Port Alert
RI / Southern Massachusetts
March 16, 2026
Notices
Two New Right Whale Slow Zones and Extension: NE of Boston, SE of Nantucket, and SE of Atlantic, City
Effective through March 28, 30, and 31
On March 14, 2026, the Cape Ann buoy operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) redetected the presence of right whales northeast of Boston, MA. The right whale Slow Zone is in effect through March 28, 2026.
Also, on March 15, 2026, the NOAA North Atlantic Right Whale Sighting Survey detected the presence of right whales southeast of Nantucket, MA. The right whale Slow Zone is in effect through March 30, 2026.
Lastly, on March 16, 2026, the Coastal New Jersey Slocum glider operated by Rutgers University and WHOI detected the presence of right whales southeast of Atlantic City, NJ. The right whale Slow Zone is in effect through March 31, 2026.
As a reminder, six 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.
Southeast of Atlantic City, NJ Slow Zone: Effective March 16 - 31, 2026
Waters bounded by:
Northern Boundary: 39°21′ N
Southern Boundary: 38°50′ N
Eastern Boundary: 72°55′ W
Western Boundary: 73°34′ W
Southeast of Nantucket, MA Slow Zone: Effective March 15 - 30, 2026
Waters bounded by:
Northern Boundary: 40°56′ N
Southern Boundary: 40°23′ N
Eastern Boundary: 69°02′ W
Western Boundary: 69°43′ W
Northeast of Boston, MA Slow Zone: Effective March 13 - 28, 2026
Waters bounded by:
Northern Boundary: 42°43′ N
Southern Boundary: 42°13′ N
Eastern Boundary: 70°21′ W
Western Boundary: 71°02′ W
Southwest of Nantucket, MA Slow Zone: Effective March 11 - 26, 2026
Waters bounded by:
Northern Boundary: 41°04′ N
Southern Boundary: 40°32′ N
Eastern Boundary: 70°08′ W
Western Boundary: 70°50′ W
South of Nantucket, MA Slow Zone: Effective March 11 - 26, 2026
Waters bounded by:
Northern Boundary: 40°55′ N
Southern Boundary: 40°21′ N
Eastern Boundary: 69°28′ W
Western Boundary: 70°24′ W
East of Ocean City, MD Slow Zone: Effective March 8 - 23, 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 Atlantic City, NJ Slow Zone: Effective March 6 - 21, 2026
Waters bounded by:
Northern Boundary: 39°43′ N
Southern Boundary: 39°13′ N
Eastern Boundary: 72°41′ W
Western Boundary: 73°20′ W
Northeast of Atlantic City, NJ Slow Zone: Effective March 3 - 18, 2026
Waters bounded by:
Northern Boundary: 40°00′ N
Southern Boundary: 39°29′ N
Eastern Boundary: 72°48′ W
Western Boundary: 73°28′ W
East of New York, NY Slow Zone: Effective March 2 - 17, 2026
Waters bounded by:
Northern Boundary: 40°35′ N
Southern Boundary: 40°04′ N
Eastern Boundary: 71°57′ W
Western Boundary: 72°37′ 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
Off Race Point SMA: March 1- April 30
NOTE: From March 1-April 30, Massachusetts state law requires all vessels, regardless of size, to adhere to the 10 knot speed limit within the Cape Cod Bay SMA.
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.
More Information
- Details and graphics of all vessel strike management zones currently in effect
- Download the Whale Alert app for iPad, iPhone, and Android for real time updates on Slow Zones, SMAs, and other whale sightings
- Recent right whale detections and how to report sightings
- Real-time acoustic detections along the eastern seaboard
- Find out more about our right whale conservation efforts
Spread the Word!
All boaters from Maine to Florida, or interested parties, can sign up for email or text notifications about the latest Right Whale Slow Zones. You can also follow us on Facebook (@NOAAFisheriesNEMA) and X (@NOAAFish_GARFO and @NOAAFisheriesSE) for announcements.
Attention Right Whale Slow Zone Subscribers
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.
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