Episode Details

An alliance of environmental groups is calling for new federal rules to protect an endangered whale from crashes with ships. 

一个环保组织联盟正在呼吁制定新的联邦规则，以保护濒临灭绝的鲸鱼免受船只碰撞的影响。 

The groups presented their demands in a document, called a petition, provided to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on September 28. 

这些组织在一份名为请愿书的文件中提出了他们的要求，并于 9 月 28 日提交给美国国家海洋和大气管理局 (NOAA)。 

The action aims to protect the North Atlantic right whale, which has long been considered endangered. The population of these extremely large sea animals has decreased sharply in recent years. Just 340 are believed to be alive today. 

该行动旨在保护长期以来被认为濒临灭绝的北大西洋露脊鲸。近年来，这些巨型海洋动物的数量急剧减少。目前据信只有 340 人还活着。 

Officials at NOAA have said ship collisions are among the most serious threats to the survival of the whale. One rule the environmental groups are calling for would seek to prevent ship strikes by making more ships slow down for whales. NOAA has yet to release a final updated speed rule although it proposed new rules more than a year ago, the groups said. 

美国国家海洋和大气管理局的官员表示，船舶碰撞是对鲸鱼生存最严重的威胁之一。环保组织呼吁制定的一项规则是，通过让更多船只减速捕鲸来防止船只撞击。这些组织表示，尽管美国国家海洋和大气管理局一年多前就提出了新规则，但尚未发布最终更新的速度规则。 

Environmentalists have appealed for urgency in enacting the measure. They say it is important to approve new rules before the upcoming birthing season. At that time of year, the whales migrate hundreds of miles from waters off New England and Canada to areas off the coasts of Florida and Georgia. 

环保人士呼吁尽快颁布这项措施。他们表示，在即将到来的分娩季节之前批准新规则非常重要。每年的这个时候，鲸鱼都会从新英格兰和加拿大附近海域迁徙数百英里，到达佛罗里达州和佐治亚州沿海地区。

“Even one ship strike would bring these whales closer to extinction, but speed limits can help prevent that,” said Kristen Monsell. She is a legal director at the Center for Biological Diversity, one of the groups that prepared the petition to NOAA. “Federal officials can’t sit back and do nothing while right whales are in danger," Monsell told The Associated Press. 

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