Liccardo Leads Bipartisan Push to Bring Whale Alerts to West Coast Mariners

WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, Bay Area Congressman Sam Liccardo (CA-16) led a bipartisan effort to leverage technology to protect whales on the West Coast. His recent letter to the U.S. Coast Guard, the Federal Communications Commission, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration requests an expansion of Automatic Identification System (AIS) messaging technology to send whale-safety information directly to mariners along the West Coast.

"With at least 145 gray whale collisions already reported along the West Coast in 2026, we must do more to keep both whales and mariners safe," said Liccardo. "By implementing AIS whale-safety messages, we can give real-time warnings to mariners and help them avoid deadly collisions, without disrupting maritime activities."

Liccardo and his cosigners request the agencies identify areas where AIS messaging could support voluntary speed reductions messages, determine whether existing whale detection programs can transmit information directly to mariners through AIS, and identify ways to streamline approval timelines while maintaining navigation and spectrum safeguards.

On the East Coast, federal agencies and regional partners already use AIS messaging to send vessel location-specific alerts in whale speed reduction zones. Expanding AIS whale-safety messaging to the West Coast would use technology already familiar to mariners to provide additional information about whale activity.

"Expanding this capability is particularly relevant along the West Coast, where vessel traffic and whale activity increasingly overlap," the lawmakers wrote.

The effort builds on Liccardo's Save Willy Act, which would establish a "Whale Desk" at the Coast Guard's San Francisco station to centralize whale sightings and alert vessel operators when whales enter the Bay.

"Using AIS technology to identify high-risk areas and alert mariners in real time can help prevent deadly vessel collisions with whales off California while keeping vital maritime traffic moving safely," said Geoff Shester, Director of Fishery Innovation and Senior Scientist at Oceana. "This proven technology would give agencies and ship operators a practical, science-based tool to protect whales and improve safety in our busy coastal waters for all who use them."

"Vessel strikes are a leading cause of death and serious injury for large whales and can result in substantial property damage for mariners as well as pose a significant safety risk to those onboard. IFAW has worked tirelessly in the pursuit of reducing the threat of vessel strikes and strongly supports the use of AIS as a warming system for mariners. We're grateful to Representatives Liccardo, Case, Krishnamoorthi, Min, Moylan, and Pallone for championing the use of AIS to improve mariner safety and help reduce the risk of vessel strikes on whales along the West Coast," said Kathleen Collins, International Fund for Animal Welfare Senior Marine Campaign Manager.

Congressmembers Ed Case (HI-01), Raja Krishnamoorthi (IL-08), Dave Min (CA-47), Frank Pallone (NJ-06), and James Moylan (Guam) signed the letter.

Read the full letter here.