We wish to note the availability of two recent publications concerning vessel collisions with large whales. Abstracts appear below and the papers are available at: http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/shipstrike/jembe_article.pdf and http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/pdfs/shipstrike/opr44.pdf Greg Silber Office of Protected Resources NOAA, Fisheries Service Silver Spring, MD, USA Silber, G.K., J. Slutsky, and S. Bettridge. 2010. Hydrodynamics of a ship/whale collision. Journal of Experimental Marine Biology and Ecology 391:10-19. ABSTRACT All endangered large whale species are vulnerable to collisions with large ships; and "ship strikes" are the greatest known threat to one of the world's rarest whales, the North Atlantic right whale (_Eubalaena_ _glacialis)_. The magnitude of this threat is likely to increase as maritime commerce expands. Factors influencing the incidence and severity of ship strikes are not well understood, although vessel speed appears to be a strong contributor. The purpose of this study was to characterize hydrodynamic forces at play near a moving hull that may cause a whale to be drawn to or repelled from the hull, and to assess the forces exerted on a whale at the time of impact particularly as it relates to vessel speed. Using scale models of a container ship and a right whale in experimental flow tanks, we measured accelerations experienced by a whale model in the presence of a moving vessel, and assessed hydrodynamic actions near the hull on the static, free floating whale model. Impact accelerations were measured while the whale was at the surface at various vessel speeds, orientations of the whale relative to the vessel path, and distances off the direct path of the vessel. We observed that accelerations experienced by the whale model in a collision: increased in magnitude with increasing ship speed; were not dependent on whale orientation to the vessel path; and decreased exponentially with increasing separation distances from the ship track. Subsequent experiments with the whale model submerged indicate a pronounced propeller suction effect, a drawing of the whale toward the hull at one to two times the ship's draft, and increased probability of propeller strikes resulting from this class of encounter. We present a heuristic map of the hydrodynamic field around a transiting hull likely involved in close whale/vessel encounters. These results may have bearing on policy decisions, particularly those involving vessel speed, aimed at protecting endangered large whales from ship strikes worldwide. Silber, G.K., and S. Bettridge. 2010. Vessel operations in right whale protection areas in 2009. U.S. Dep. Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFS-OPR-44. 44 p. Executive Summary One of the greatest threats to the recovery of the highly depleted North Atlantic right whale (/Eubalaena glacialis/) is collisions with ships (or "ship strikes"). The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's (NOAA) National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has taken a number of steps to reduce the threat, including issuing a final rule (73 Federal Register 60173, October 2008) that requires vessels _>_65 feet in length to travel at 10 knots or less in certain times and locations (termed "Seasonal Management Areas", or SMA) of right whale occurrence. NMFS also initiated a program whereby "Dynamic Management Areas" (DMA) are established in areas in which right whales are observed outside SMAs, whereby temporary zones are created and vessels are requested (but, not required) to either navigate around the zone or travel through it at 10 knots or less. This process allows for management measures that are tied directly to the known, but perhaps transitory, presence of right whales, and provides a means to establish areas effecting vessel operations that are smaller (in area) and shorter (in duration) than seasonal management measures. NMFS is monitoring the effectiveness of the restrictions by assessing compliance with the vessel speed limits as well as adherence to associated voluntary measures. Automatic Identification System (AIS) technologies provide a precise and easily accessible means to do so. Originally conceived as a safety of navigation technology, the AIS uses Global Positioning System (GPS)-linked, very high frequency (VHF) radio signal that provides for ship-to-ship and ship-to-shore information transfer. It transmits the ship's name, call sign, position, dimensions, speed, heading and other information multiple times each minute. The AIS signal provides a suite of information, both dynamic (that is unique to a particular voyage) and static (that is consistent for a given vessel). Dynamic information includes the vessel's position, speed over ground, course over ground, heading, rate of turn, and position accuracy (< or > 10 m) which are determined by continuous GPS-linked updates. Static information includes the vessel's: name, call sign, type, cargo, and its Maritime Mobile Service Identity (MMSI) number. Given the rate at which it provides this information, AIS is a precise means to remotely track vessel speeds and other vessel operations. Our goal here is to provide (a) a characterization of vessel traffic volume, patterns, and speeds of vessels transiting SMAs, and (b) an initial assessment of vessel adherence to the vessel speed restrictions. This summary is for the period of January 2009 (the rule was enacted December 2008) through December 2009. We also provide an initial characterization of vessel use of DMAs in the same period. We gathered information on vessel activity in 10 operational SMAs, and in 18 DMAs for the period January to December 2009. As set forth in the rulemaking, the SMAs we analyzed were effective in: Cape Cod Bay (1 January -- 15 May); an area Off Race Point, MA (1 March -- 30 April); an area in the Great South Channel (1 April -- 31 July); an area extending from mid-coastal Georgia to northern Florida (15 November -- 15 April); and (1 November -- 30 April for each of the following) Block Island Sound, port entrances of New York City and New Jersey, Philadelphia, PA, Norfolk VA, Wilmington, NC, and an area extending from Wilmington, NC to just south of Savannah, GA. A total of 39,615 vessel transits were recorded in active SMAs in 2009. Of these, 10,982 were not applicable to conditions set forth in the Rule or were deemed inaccurate and were therefore removed from further analysis. Thus, a total of 28,633 transits were analyzed to determine vessel types, vessel speeds, SMA use, and other characteristics of these passages. The New York-New Jersey port entrance SMA had the greatest number of transits (n = 7,651) followed by the North Carolina-Georgia complex and the Norfolk SMAs (6,502 and 4,790 transits, respectively). Cargo vessels constituted the majority of ship passages in all SMAs, comprising over 50.3 % of all vessel transits, (and excluding the "other" vessel type category) followed by tanker vessels (14.9%), and tug-type vessels (10.2%). Cargo vessels were strongly represented in the New York-New Jersey, Norfolk and North Carolina-Georgia SMAs, with the North Carolina-Georgia complex having the highest number of cargo transits of all SMAs. Considering all transits in all active SMAs the ratio of foreign flagged to domestic vessels was 1.6:1 The most common maximum speed represented was 11 knots; and the majority of all transits were between 11 and 16 knots. A substantial number of transits were at maximum speeds in excess of 16 knots. Aggregate maximum speeds in most SMAs exhibited a "bell-curve" with peaks between 10 and 16 knots; while the most highly represented maximum speed in nearly all SMAs was 11 - 12 knots. Generally, domestic vessels had lower aggregate vessel speeds than did foreign-flagged vessels; foreign-flagged vessels tended to travel at 12 knots or greater. Cargo vessels exhibited the highest aggregate maximum speeds (with the most traveling in the 15-16 knot range), followed by tankers (with peaks in the 11-13 knot range), and aggregate speeds for passenger vessels had peaks around 12 knots. Vessels in the "tug, tow, dredge", and "other" categories exhibited peak aggregate speeds around 10 knots. In 2009, 18 DMAs were "triggered" by right whale presence, all occurring in waters off New England. A total of 1,406 vessel transits occurred in these active DMAs. The majority were tankers (n = 521), nearly twice as many as any other vessel category. Excluding the "other" category, cargo vessels were the second most common type. The distribution of vessel speeds through DMAs is different than the distribution for vessel speeds utilized in SMAs (it was not a "bell-shape" as in the SMA speed distributions). In DMAs, 11 knots was the most common maximum speed; and there appeared to be a higher proportion of vessels traveling 11 knots or less than those vessels traversing SMAs. A second peak occurred at 14 knots with a large portion traveling at 13 and 14 knots; probably reflecting the number of cargo ships and tankers traversing the zones. Likely, many tug and barges and "big-tows" (vessels typically traveling at speeds under 12 knots) have limited options to route around such areas: being largely coastal and having specific destinations that require routes through DMAs and therefore opt to travel through DMAs; whereas larger, ocean-going vessels on more lengthy routes may have the latitude to avoid a particular area. It is not clear why "compliance" (defined strictly here as maximum speed _<_10 knots) with vessel speed requirements was low. Contributing factors may be a lack of public recognition of the rule, disregard for it, or inadequate early enforcement. There are almost certainly learning and acquisition phases to a requirement that substantially alters standard practices. With regard to "foreign-flagged" vessels and their operators, particularly those making infrequent port calls, language barriers or simple lack of familiarity with domestic requirements may hamper acquisition of the significance and requirements of the rule. Regarding knowledge of the rule, however, NOAA and a suite of partners made a concerted effort to notify the public and maritime community about the requirements both prior to their enactment and during the periods in which SMAs were in effect. Perhaps one significant weakness in efforts to alert mariners is that of NOAA's printed nautical charts which currently do not depict SMAs. There are lessons to be learned about the importance of an effective enforcement program, and about possible weaknesses in the distribution of various notification outlets, their capacity to reach the targeted audience, or the level of their impact in influencing the behavior of certain maritime operators.