Right Whales Detected off Ocean City Coast – Slow Zone in Effect
Image courtesy NOAA
The Ocean City buoy operated by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science detected the presence of right whales east of Ocean City on Saturday, March 28th. A right whale slow zone is now in effect through April 12th. Mariners are requested to avoid or transit at 10 knots or less inside the seasonal management areas and slow zones.
There are multiple additional Slow Zones currently in effect off the Atlantic Coast – just one in our region southeast of Atlantic City will expire on Tuesday. Please visit the NOAA Fisheries website for more information.
East of Ocean City, MD Acoustic Slow Zone: Effective March 28 – April 12, 2026
Waters bounded by:
NORTHERN BOUNDARY: 38°34′ N
SOUTHERN BOUNDARY: 38°03′ N
EASTERN BOUNDARY: 74°19′ W
WESTERN BOUNDARY: 74°58’ W