FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. – In an effort to better protect North Atlantic right whales in Northeast Florida, a company announced it will be adding more technology to enhance communication with boaters and, in turn, prevent collisions with these endangered whales.
With only about 340 right whales remaining, this species faces numerous threats, including vessel strikes. To address this issue, Moses Calouro, CEO of Marine Information Systems, said the company has installed additional locations, including one at the Seaside Amelia Inn in Fernandina Beach, to enhance communication with recreational boaters and improve safety measures.
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Calouro explained that a major update from multifunction display manufacturers, including Garmin, Raymarine, and Simrad, will enable messages about right whale slow-speed zones and sightings to reach smaller vessels, specifically those under 65 feet.
This expansion means that more boaters will have access to critical information that can help prevent collisions with these endangered whales.
“This is crucial because many of the vessels that could inadvertently harm right whales are under 65 feet, and now they will receive the same critical alerts that commercial vessels have had for years,” Calouro said.
He emphasized that off-the-shelf marine electronics available at stores like West Marine will now support this capability. Boaters can upgrade their existing equipment through a simple phone pairing process, allowing them to receive real-time alerts about whale sightings.
“You just need to go to West Marine, for example, or any of the marine manufacturer or marine stores, purchase the unit and pop it on board,” Calouro said. “You have to register your vessel’s MMSI number, and once you do that, you’re all set.”
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Calouro said the importance of this technology cannot be overstated.
“When we get to the point that we can track a whale in real time, we can get the word down very quickly to mariners,” Calouro said.
This capability is crucial as it allows boaters to adjust their speed and course in response to whale sightings, significantly reducing the risk of fatal encounters.
Previously, only commercial vessels received such notifications, leaving a significant gap in safety for recreational boaters. With this upgrade, the potential audience for these alerts has expanded dramatically. Calouro estimated that the number of vessels receiving these messages could increase from hundreds to thousands, significantly enhancing the protection of right whales.
“This is a game changer for the recreational boating community,” he said.
Richard Timm, from the Amelia Island Whale Ambassadors, expressed optimism about the new technology.
“Last year was a terrible year for vessel strikes,” he said, referring to the three vessel strikes that occurred, including one that killed a mother whale and her calf.
He added that “last year, there were 20 calves born down here, but only 15 made it out alive. This year, we’ve had 10 calves, and as far as we know, no vessel strikes.”
Timm noted that this improvement is a positive sign for the right whale population.
“Anything we can do to help this is huge, but we’re hearing here today it’s going to make a big difference,” he added.
The collaboration between Marine Information Systems and marine electronics manufacturers has been ongoing for some time. Calouro mentioned that the marine electronics community has been engaged in discussions about this issue for years, and the recent advancements are a result of their efforts.
“The manufacturers have been on board from pretty much day one, and they’ve been looking at this problem,” he said.
As the technology continues to evolve, the goal is to provide even more detailed geographic notices to boaters.
“We want them to really know where they need to slow down,” Calouro said, envisioning a system where boaters receive not just text alerts but also visual representations of whale sighting zones.
This could include digital maps that highlight areas where whales are known to frequent, further enhancing safety measures for both the whales and the boating community.
This development follows a previous story highlighting the efforts of Marine Information Systems and News4JAX to protect North Atlantic right whales using high-tech solutions.
The collaboration has been instrumental in raising awareness and implementing measures to safeguard these endangered marine mammals. The integration of technology into conservation efforts represents a significant step forward in the fight to protect the right whale population.
As the technology goes live, Calouro is optimistic about its impact.
“We want to get the word out about this tech,” he said. “By working together, we can make a real difference for these whales and the boating community.”
The initiative highlights the critical collaboration among technology providers, conservationists, and the boating community in addressing the challenges faced by North Atlantic right whales.
“It’s about bringing everyone together—manufacturers, boaters, and conservationists—to ensure that we can protect these whales effectively,” Calouro said.
