The Ocean City monitoring buoy detected North Atlantic right whales on Dec. 15, 2025, prompting a Slow Zone east of Ocean City that remains in effect through Dec. 31, 2025. Mariners are asked to avoid the area or transit at 10 knots or less; sightings are available on the Whale Alert app. Additional Slow Zones are active south of Ocean City, northeast of Virginia Beach, east of the Outer Banks and in Cape Cod Bay. Seasonal mandatory 10-knot limits apply to most vessels 65 feet or longer in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeast during specified months.
Right Whales Detected East of Ocean City — Slow Zone In Effect Through Dec. 31, 2025
A North Atlantic right whale breeches in Cape Cod Bay in this image captured by IFAW staff in March 2022.
Federal and academic monitoring systems detected North Atlantic right whales east of Ocean City, Maryland. Officials announced a temporary Slow Zone after acoustic and buoy detections on Dec. 15, 2025, and are urging mariners to reduce speed through the end of the year to protect these endangered animals.
Detection and Monitoring
The Ocean City monitoring buoy, operated jointly by the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution and the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, recorded right whale presence on Dec. 15, 2025. Sightings and detections are also shared through the Whale Alert app for real-time updates.
Where the Slow Zone Applies
Officials have established a right whale Slow Zone east of Ocean City that is active through Dec. 31, 2025. Additional Slow Zones are currently active in nearby and regional waters:
- South of Ocean City, Maryland
- Northeast of Virginia Beach, Virginia
- East of the Outer Banks, North Carolina
- Cape Cod Bay, Massachusetts
Defined waters for the Ocean City Slow Zone:
Map of current Right Whale Slow Zone East of Ocean City, Maryland, from Dec. 16-31, 2025.
Waters bounded by:
NORTHERN BOUNDARY: 38°34′ N
SOUTHERN BOUNDARY: 38°04′ N
EASTERN BOUNDARY: 74°23′ W
WESTERN BOUNDARY: 75°02′ W
Waters bounded by:
NORTHERN BOUNDARY: 38°34′ N
SOUTHERN BOUNDARY: 38°03′ N
EASTERN BOUNDARY: 74°19′ W
WESTERN BOUNDARY: 74°58′ W
What Mariners Should Do
NOAA and partner organizations ask mariners to either avoid these Dynamic Management Areas and Acoustic Slow Zones or transit at 10 knots or less where right whales have been detected. These voluntary measures reduce the risk of vessel strikes and help protect calving and nursery grounds.
Seasonal mandatory speed restrictions also remain in force for most vessels 65 feet or longer during established periods:
- Mid-Atlantic: Nov. 1–Apr. 30
- Southeast: Nov. 15–Apr. 15
Get More Information
For full maps, coordinates, and the latest guidance, consult the NOAA Fisheries website and use the Whale Alert app to track real-time detections. Local mariners and the public are encouraged to report sightings through official channels.
Reporting: Olivia Minzola covers communities on the Lower Shore. This article was originally published by the Salisbury Daily Times.
