The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most endangered large whales on the planet. Named for being the “right” whale to hunt, North Atlantic right whale populations first crashed due to whaling until hunting this species was banned in 1935. Now the whales are on the brink of extinction mostly due to threats from speeding boats and entanglement in fishing gear. Sailors for the Sea Powered by Oceana advocates for this critically endangered species with the help of our Green Boaters, campaigning for reduced vessel speeds in areas where whales are detected or expected and updating fishing gear to decrease the likelihood and severity of entanglement in lines. Our Skipper volunteer Victoria spent the summer of 2025 exploring how a new technology may be able to support these efforts.
Imagine living in a world where you can’t see – where sound is your only way to communicate, navigate, and survive. Then suddenly, a noise louder than a jet engine fills your ears. It’s terrifying, disorienting – and it’s the reality for dozens of endangered whale species worldwide.
Ships traverse whale habitats every day on their cargo routes and their propeller cavitation creates earsplitting underwater sounds. Commercial shipping noise harms whales by disrupting communication, masking the sounds they need to find food, and creating stress that affects survival and reproduction. Because this noise is largely underwater, it’s invisible to most people, unlike plastic waste or oil spills. While regulation strategies can help protect whales from harm, we are also looking to innovation for new methods to address the issue of noise.
That’s where my mission begins. As a lifelong sailor, I’ve always felt connected to the ocean, but I’ve also approached it as a scientist, studying marine plastics, analyzing hydrophone recordings in Portland Harbor, and exploring ship design. Living in Maine, I see firsthand the urgency of protecting the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale. When I learned there are only 384 of these whales left in the entire world, action was no longer optional to me – it was essential.
My passion for the ocean and science came together this summer at the Research Science Institute, a program sponsored by the Center for Excellence in Education (CEE) in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute for technology (MIT). There, I worked on a project that combined acoustic modeling and mathematical equations to predict how cargo ship noise spreads through the ocean and hits critical whale habitats in the Gulf of Maine. Using those predictions, I created an algorithm to reroute ships slightly off their original paths, optimizing for a low travel time but also a low noise level. This reduces noise exposure for whales while still keeping routes in the New England area efficient. This method is a practical way to support conservation without requiring the shipping industry to completely rework their vessels or paths.
For species like the North Atlantic right whale, on the edge of extinction, this solution is essential. These whales rely on sound for every part of their lives, from finding food to staying connected with their young. Their homes, however, are in the same location as nonstop shipping routes from Boston to Canada. By using technology to reduce a ship’s impact on an ecosystem, we could give whales quieter habitats and ease one of the biggest pressures they face, giving them a chance to rebound.
As a sailor and Sailors for the Sea Skipper, I’ve always believed that being on the water comes with the responsibility to protect it. Sailing has shown me the ocean’s beauty, but also its fragility. Conservation is critical to making sure that we can appreciate the ocean and its creatures now but also ensure they survive for generations to come.
My project is just one piece of a much larger effort. It connects directly to the goals of the Endangered Species Act and NOAA’s work to safeguard marine life. By combining science and policy to collaborate with the shipping industry, I believe we can chart a course where global commerce and conservation work side by side.
Contributed by our Skipper volunteer Victoria Wahlig
