Grey Whale Advocates Push for Ferry Speed Limits in Migration Season
Stress signals among Pacific grey whales observed off British Columbia have prompted Bay Area conservation groups to call for speed restrictions on ferry routes during migration season, setting up a direct conflict with commuter transit reliability for hundreds of thousands of daily riders.
The ask is specific: reduced vessel speeds during the March-to-May and October-to-December migration windows on routes crossing grey whale transit corridors in and near the Bay. Ferry operators have not formally responded. Commuter advocates note that speed restrictions on the trans-Bay and coastal routes would add meaningful time to journeys that many riders have no practical alternative to. The Council has not yet indicated when it will take up the question, but environmental groups say the 2026 migration season is already underway.