It’s finally summer in Maine – and that means lots of opportunities to get outside and enjoy everything from whale watching, to fishing, to visiting our local farmers’ markets. CLF works every day to protect the things we all love about these long, hot days in Vacationland – not only because of the opportunities for… Continue reading Summer in Maine, Thanks to CLF
North Atlantic right whales are on the brink of extinction. So few are left that your chances of spotting one in the wild are slim, but thanks to technology, you can track the latest intel on New England’s native whales, including up-to-the minute sighting information.
As the Trump administration continues its attack on our nation’s public lands and waters, it has never been more pressing to highlight the importance of a healthy ocean ecosystem. That is why CLF is heading to Washington, DC next week to participate in Capitol Hill Ocean Week.
A slew of bills under debate in Congress would endanger our marine life and ocean ecosystems by decimating key conservation protections offered by existing laws. Coupled with harmful actions from the Executive Branch, our ocean faces threats from some in Washington who are more concerned with lining the pockets of a few oil and gas industry executives than with the health of our ocean and coastal communities.
Conservation Law Foundation has filed two challenges to the National Marine Fisheries Service Omnibus Habitat Amendment related to the impact of fishing gear on important species.
North Atlantic right whales could be extinct by 2040 if we don’t act quickly. Once a common target for whalers, the population now faces new and increasing threats from ship strikes and fishing gear. We need all hands on deck to save our right whales.
Last year, 17 North Atlantic right whales died, leaving the remaining population of less than 450 precariously close to extinction. Twelve of the deaths last year occurred in Canadian waters. Certain folks in the U.S. pointed their fingers at our northern neighbors saying that efforts here are pointless unless Canada makes necessary changes, but Canada is taking action – and they’re doing it much faster than we are.
Erica Fuller, an attorney with the Conservation Law Foundation, observed the proceedings with growing frustration. “We’re facing extinction,” she said afterward. “We don’t have time to say nothing works, or everything is too expensive.”
North Atlantic right whales are in crisis. Last year, we lost 17 whales out of a population of barely 460. If we don’t act now, this already-endangered species could go extinct in our lifetimes. CLF recently hosted a conversation with experts on right whales to discuss this crisis – and what can be done to… Continue reading WATCH: Right Whales on the Brink of Extinction
“The North Atlantic right whale is facing the most dire of circumstances, and without our help, could be facing extinction as soon as 2040,” said CLF attorney Emily Green. “Research shows that entanglement in fishing gear has accounted for 85 percent of right whale deaths in recent years. Tragically, chronic entanglement is a source of extreme stress, pain, and suffering for right whales, and can interfere with eating, moving, and reproducing. And we know that entanglement can cause long-term adverse health impacts even for whales that manage to escape the ropes.”
