New Right Whale Slow Zone and Extension: Northeast of Virginia Beach, VA and Cape Hatteras, NC
Effective through February 2 and 3
On January 18, 2026, the Cape Charles buoy operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and NAVFAC Atlantic redetected the presence of right whales northeast of Virginia Beach, VA. The right whale Slow Zone is in effect through February 2, 2026.
On January 19, 2026, the public detected the presence of right whales off of Cape Hatteras, NC. The right whale Slow Zone is in effect through February 3, 2026.
As a reminder, four additional Slow Zones are also currently in effect. Locations and effective dates are listed below.
Voluntary Right Whale “Slow Zone” Areas
Mariners are requested to avoid or transit at 10 knots or less inside the following Dynamic Management Areas and Slow Zones where endangered right whales have been detected. Vessel strikes are one of the primary causes of injury and death for right whales. Slower speeds are known to reduce the severity of impacts to whales when strikes occur and may provide boat and vessel operators an opportunity to avoid a collision. Visit our website for more information.
Cape Hatteras, NC Slow Zone: Effective January 19 - February 3, 2026
Waters bounded by:
Northern boundary: 37°27′ N
Southern boundary: 34°57′ N
Eastern boundary: 75°22′ W
Western boundary: 75°58′ W
Northeast of Virginia Beach, VA Slow Zone: Effective January 18 - February 2, 2026
Waters bounded by:
Northern boundary: 37°29′ N
Southern boundary: 36°50′ N
Eastern boundary: 74°49′ W
Western boundary: 75°40′ W
South of Nantucket, MA Slow Zone: Effective January 18 - February 2, 2026
Waters bounded by:
Northern Boundary: 40°59′ N
Southern Boundary: 40°29′ N
Eastern Boundary: 69°31′ W
Western Boundary: 70°11′ W
East of Ocean City, MD Slow Zone: Effective January 14 - 29, 2026
Waters bounded by:
Northern Boundary: 38°34′ N
Southern Boundary: 38°03′ N
Eastern Boundary: 74°19′ W
Western Boundary: 74°58’ W
East of Charleston, SC Slow Zone: Effective January 13 - 28, 2026
Waters bounded by:
Northern boundary: 33°31′ N
Southern boundary: 33°01′ N
Eastern boundary: 78°08′ W
Western boundary: 78°44′ W
Northeast of Virginia Beach #2, VA Slow Zone: Effective January 8 - 23, 2026
Waters bounded by:
Northern boundary: 37°19′ N
Southern boundary: 36°49′ N
Eastern boundary: 75°06′ W
Western boundary: 75°47′ W
Active Seasonal Management Areas
Mandatory speed restrictions of 10 knots or less (50 CFR 224.105) are in effect for most vessels 65 feet or longer in the following areas:
Mid-Atlantic: November 1-April 30
Southeast: November 15-April 15
Cape Cod Bay: January 1–May 15
Give Right Whales Room
North Atlantic right whales are on the move along the Atlantic coast of the United States. To protect right whales, regulations prohibit approaching or remaining within 500 yards (1,500 feet) of a right whale. That’s the length of about five football fields.
Right Whales in Trouble
Endangered North Atlantic right whales remain highly vulnerable to extinction, as human impacts continue to threaten the survival of this species. There are approximately 380 individuals remaining, including about 70 reproductively active females.
In August 2017, NOAA Fisheries declared the increase in right whale mortalities an Unusual Mortality Event, which helps the agency direct additional scientific and financial resources to investigating, understanding, and reducing the mortalities. This work is done in partnership with the Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Canada’s Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and outside experts from the scientific research community.
Email and text notification settings can now be filtered to include Right Whale Slow Zone announcements from specific regions. Access your subscriber preferences to update your existing notifications.
Disclaimer: For quality assurance purposes please note well that while the information contained in this website is regularly vetted for accuracy it is not intended to replace the local knowledge or expertise pertaining to port conditions of our marine operations personnel.
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