In an executive order, Trump revoked the nearly decade old National Ocean Policy established by President Obama in 2010, stripping our nation of its policy of ocean stewardship and replacing it with one of maximum ocean exploitation..
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.
“The repeal of the National Ocean Policy is another attack in the Trump administration’s all-out assault on the nation’s public lands and oceans for the sake of private exploitation and profit,” said Dr. Priscilla Brooks, Director of Ocean Conservation at CLF. “This repeal ignores how smart, science-driven ocean management creates economic, recreational, and environmental benefits. We are incredibly disappointed by this reckless action.”
The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument holds a special place in my heart. This monument, designated by President Obama in 2016, protects crucial marine habitats for incredible species, from whales to corals, along the edge of the New England continental shelf. The monument encompasses four seamounts and three underwater canyons just 130 miles… Continue reading The Science of Conserving the Canyons and Seamounts
The Royal River runs about 30 miles from its headwaters in New Gloucester, Maine, to its outlet in Casco Bay in Yarmouth. Like many of New England’s coastal rivers, the Royal drove vital economic growth during the region’s industrial era, when dams built along its route harnessed water to power mills, tanneries, and more. While… Continue reading Taking On Dams on Maine’s Royal River
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.
“The clean, local energy generated by these projects will benefit all of New England. CLF is looking forward to working with those involved to ensure this project comes online quickly while minimizing environmental impacts for endangered right whales and other critical species.”
Atlantic herring is the main source of food for larger fish, whales, and seabirds. However, New England fishery managers currently don’t take herring’s key role as a food source into account when determining how many herring fisherman can catch. Now, there’s a chance to improve how New England sets herring catch limits.
When the Northeast Regional Ocean Plan was approved for New England’s federal waters last year, it capped off a journey for CLF that began nearly two decades ago.
Every year, alewives and blueback herring return to their native waters to spawn. But thousands of dams have cut these fish off from thousands of acres of freshwater bodies, thwarting reproductive cycles that had been ongoing for eons. The impact of these dams, on top of threats from pollution and overfishing, have led to a drastic decline in river herring populations – threatening their survival.
