National Marine Fisheries Service

08/14/2026 | News release | Archived content

Advanced Technologies to Reduce Vessel Strikes

In the ocean, detecting animals isn't straightforward. Marine animals can be hard to see near the water's surface, and they move up and down in the water, making it hard for mariners to know when they're nearby. Environmental conditions can add to these challenges. This creates the risk of a vessel colliding with animals like whales-including the endangered North Atlantic right whale.

But as marine technology evolves, it could reduce this risk. That's why we're working with partners to invest in developing and deploying high-tech tools for vessel strike avoidance. Tools like thermal cameras, radar, and AI could help marine industries be safer and continue to thrive and coexist with marine life.

National Marine Fisheries Service published this content on August 14, 2026, and is solely responsible for the information contained herein. Distributed via Public Technologies (PUBT), unedited and unaltered, on August 17, 2026 at 11:46 UTC. If you believe the information included in the content is inaccurate or outdated and requires editing or removal, please contact us at [email protected]