• 2006
• Cartographic Map
• Exhibit map

Collision with ships is a leading mortality factor for endangered whales. The Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary (SBNMS) is heavily used by endangered whales and a major shipping route. The Boston Traffic Separation Scheme (TSS) crosses the sanctuary: therefore, the area is a potential “hot spot” for collisions between whales and ships. To reduce collision risk, we: (1) plotted the distribution and relative abundance of North Atlantic Right and Other Baleen Whale sightings within the Sanctuary and adjacent waters – about 255,767 sightings during 1979 – 2004 during the April- October season; (2) identified high use whale areas; (3) reconfigured the current TSS path through the Sanctuary to spatially separate whales and ships, and; (4) calculated the possible risk reduction. As compared to the original TSS, whale sightings in the reconfigured TSS were reduced by 81% and right whale sightings by 58%. Industry transit times increased 9–22 minutes. The TSS shift was accepted by the United Nation’s International Maritime Organization in December of 2006 and became active in July of 2007. This was the first shifting of a TSS to mitigate the collision of vessels and endangered whales in the United States.