We analyzed the costs of transitioning two sectors of the commercial lobster fishery to ropeless fishing gear and detail the findings in this report.
With at least nine new offshore wind farms geared to start spinning in New England by 2028, now is the moment to consider what thoughtful and inclusive offshore wind infrastructure looks like.
A colorful bobbing buoy is an iconic part of New England’s visual identity, a symbol of fresh-caught seafood and days spent by the water. But all those buoys can pose a danger to marine life. The thick vertical lines that connect buoys to lobster traps on the seafloor can entangle whales, causing grievous injuries and… Continue reading The Truth about Ropeless Fishing Gear
“Since 2017, at least 95 critically endangered right whales have been killed or injured by preventable human causes. Yet nothing has been done to reduce deadly vessel strikes. Right whales have been on this planet for millions of years and we are at risk of losing this entire species because of bureaucratic red tape. That cannot be allowed to continue.”
“A newborn calf spends most of the first few months of its life on the surface with its mother,” said Erica Fuller, senior attorney at Conservation Law Foundation. “Given that these whales are tough to see under the best of circumstances, slowing boats down is the only way to prevent collisions like those that have killed whales, injured people, and caused major vessel damage in the past.”
“This downward spiral must be stopped,” said Erica Fuller, Senior Attorney at CLF. “It’s time to put meaningful protections in place so whales are no longer needlessly killed by boats and fishing gear. The federal government needs to step up and do what’s right. Critically endangered right whales can recover, we just need to give them a chance.”
In 2022, a one-month-old right whale calf died when hit by a sportfishing boat off the coast of Florida. The calf’s mom, named “Infinity,” was also struck and is believed to have perished. The strike forced the captain to seek out a landing to get his passengers to safety – managing to get his boat onto… Continue reading Take Action: Tell NOAA You Support New Rules to Protect Right Whales
“This decision epitomizes short-term thinking that will only cause problems in the long run,” said Erica Fuller, Senior Attorney at CLF. “It’s simply backwards to choose areas for offshore wind development before doing a full environmental analysis, which would ultimately save time and money if done now. It is critical to advance offshore wind to respond to the climate crisis and clean up our electric grid, but it must be done in a science-based, inclusive and transparent way.”
“This decision rejects the lobster industry’s attempts to distract from the overwhelming scientific evidence that entanglements have killed far too many right whales for far too long,” said Erica Fuller, a senior attorney at Conservation Law Foundation. “It took the Fisheries Service five years to finalize a rule that only reduced lethal entanglement risk by 50% when the science shows 90% is needed. This species doesn’t have another five years to wait for the agency to comply with the law.”
A federal judge has rejected a bid by lobstermen and the state of Maine to block new rules aimed at protecting endangered North Atlantic right whales.
