speed limit in our cars to protect our children near schools, we need to slow down our ships to protect marine life in the ocean's danger zones.
Unfortunately, the number of collisions between ships and whales is increasing every year. Although recent high-speed ships can travel at speeds of up to 80 km/h, at these speeds it is extremely difficult for both whales and ships to avoid collisions. In the event of a collision, the whale will die from severe injuries such as severe bruising, broken bones, and mutilation. In some cases, people on the ship may also be injured. The best way to avoid a collision between a whale and a vessel is to slow down the vessel. However, since the decision to slow down is voluntary, it has not been very effective.
Some data indicate that a reduction of about 10 percent in vessel speed, combined with other factors, would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 13 percent. It has also been found that phytoplankton is produced in whale excrement and absorbs carbon dioxide from the air. Ensuring marine traffic safety and protecting whales and marine life will help protect the global environment and the survival of humankind.
