How AIS Technology Can Help Save North Atlantic Right Whales
With fewer than 380 North Atlantic right whales remaining, including just 70 breeding females, this species is on the brink of extinction. Once abundant along the Atlantic coastline, these whales now face an uncertain future due to ship strikes, entanglements in fishing gear, and habitat loss.
Each winter, North Atlantic right whales migrate thousands of miles from the cold waters of Canada and New England to Georgia’s coast—the only known calving ground in the world. Here, mothers give birth and nurse their young, seeking the safety of coastal waters. However, these waters present their own dangers, with busy shipping lanes and high-speed vessels creating significant risks.
Ship Strikes: A Leading Cause of Right Whale Deaths
Ship strikes are one of the most serious threats to North Atlantic right whales. Because these whales swim slowly near the surface and lack a dorsal fin, they are difficult for vessel operators to see. Their dark bodies often blend with the ocean, making it challenging for ships to avoid them. Unfortunately, a single collision with a vessel can be fatal, particularly for pregnant females and newborn calves.
To address this, researchers and conservationists have been working to develop strategies that reduce the risk of collisions. One of the most promising solutions is the use of Automatic Identification System (AIS) technology to provide real-time alerts to mariners when they enter right whale calving grounds.
How AIS Beacons Can Help Protect Right Whales
The Automatic Identification System (AIS) is a marine navigation tool that communicates with vessels in real time. By installing AIS beacons along Georgia’s coastline, alerts can be transmitted directly to any vessel 65 feet or greater, including commercial ships and recreational boats, whenever they enter right whale calving grounds between November and April.
Right whale calving grounds are determined by managing agencies, such as the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), as “Seasonal Management Areas”. Georgia’s coast is divided into two management areas: the Mid-Atlantic (North of Sapelo Island), which is active between Nov 1 – April 30, and the Southeast (South of Sapelo Island), active between November 15 – April 15. AIS beacons only send alerts to large-vessel mariners travelling greater than 10 knots in these seasonal areas, as a way of enforcing the 2008 NOAA Vessel Speed Rule (50 CFR § 224.105).
These AIS stations:
- Detect vessel speed and location to determine if captains are in right whale calving grounds (called Seasonal Management Areas).
- Alert captains of speed restrictions if vessel speed is > 10 knots, and the vessel is > 65 ft.
- Reduce the likelihood of collisions by encouraging ships to navigate more cautiously.
- Enhance conservation efforts by creating a connected network of monitoring systems along the whales’ migration route.
Using AIS beacons for right whale protections has been a relatively new endeavor over the last decade, with preliminary results in the well-established New England area showing it is a promising technology solution for conservation. Expanding this technology to the Southeast could significantly increase Right Whale survival rates in our critical calving grounds.
Georgia Conservancy’s Plan to Build an AIS Beacon Network
To help reduce ship strikes and protect Right Whales, efforts are underway to install and test AIS beacons along Georgia’s coastline. Each new station expands the real-time warning system to add transmission coverage along our coast. The network alerts mariners entering right whale migratory paths during calving season to reduce their speed, allowing captains to take immediate action to prevent collisions.
Each beacon is designed to provide:
- Automatic alerts to large vessels navigating through right whale habitats.
- A scalable model that can be expanded to other key locations along the Eastern Seaboard.
- Opportunities to test mariner response and boater behavior to receiving speed alerts.
By implementing this technology, Georgia will lead the United States in using cutting-edge solutions to protect one of the world’s most endangered marine species.
A Toolbox of Technologies
NOAA is currently considering deregulating maritime vessel speed limits, which are currently set at 10 knots for vessels larger than 65′ throughout seasonal right whale calving grounds. The regulatory changes being considered could remove the existing seasonal ship speed limits, which were designed to prevent vessels from striking right whales, in favor of “technology-based” avoidance in dynamic zones. But the question remains: is technology alone capable of protecting Georgia’s beloved state marine mammal?
In May 2026, Georgia Conservancy, along with experts and scientists, hosted a webinar to discuss the state of right whale conservation, proposed regulatory changes, and the technology being used to help save these animals.
Time Is Running Out—Act Now
Conservation efforts to protect the North Atlantic Right Whale require a combination of science, technology, and policy changes. AIS technology represents a significant advancement in preventing ship strikes, but it is just one piece of the puzzle. Other ongoing efforts include:
- Advocating for seasonal speed restrictions in critical whale habitats. Learn more.
- Encouraging the adoption of ropeless fishing gear to prevent entanglements. Learn more.
- Expanding educational programs, such as the Go Slow, Whales Below marina signage campaign, to raise awareness among boaters. Learn more.
By integrating technology with policy and public awareness, Georgia is taking meaningful steps toward creating safer waters for Right Whales. While challenges remain, the use of AIS beacons offers a practical, science-backed solution that can help reduce preventable whale deaths and support population recovery.
As conservation efforts continue, Georgia’s coastal waters could become a model for how technology and environmental stewardship can work together to protect endangered wildlife.
Be a Champion for North Atlantic Right Whales
The North Atlantic Right Whale is Georgia’s official state marine mammal, but without immediate action, it may not survive the next decades.
Support the Right Whale AIS Beacon Network by investing in real solutions to prevent ship strikes, protect whale mothers and calves, and ensure these magnificent creatures continue to roam our waters. Donate today here!
Questions? Please reach out to Georgia Conservancy Development Director Andrew Kerr akerr@georgiaconservancy.org