Following the House Natural Resources subcommittee hearing about NOAA’s proposed vessel speed restrictions along the Atlantic Seaboard, Senators Joe Manchin and John Boozman introduced the bipartisan Protecting Whales, Human Safety and the Economy Act of 2023.
Manchin (D-W.V.) and Boozman (R-Ark.) are co-chairs of the Congressional Sportsmen’s Caucus and members of the Congressional Boating Caucus.
The bill would prohibit NOAA from issuing a rule that modifies or replaces the existing North Atlantic right whale vessel-strike reduction regulation until technological solutions recently authorized by Congress can better track whales. NOAA has proposed changes that would broaden the boundaries and timing of seasonal restrictions that reduce speeds to 10 knots along much of the East Coast.
“I know firsthand how important our fishing culture is to who we are, whether that’s on our trout streams in West Virginia or coastal fishing along the Eastern Seaboard,” Manchin said in a statement. “I’m proud to introduce the bipartisan Protecting Whales, Human Safety and the Economy Act of 2023 to prevent yet another example of dangerous federal overreach that would place unnecessary burdens on our seasonal fishermen, boat manufacturers and the coastal economies that rely on them.”
Added Boozman: “We can and should balance protecting wildlife and livelihoods because it is common sense. I’m pleased to join Sen. Manchin on this legislation to encourage a reasonable solution for safeguarding the right whale population without imposing overly restrictive mandates and inviting unintended consequences.”
