The majestic North Atlantic right whale can grow up to 59 feet long and weigh up to 91 tons. The migratory whales tend to stay close to peninsulas and near continental shelves to feed.
Currently, the number one mortality factor among the endangered whales is ship strikes. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has created a ship strike rule, to make ships slow down in particular areas of the ocean to help the whale coexist with the ships, but the whale remains in trouble.
David Wiley, a NOAA researcher, sat down with Nextgov senior correspondent Aliya Sternstein during Nextgov Prime to discuss his latest project, a new app that will help save the lives of the North-Atlantic Right whale. Wiley's app makes it easier to see and understand the ship strike rule, including spatial and visual representations of where ships should go.
