A new tool to help protect endangered North Atlantic right whales appears to be working.
Since January, vessels crossing the Stellwagen Bank sanctuary have received speed advisories in the form of text messages.
The messages are sent through a partnership including the Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary and the U.S. Coast Guard.
The speed limit is reduced to ten miles per hour through the sanctuary, as vessel strikes are the top cause of injuries to the species.
About 40 messages have been successfully sent.
(Photo credit SAEED KHAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Photo: SAEED KHAN / AFP / Getty Images