The North Atlantic Right Whale population, which once numbered in the
thousands, has dwindled to only about 300 individuals, as a result of
collisions with ships and entanglement in commercial fishing gear. Just
recently, the nation watched in agony as unsuccessful attempts were made
to save Churchill, a whale entangled in deadly fishing gear off the New
England coast. He is now presumed dead. In the Northeastern U.S., two
critical habitats have been set aside as feeding grounds for the whales
during their yearly migration north during the late winter and early
spring months. While federal regulations prohibit the use of risky types
of fishing gear in these critical habitats when whales are present, new
regulations are needed to extend the protections further into the waters
that surround these critical habitats. Although the National Marine
Fisheries Service (NMFS) has proposed new regulations that attempt to
address this need, the new proposals will fall far short of being able to
make a difference to this critically endangered species. Additionally,
fishermen are fighting the proposed protections for the Right Whales,
saying that it will drive up the cost of doing business and cut into their
profits.
WHAT YOU CAN DO:
Write to the NMFS and ask that it strengthen its proposal for Seasonal
Area Management (SAM) for the Right Whales. Ask them to:
- Ensure that the restrictions in the SAM area be in place from January
1 through July 31, with areas only opened to unrestricted fishing after
the whales have left the area and
- Require that buoy lines that extend from the fishing gear to the
surface break at no more than 1,100 pounds, so that entangled whales can
break free.
Send your letters by TUESDAY, DEC. 11TH to:
Mary Colligan
Chief, Protected Resources Division
National Marine Fisheries Service
1 Blackburn Drive
Gloucester, Mass. 01930-2298. (Sorry no email.)
You might also wish to tell NMFS that, as a consumer, you are willing to
pay more for products if that is what it takes to save the whales.
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