A concurrent RESOLUTION

 

To encourage the south carolina congressional delegation to assist in finding reasonable solutions to protect north atlantic right whales and south carolina's coastal culture and economy.

 

Whereas, South Carolina coastal waters serve as an important seasonal habitat for the North Atlantic right whale, which are a highly-valued species by the people of South Carolina and an important part of our marine ecosystem; and

 

Whereas, the South Carolina General Assembly recognizes the North Atlantic right whale is a critically endangered species and supports mitigation measures to prevent human-related mortality; and

 

Whereas, the National Marine Fisheries Service is proposing changes to the North Atlantic right whale vessel strike reduction rule that will impose a 10 knot maximum speed limit for nearly half the year out to 40 nautical miles for vessels 35 feet and longer; and

 

Whereas, there are significant concerns that the changes to the rule currently being considered by the National Marine Fisheries Service are not based on the best available science; are unenforceable; risk human safety; will not meaningfully protect right whales; and will have significant negative impacts on South Carolina's anglers, boaters, the fishing and boating industry, maritime shipping industry, and coastal economies if implemented; and

 

Whereas, with recent advancements in aerial surveillance, passive acoustic monitoring, satellite tagging, sonar, and DNA-detection technologies, combined with the relatively few individual right whales off our coast, mitigation would be more successful and less economically harmful by using real-time information to alert boaters of right whale presence and implementing slow-speed requirements when and where whales are present; and

 

Whereas, Congress has already set in motion the ability for the National Marine Fisheries Service to implement real conservation measures through Section 11303 of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2023, which authorized a pilot program to design and deploy a near real-time monitoring and mitigation program for threatened or endangered whales. Now, therefore,

 

Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring:

 

That the members of the South Carolina General Assembly, by this resolution, urge the South Carolina Congressional Delegation to assist coastal communities by appropriating funds to the National Marine Fisheries Service for the implementation of a real-time monitoring program with the capacity to alert anglers, recreational boaters, and mariners to known locations of North Atlantic right whales.

 

Be it further resolved that our Congressional Delegation urge the Secretary of Commerce to pause implementation of any changes to the North Atlantic right whale vessel strike reduction rule until such time as a real-time monitoring program is implemented; anglers, recreational boaters, and mariners have the opportunity to work with the National Marine Fisheries Service to be a part of the solution; and other, more effective mitigation measures than those in the proposed rules can be implemented.

 

Be it further resolved that the copy of this resolution be presented to the South Carolina Congressional Delegation, Governor's office, and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources.

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