Boaters Urged to Watch for Right Whales
New Jersey Fish & Wildlife asks boaters to slow down and report critically endangered North Atlantic right whales off the state's coast.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Wildlife
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New Jersey Fish & Wildlife urged boaters to slow down and report North Atlantic right whales now active off the New Jersey coast. The critically endangered whales are at risk from vessel strikes and fishing gear entanglements.
Why it matters
Since 2017, 43 North Atlantic right whales have died and 41 have been seriously injured in the U.S. and Canada, with deaths and injuries primarily caused by entanglements in fishing gear and vessel strikes. Whales may rest just below the surface, making them difficult to spot, which raises the risk for boaters.
Boaters must stay at least 500 yards from North Atlantic right whales and travel at 10 knots or less while keeping a dedicated lookout. Whales may swim or rest at or just below the surface, so the advisory does not indicate how many animals are currently present off New Jersey.
The players
New Jersey Fish & Wildlife
The New Jersey state agency responsible for managing the state's fish and wildlife resources, including marine mammal protection along its coast.
The details
Boaters should keep a dedicated lookout and, if a whale surfaces near their vessel, put the engine in neutral and let the animal pass. Right whales can be identified by a V-shaped spout, a wide flat back with no dorsal fin, rough white patches on the head, short paddle-shaped flippers, and an all-black tail with smooth edges.
Timeline
Since 2017: Deaths and injuries of North Atlantic right whales recorded across the U.S. and Canada.
November 7, 2026: New Jersey Fish & Wildlife issued its boater advisory on active whales.
Seasonal Patterns
The 10-knot speed guidance that boaters are asked to follow mirrors the federal vessel speed rule for North Atlantic right whales in seasonal management areas. New Jersey's advisory extends that existing approach to recreational boaters who often operate outside the scope of the federal rule.
Boaters traveling off the New Jersey coast should keep at least 500 yards from any right whale and reduce speed to 10 knots or less. If a whale surfaces near the vessel, put the engine in neutral and allow the animal to pass, and report sightings to New Jersey Fish & Wildlife.
The takeaway
Staying alert and slowing down are the most direct ways boaters can reduce the risk of vessel strikes on critically endangered right whales. Keeping a lookout and following distance rules helps protect a species that remains under serious threat.
Further reading
Explore more on Wildlife for additional context on marine animals and conservation along the New Jersey coast.
Source note: This article includes information reported by NJ.
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Would you slow down and keep a lookout when boating near New Jersey's coast?
