Pacific Ship Operators To Be Paid For Slowing Down In Whale Feeding Areas
LONG BEACH (CBS SF) - Shipping giants will soon be getting $2,500 incentives to slow down through the Santa Barbara Channel, according to the Center for Environmental Research & Technology at U.C. Riverside.
Ships out of the Ports of Long Beach and Los Angeles routinely pass through a prime feeding area for migrating blue whales off of Santa Barbara.
"The voluntary initiative, developed by federal wildlife officials, environmentalists and air quality regulators, will pay shipping companies to slow down ocean vessels as they travel through the Santa Barbara Channel to reduce emissions and avoid colliding with blue whales," reports CERT.
Six global shipping companies will be participating in the program, which will pay $2,500 for each trip completed at less that 12 knots.
The incentives are funded by environmental groups. More information on the program can be found on the CERT website.