Stop Offshore Drilling Before the Last Gulf Whales are Killed

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Sponsor: Free The Ocean

Only about 50 Gulf of Mexico Rice’s whales remain alive today. Help us ensure their survival by keeping oil and gas drilling out of their habitat.

Stop Offshore Drilling Before the Last Gulf Whales are Killed

Only about 50 Gulf of Mexico Rice’s whales remain alive today1. They are one of the rarest whales on Earth—and the only great whale species known to live year-round in U.S. waters. Their survival now hangs in the balance as the oil and gas industry ramps up drilling in their habitat.

Drilling Ships Pose a Daily Threat

Every day, ships supporting offshore drilling cut across whale territory, increasing the risk of deadly vessel strikes. These whales swim close to the surface, where collisions are often fatal. A new federal biological opinion admits that ongoing oil and gas activities will kill at least nine of them and seriously injure three more in the coming decades2. For a species this fragile, even a single loss could collapse the population.

Noise, Pollution, and a Risk of Another Catastrophe

Rice’s whales also face constant noise pollution from seismic air guns used to locate oil and gas beneath the sea floor. These blasts interfere with their ability to communicate, navigate, care for young, and find food. Drilling infrastructure adds further disruption, while the risk of catastrophic oil spills never goes away. The 2010 BP Deepwater Horizon disaster alone is believed to have killed roughly one-fifth of the entire Rice’s whale population at the time3.

Weak Federal Protections Are Not Enough

Despite court orders demanding stronger protections, the government continues to approve oil and gas activities with inadequate safeguards. A new plan issued by the National Marine Fisheries Service allows thousands of animals—whales, sea turtles, manta rays, and more—to be killed or harmed by oil operations each year4. It even dismisses the likelihood of another large-scale oil spill, despite the industry drilling deeper and at higher pressures than ever before5.

We Must Act Before It’s Too Late

We cannot stand by while reckless policies push an entire species toward extinction. Gulf waters belong to all of us—not just to oil companies. Clean oceans support life, balance the climate, and sustain coastal communities. These whales are not disposable.

Federal leaders have the power to act. They can designate permanent protections for whale habitat, restrict vessel traffic, and reject drilling plans that threaten endangered species. But they need to hear from us—loudly and now.

Sign the petition calling on U.S. officials to protect the Rice’s whale and defend the future of the Gulf’s endangered wildlife.

More on this issue:

  1. Nichola Groom, Reuters (21 May 2025), "US finds endangered Gulf of Mexico whale threatened by oil and gas vessel strikes."
  2. Center for Biological Diversity (20 May 2025), "Lawsuit Aims to Protect Critically Endangered Gulf Rice’s Whale From Oil, Gas Dangers."
  3. Earthjustice (2024), "Court Orders Government to Protect Rare Gulf Whales, Sea Turtles, and Imperiled Marine Species."
  4. MarineLink (21 May 2025), "NOIA Statement Regarding New US Biological Opinion."
  5. Timothy Gardner, Reuters (24 Apr 2025), "US aims to boost offshore oil drilling by easing pressure rules."

The Petition

To the Secretary of the United States Interior, the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and the Director of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS),

We, the undersigned, respectfully call upon your leadership to strengthen and enforce protections for endangered marine species in the Gulf of Mexico—particularly the critically endangered Rice’s whale and vulnerable sea turtle populations—who are increasingly threatened by the expansion of offshore oil and gas drilling.

Fewer than 100 Rice’s whales remain on Earth. These majestic animals live year-round in Gulf waters, where they are exposed to vessel strikes, seismic blasting, and the ever-present risk of catastrophic oil spills. New federal assessments have acknowledged that current operations will result in preventable deaths. Yet meaningful safeguards remain insufficient or unenforced.

The Gulf is not just a source of energy—it is a vital, living ecosystem that supports irreplaceable biodiversity, coastal communities, and our national heritage. Clean oceans are essential to climate stability, marine life survival, and the well-being of future generations. When we fail to protect endangered species, we erode the foundation of our environment and our economy.

We urge your agencies to implement the following:

  • Establish and enforce stricter vessel speed limits and exclusion zones in known whale habitats
  • Prohibit offshore drilling and seismic activity in areas essential to breeding and feeding
  • Fully consider the cumulative and long-term impacts of fossil fuel activity under the Endangered Species Act
  • Commit to meaningful, science-based biological opinions that prioritize species survival over industrial convenience

These steps are not only legally necessary—they are morally urgent. The lives of endangered whales, sea turtles, and countless other marine species depend on your action.

By choosing conservation over exploitation, you can protect one of the most ecologically rich regions in the United States. These actions will help ensure a healthier ocean, a more stable climate, and a better future for all.

Sincerely,