OPS will collate all signatures and submit this petition as a single formal filing on your behalf.What happens after you sign All signatures will be collected by the Oceanic Preservation Society and delivered together as a single petition to the listed decision-makers. Signing this petition does not send an individual email to the targets. The petition will be formally submitted by Oceanic Preservation Society on behalf of all signers. Stop Whale Deaths from Ship Strikes

Ship strikes are now one of the leading known causes of whale deaths worldwide. As commercial shipping traffic increases and new research shows that whales travel farther and more widely during migration than previously understood, the risk of lethal collisions is growing rapidly. 

When vessels travel at high speeds, ship strikes are almost always fatal for whales. This crisis has a clear solution. Scientific evidence consistently shows that reducing vessel speeds and rerouting shipping lanes away from critical whale habitats dramatically reduces the likelihood of deadly collisions. These measures have already proven effective in multiple regions, including protections for blue whales near Sri Lanka and routing changes for North Atlantic right whales off the U.S. East Coast. 

Our Goal 

We call on the United States government to exercise leadership in international shipping policy by advancing enforceable whale-protection measures at the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the United Nations body responsible for regulating global maritime traffic. 

Specifically, we urge the following agencies and institutions to act within their respective authorities: 

• The U.S. Maritime Administration (MARAD), within the U.S. Department of Transportation, to lead U.S. engagement on international maritime policy and submit proposals to the IMO that prioritize whale protection. 
• The International Maritime Organization (IMO) Secretariat and member states to consider and adopt mandatory measures that reduce the risk of whale ship strikes globally. 
• The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), Office of International and Tribal Affairs, to support and coordinate U.S. environmental leadership within international maritime and treaty processes. 
• The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), National Ocean Service and NOAA Fisheries, to provide scientific leadership and data supporting vessel speed reductions and whale-safe routing measures. 

We call for the following actions: 

• Mandatory vessel speed limits requiring commercial ships to travel no faster than 10 knots in designated whale migration, feeding, and breeding areas. 
• Whale-safe shipping corridors that reroute vessel traffic away from high-density whale habitats where ship strikes are most likely. 
• Coordinated U.S. leadership at the IMO to move these protections from voluntary guidance to enforceable international standards. 

Whales cannot survive continued inaction. The science is clear, the solutions already exist, and the institutions responsible for global shipping policy have both the authority and responsibility to act now.

Take Action

Sign this petition to call on the U.S. Maritime Administration, NOAA, the EPA, and the International Maritime Organization to stop deadly whale ship strikes. 

Our collective voice can push U.S. leaders to advance mandatory vessel speed limits and whale-safe shipping corridors that are proven to save lives. 

Whales cannot speak for themselves — but together we can demand science-based protections that put ocean life before convenience and profit.

What happens after you sign 

OPS will collate all signatures and submit this petition as a single formal filing on your behalf.