Industry Taskforce Launches Whale Safety Research Vessel
By Tony Esposito
WAVS Taskforce’s 24ft Contender was introduced at the American Boating Congress.
Despite the US government’s withdrawal of a controversial vessel speed rule (VSR) aimed at protecting the endangered North Atlantic right whale (NARW) earlier this year, an industry group formed to find technological solutions to protecting whales and boaters has redoubled its efforts, launching a floating test platform to rate the performance and integration capabilities of new and existing technologies.
The Whale and Vessel Safety (WAVS) Taskforce – a coalition of boating, fishing, technology and conservation interests formed in 2023 – has put together a 24ft Contender powered by a Yamaha 300 outboard that will host any manner of technology that may help reduce vessel strike risk for testing and evaluation.
Introduced at last week’s American Boating Congress (ABC), the as yet unnamed vessel is equipped with AI-based systems, thermal imaging and real-time AIS alerting in an effort to detect marine mammals, improve situational awareness and deliver whale location data directly to boat operators.
“This vessel gives us a platform to evaluate the technologies that will define the next generation of conservation and safety,” said Todd Tally, WAVS board member and general manager of Atlantic Marine Electronics, a division of Viking Marine Group, responsible for integrating the tech gear.
“We’re not just testing tech; we’re building a foundation for real-world use.”
WAVS chairman John DePersenair, also of Viking Marine and the driving force behind formation of the group, said the vessel is just one example of how the industry is living up to its promise and responsibility.
“The boat proves we’re not just talking about solutions; we’re evaluating them on the water.”
The research boat will be plying the waters of the US eastern seaboard along the migratory patterns of the NARW to test any technology provided by WAVS Taskforce members, who will be able to monitor their technology and testing from shore, DePersenair told IBI. It marks a recreational marine industry milestone as the first unified, multi-manufacturer initiative to deploy scalable whale protection technology in the field.