The Save Willy Act of 2026 establishes a four-year pilot program to reduce vessel strikes and other impacts on large whales and orcas in the San Francisco Bay region and Golden Gate Strait. The program creates a Cetacean Desk within the San Francisco Vessel Traffic Service, staffed by no more than two full-time equivalent positions, to monitor whale locations, coordinate with ship operators, and share real-time data about whale sightings with the maritime industry. The legislation directs federal agencies to use new technologies like artificial intelligence and automated detection systems to track whales, implement local maritime regulations to facilitate voluntary coordination with vessel operators, and provide training to mariners on marine mammal protection laws and whale detection. The bill requires annual reports to Congress evaluating whether the pilot program successfully reduces vessel strikes and measuring coordination effectiveness with ship operators and stakeholders including California, tribal governments, universities, and environmental organizations. The legislation does not specify dedicated funding levels but allows the program to leverage existing federal resources and partnerships.
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