(gCaptain) – Fifteen shipping companies joined in a program from May through November, 2019 in an initiative to cut air pollution and protect endangered whales around San Francisco and Santa Barbara. NOAA has identified ship strikes as a leading cause of death in whales and the slower speeds help the whales avoid the ships. The season is also when smog is at its highest and the slower speeds reduce the use of fuel and lessen air pollution. Read More