cal Habitat for this species and has identified of the world by the International Maritime
Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctu- Organization (IMO). In the interest of safe
ary (bounded by 42° 46’N, 070° 13.6’W; 42° navigation, it is recommended that vessels
06’N, 070° 026’W; 42° 08’N, 070° 28’W; 42° underway use these schemes, to the extent
33’N, 070° 36’W; and 42° 39’N, 070° 30’W) possible, by day and night and in all weather
as an additional area of importance. In the conditions. An “area to be avoided” is a
spring, the whales also aggregate in the routing measure comprising an area within
Precautionary Area within the Great South defined limits in which either navigation is
Channel (bounded by 41° 40’N, 069° 45’W; particularly hazardous or it is exceptionally
41° 00’N, 069° 05’W; 41° 38’N, 068° 13’W; important to avoid casualties; these should
and 42° 10’N, 068° 31’W). be avoided by all ships or certain classes of
Collision Avoidance: Mariners are re- ships.
quested to post a lookout for right whales as When operating in or near Traffic Sepa-
they approach these areas and to minimize ration Schemes, mariners are urged to
their exit and entrance speeds to the extent comply at all times with the 72 COLREGS
possible to maintain safe handling of the ves- and in particular Rule 10 (Traffic Separa-
sel, preferably 5 knots or less, in the channels tion Schemes). The IMO-approved routing
and precautionary areas to avoid ship-whale measures that affect shipping in or near U.S.
collisions. water are:
From December to March, the coastal
Traffic Separation Schemes
waters between Altamaha Sound, Georgia,
and Sebastian Inlet, Florida, are the only
s ) N T H E ! P P R O A C H E S T O 0 O R T L A N D - A I N E
s ) N T H E ! P P R O A C H E S T O "