Between 2017 and 2018, 20 right whales died — a staggering 4 percent of the population — mostly from entanglements with fishing lines. Experts say even one death a year could doom the population, which has fallen to about 400.
lobster industry
Posted inBusiness, Local & State
State floats whale protection plan that would affect a fraction of state’s lobster fleet
Only 1,200 of Maine’s 5,000 licensed lobstermen have permits to fish in federal waters, where the state’s proposal would require them to add traps on each buoy line to help right whales avoid entanglement.
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Posted inBusiness, Local & State
Two Mainers, N.H. man cited in landing of too many herring
Alleged quota violations happened at a time when regulators are trying to rebuild herring stock.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State
Scientists ID right whale found dead in New York waters
Snake Eyes, a 40-year-old male, was last seen entangled in the Gulf of St. Lawrence in August.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State, News
Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve gets grant for lobster research
The organization is awarded about $250,000 to study how warming coastal waters are affecting lobsters in the Gulf of Maine.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State
Conservation group takes its case to the public with video warning of right whale’s demise
Oceana bolsters the release of a report with a clip featuring actor Sam Waterston, who says the whales ‘could go extinct in your lifetime.’ Maine’s lobster industry says it’s untrue and unfair, and releases its own video. Watch both videos here.
Posted inMaine Voices, Op-Eds, Opinion
Maine Voices: Protect traditional fisheries’ access to ocean waters
Aquaculture should be kept to a smaller scale that doesn’t get in the way of other users.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State, News
Lobstermen’s group pulls its support for proposal to protect right whales
The Maine Lobstermen’s Association says the plan to reduce buoy lines to protect the endangered species is riddled with errors and bad science.
Posted inBusiness, Local & State, News
China increases its U.S. lobster tariff, and dealers ‘can’t believe this is happening again’
The tariff on live lobster imports from the United States to China will rise from 25% to 35% on Sept. 1.
Posted inOp-Eds, Opinion
Commentary: Mainers can get it right on North Atlantic right whales
With imagination and perseverance, innovative solutions are possible that allow both lobstermen and right whales to thrive.