Stellwagen Bank Final EIS and Management Plan 



Page 56 



Routine discharge of other materials (garbage, 

 refuse, and other debris) could also present 

 potential problems. Although the Coast Guard 

 regulates such discharges under the Marine Plastic 

 Pollution Research and Control Act, which 

 implements Annex V of the International 

 Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from 

 Ships (MARPOL), these regulations would allow 

 the dumping from vessels of most forms of refuse, 

 with the exception of plastics and garbage that 

 floats, on all or part of the Bank (depending on the 

 type and character of the material involved). 

 Certain vessels, such as those of the military, have 

 exemptions from any prohibitions on dumping 

 imposed by these regulations. While a vessel in 

 transit from Boston to Portland was recently fined 

 $12,000 for discharging refuse (in this case, 

 dunnage), in an area directly adjacent to the study 

 area boundary, there is no estimate available as to 

 how much material is currently being discharged 

 from ships passing over Stellwagen Bank. 



Another potential issue of concern involving the 

 shipping industry is the potential for vessel collision 

 with marine mammals. The Draft National 

 Recovery Plan for the Northern Right Whale 

 (NMFS, 1990) devotes significant attention to the 

 problem of marine mammal colhsions with vessels. 

 The report states that over the last two decades, 

 twenty five right whale mortahties have been 

 documented, with five (20%) attributable to ship 

 collisions. One such mortaUty was reported over 

 Stellwagen Bank. Approximately 24, or 8% of the 

 300 North Atlantic Right Whales identified in the 

 New England Aquarium's photographic catalog 

 exhibit marking presumed to be indicative of vessel 

 collisions, although the size and characteristics of 

 vessels likely to have been involved in these 

 collisions are not definitively known. (Kraus, Crone 

 and Knowlton, 1988). 



The potential for possible collisions arises 

 because right whales exhibit behaviors such as 

 resting at the surface, surface skim feeding, and 

 surface courtship, which increase exposure to 

 possible vessel collisions. In addition, because right 

 whales are a relatively slow swimmers, avoiding an 

 approaching vessel is sometimes impossible, 

 particularly at night when visibility is reduced. 



The Plan identifies the reduction of vessel 

 collision-related mortahties as one of its 

 implementation priorities. Two principal 



recommendations are made to deal with this 

 problem. The first is to identify responsibihties 

 related to reducing ship coUisions with northern 

 right whales. This is to be accomplished by: 1) 

 collecting additional information regarding areas 

 and seasons of potential conflict, and 

 characterization of the types of vessel typically 

 involved in ship collisions; and 2) analyzing known 

 kills and scarring patterns on Uving northern right 

 whales to identify vessel activities which put whales 

 at risk of collision. The second priority is to 

 investigate strategies for reducing ship collisions 

 with right whales. To implement these objectives 

 the Recovery Plan proposes to: 1) educate mariners 

 about right whales through pubUshing special 

 warnings, identifying seasonal high-use areas in 

 Coast Guju-d and Defense Mapping Agency Notices 

 to Mariners and VHP radio Marine Information 

 Broadcasts; identifying those areas on nautical 

 charts; and 2) implement appropriate controls on 

 ship operation and design. 



This final objective involves activities such as: 

 a) restricting vessel speeds in "high risk" areas 

 during "high risk" periods; b) requiring lookouts on 

 ships during these "high risk" periods; c) shifting 

 shipping lanes where feasible; d) placing acoustical 

 warning devices on ships, if feasible; e) using 

 appropriate technologies to detect whales in the 

 path of vessels (e.g., side-scan sonar, low light 

 intensity television); f) investigating alternative 

 vessel designs to reduce probabihty of collisions; 

 amd g) investigating satellite capabilities for the 

 detection of transmitter-tagged whales in shipping 

 lanes. The implementation of the "ship colhsion" 

 objectives of the Recovery Plan are identified by its 

 authors as a top priority. 



5. Military Activity 



The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) 

 designates areas of water and air space as 

 "operating areas" (water) and "warning areas" (air), 

 in support of military operations involving training, 

 readiness, and support of national defense and 

 security interests. Stellwagen Bank Ues within the 

 Boston Operating Area, which extends from 



