Karmactive Staff
In a move celebrated by the oil and gas industry but criticized by environmental advocates, the Trump administration has rescinded guidance that required industry ships to slow down in the habitat of the critically endangered Rice’s whale.
The guidance, introduced in August 2023, had recommended that vessels reduce their speed to approximately 11 mph when travelling through parts of the Gulf of Mexico where these rare whales live. Ships were also advised to avoid the area at night, use trained observers to spot whales and maintain a distance of at least 1,500 feet from the animals.
“The consequences of fatal error are too dire to contemplate. And when you’re talking about one of the most endangered whales on the planet, it’s a reasonable thing to slow down in that school zone,” said Michael Jasny, director of marine mammal protection for the Natural Resources Defense Council.
The Rice’s whale, which was only recognized as a unique species four years ago after previously being classified as a Bryde’s whale, lives exclusively in a narrow strip of the Gulf of Mexico, including waters off Tampa Bay. With fewer than 100 individuals remaining—and some estimates suggesting as few as 51—the species faces a serious risk of extinction.
The population suffered a significant blow from the 2010 Deepwater Horizon oil spill, which scientists believe killed approximately one-fifth of all Rice’s whales. Ship strikes represent another major threat, particularly because these 40-foot marine mammals feed on small fish during daylight hours but rest near the ocean’s surface at night, making them vulnerable to passing vessels.
Tampa Bay has experienced this danger firsthand. In 2009, a ship entered the bay with a dead whale draped across its bow. Scientists identified it as a female adult that was producing milk when struck and killed, meaning she likely left behind a dependent calf that would not have survived without her.
Similar Posts:
The rollback stems from an executive order designed to maximize domestic energy production by reducing regulations. The American Petroleum Institute praised the decision, claiming the previous recommendations lacked scientific justification.
“Existing data didn’t justify these recommended actions, which imposed significant burdens only on offshore oil and gas producers while failing to account for vessel traffic from other users operating in the region,” said Holly Hopkins, vice president of upstream policy at the American Petroleum Institute.
The industry commissioned a report suggesting that slowdowns would reduce their economic contribution from approximately $30 billion to $26 billion annually, However, this analysis did not separate company profits from the broader economic impact. It also warned of potential job losses.
Environmental advocates worry this rollback could signal the beginning of a broader reversal in protection measures. Under a 2023 legal settlement, federal ocean scientists must complete a comprehensive analysis of the Rice’s whale by May, which could lead to more permanent protections. But some now fear those forthcoming protections might be weakened as well.
Steve Mashuda, managing attorney for the oceans program at environmental law firm Earthjustice, pointed out what he sees as inconsistency in approaches to energy development and whale protection.
“My refrain to a lot of the messaging, especially from the oil industry, being concerned about whales on the Atlantic coast because of wind energy has been, ‘If you’re concerned about whales being harmed by offshore energy, I’ve got a whale in the Gulf of Mexico I’d like you to meet,'” he said, noting that this position contrasts with Florida Republicans’ decision last year to ban offshore wind turbines partly over concerns for whale welfare.
With the Rice’s whale teetering on the edge of extinction, advocates argue that protecting each remaining individual is crucial. As Mashuda put it: “The Gulf doesn’t belong to the oil industry but belongs to all of us. The oil industry is operating there in public waters, with public resources—and mitigating their activities to avoid causing the extinction of a whale species is, in my mind, not a lot to ask.”
