Whales in Alaska Force Cruise Ships to Abide by New Rules

Save the whales! Cruise ships are being given new restrictions by Glacier Bay National Park in Alaska due to heavy whale populations in the area.

Large boats and cruises have been ordered to slow down to 10 knots in whale-heavy areas as Glacier Bay National Park has a large humpback whale population. The new rule goes into effect this week and applies to boats that carry more than 12 passengers. The rule will remain in place until further notice, the National Park Service announced.

The new rule is a speed reduction from the old limit of 13-knots. There is also another existing rule that requires cruise ships to be at least a 1/4 mile away from whales in Glacier Bay at all times. According to the park, these rules are in place to reduce whale disturbance and the risk of a boat hitting one of the animals.

"The best available scientific information indicates that reducing speed is the best way to reduce the risk of whale-vessel collisions. A slower speed gives the whale more time to react and move out of the way of the vessel," a NPS statement reads.

Other boats are allowed to continue at 13 knots, but they are still subject to certain conditions. "The operator of a vessel inadvertently positioned within ¼ nautical mile of a humpback whale must immediately slow to 10 knots or less, without shifting into reverse unless impact is likely. The operator must direct or maintain the vessel on as steady a course as possible away from the whale until at least ¼ nautical mile of separation is established," NPS says.

The new speed limit affects a large area of the bay. It starts at the park boundary in Icy Strait and continues through the Lower Bay to an imaginary boundary line between Netland Island and Willoughby Island and continues east of Boulder Island to the Bearslee Islands boundary, USA Today reports.

There are several cruise lines that have trips into Glacier Bay National Park from May to September, including Princess Cruises and Holland America. They say that the new limits won't impact the passenger experience during their visit.