A Data-Driven Approach to Future Whale Protections

On February 3, 2026, six U.S. representatives introduced the Whale CHARTS Act, a bipartisan piece of legislation that would direct the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to manage and improve whale habitat maps and develop real-time whale detection to prevent deadly vessel collisions.

On the West Coast alone, an estimated 80 whales are hit and killed a year, but that number is likely underreported as NOAA suggests many injured whales sink and go undetected. Vessel strikes pose a risk for all marine mammal species in the U.S., but the impact is especially significant for already endangered whale species such as North Atlantic Right whales and Rice’s whales, with approximately 380 and 50 individuals remaining, respectively.

As vessel traffic and whale habitats increasingly overlap, the Whale CHARTS Act aims to reduce the number of collisions and deaths through a data-driven approach and increased technology to help anglers and boaters avoid whales.

At the center of the Act is the development of “whale charts;” digital mapping tools designed to track whale presence and movement in near real-time.

The charts would combine and build a repertoire from multiple sources, including satellite tracking, acoustic monitoring, and observational reports. This information would then be accessible to vessels operating in high-traffic areas, with the goal of improving awareness and reducing the likelihood of strikes.

This approach somewhat mirrors how air traffic control systems monitor aircraft to prevent collisions. By tracking location and movement in real time, these systems help prevent accidents and guide navigation in shared airspace.

A previous version of the Whale CHARTS Act was introduced back in late 2024, but did not advance before the end of the congressional sessions, requiring reintroduction in 2026.

As a bipartisan bill introduced by Representatives Doris Matsui (D-CA-07), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY-11), Maxine Dexter (D-OR-03), Vern Buchanan (R-FL-16), Sarah Elfreth (D-MD-03), and Buddy Carter (R-GA-01), it will now enter the standard legislative process, where it must be reviewed in committee, approved by both the House and Senate, and finally, signed into law before implementation can begin.

The reintroduction of the Whale CHARTS Act comes at a time when marine mammal protections in U.S. waters are facing uncertainty.

Just recently, exemptions to the Endangered Species Act have been granted to the Gulf of Mexico through the Endangered Species Committee, also referred to as the “God Squad.: These exemptions allow specific projects to proceed even when they may impact endangered species, including whales. While the Whale CHARTS Act does not directly address these exemptions, it introduces a complementary approach that focuses on reducing preventable harm through improved data and visibility.

In regions like the Gulf, where species such as Rice's whale face ongoing risk from vessel traffic and industrial activity, real-time detection tools could provide an additional layer of awareness in environments where protections are already being limited.

The Whale CHARTS Act is still in early stages, but public awareness and action often have a large impact on how legislation moves forward.

Full press release with quotes: https://matsui.house.gov/media/press-releases/matsui-colleagues-introduce-whale-charts-act-modernizing-whale-habitat-mapping

Thumbnail & Hero: Two Humpback whales surfacing in active shipping waters, courtesy of Bernd Dittrich, Unsplash