Graham, Fry Lead South Carolina GOP Delegation Letter Expressing Concerns Over NOAA's Proposed Rule Changes on Right Whale

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham (R-South Carolina) and U.S. Representative Russell Fry (R-South Carolina-07) led the South Carolina Republican congressional delegation in writing a letter to the Biden Administration regarding their concerns over the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) proposed changes to the North Atlantic Right Whale Vessel Strike Reduction Rule.

Implementation of this proposed rule would not only harm the boating and fishing industries along South Carolina’s Coast but also have significant downstream economic effects on tourism, hospitality, consumer goods, dining, and tax revenue generation in the state. The proposed changes would also threaten the safety and lives of our state’s harbor pilots who provide an integral service to the maritime industry of South Carolina and the entire nation.

The South Carolina Republican congressional delegation wrote, “NOAA’s Regulatory Impact Review estimates that the cumulative impacts for all vessel size classes and regions combined will be $46.2 million nationwide. However, just in current inventory, the South Carolina Boating & Fishing Alliance estimates the loss of their member dealers in South Carolina alone to be $77 million. Implementation of this proposed rule would not only harm the boating and fishing industries but also have significant downstream economic effects on tourism, hospitality, consumer goods, dining, and tax revenue generation in South Carolina. Further, approximately 5.1 million recreational fishing trips have been taken along the Atlantic coast by vessels 35-65 feet in length since 2008. The chance of a 35 to 65-foot recreational vessel striking a North Atlantic Right Whale during an offshore fishing trip is less than one in 1,000,000. We believe that NOAA’s proposed rule relies on an overly conservative and inaccurate risk model for justification and does not demonstrate the plausible basis for imposing a 10-knot speed limit on boats in the 35 to 65-foot size class.”

They continued, “We are eager to work with NOAA on a viable solution, such as a technological option allowing observers to track right whales with reports broadcast in real-time. It is imperative to consider the full implications of this proposed rule before implementation. Thank you for your continued engagement.”

Read the full letter here.

Background on the proposed rule change:

The proposed change would expand the mandatory speed restriction to 10 knots or less in designated areas of the ocean to include vessels 35-65 feet in length, which would affect the entire East Coast. Consequently, recreational boaters taking a one-way 100 mile offshore fishing trip, which currently takes approximately three hours of travel time, would see that time increase to a 10-hour one-way trip.

While intended to protect the North Atlantic Right Whale, NOAA’s proposed rule lacks a plausible basis for imposing a 10-knot speed limit on boats in the 35-65-foot size class.