| Whale protections

THE UN International Maritime Organization has taken on board a US proposal which increases protection for endangered whales from ships off the Californian coast.

Applying to cruise and cargo vessels, the plan extends ship traffic lanes in and around the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary, and expands areas that ships should avoid to give the marine mammals more space.

The changes were initially mooted in 2015, with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) submitting the proposal to the IMO in partnership with the US Coastguard last year.