Friends with Fins

Help Save an Endangered Species, and Protect Your Boat, with the Whale Alert App

If you're cruising the East Coast, you may already know that waters from Florida to Canada are home to the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale. With only about 380 remaining, every encounter matters — and every boater can help. These whales are notoriously difficult to spot, putting them at higher risk for collisions: they have dark bodies, no dorsal fin, and often swim or rest just at or below the surface. 

North Atlantic right whale with calf

Photo credit: NOAA/NEFSC/Peter Duley collected under MMPA research permit #21371

Vessel strikes are one of the leading causes of death for right whales — and they’re preventable. The free Whale Alert app lets you report sightings in real time and see where whales have been recently spotted, making it a smart addition to your navigation routine whether you're on an extended cruise or out for a day sail.

Know the rules before you go. Vessels 65 feet or longer are required to travel at 10 knots or less within designated Seasonal Management Areas, and all vessels are strongly encouraged to do the same. Boats of any size can seriously injure or kill a whale, and slowing down can reduce the risk of a deadly collision by up to 90%. The Whale Alert app automatically notifies you when you enter an active management area and when whales have been reported nearby, raising your situational awareness on the water.

To further protect right whales, regulations prohibit approaching or remaining within 500 yards (1,500 feet) of a right whale. That’s the length of five football fields.

How You Can Help:

• Stay under 10 knots in known whale zones — it reduces the risk of serious injury by up to 90% (and helps prevent boat damage).

• Keep at least 500 yards (about five football fields) from any right whale — it’s the law.

• Report every sighting — your data helps protect whales and alerts other mariners.

The app includes worldwide sightings across multiple species, making it useful well beyond the Eastern Seaboard. The team behind it also recently launched SeeReportSave.org, a valuable resource for learning about whales and best boating practices when spending time offshore.

Download the Whale Alert app before your next cruise. It’s free, easy to use, and keeps you informed about nearby whale activity — helping you protect your boat, save lives, and possibly even preserve a species.