Published July 22, 2021, 7:07 AM WASHINGTON, United States — Most vessels are exceeding speed limits in areas designated to protect critically endangered North Atlantic right whales, of which only around 360 remain, a report said Wednesday. The non-profit organization Oceana analyzed ship and boat speeds from 2017 to 2020 in speed zones established by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) along the US Atlantic coast. Non-compliance was as high as almost 90 percent in mandatory speed zones, while non-cooperation was as high as almost 85 percent in the voluntary areas, the study found. Collisions with vessels are one of two leading causes of injury and death for North Atlantic right whales, with research showing that slowing vessel speeds to 10 knots (11.5 mph, 18.5 kph) reduces the risk of death by 80 to 90 percent.