Portland, Maine (AP) – The federal government has unveiled a new funding initiative aimed at promoting the adoption of ropeless fishing gear to safeguard the endangered North Atlantic right whale, which faces significant threats from entanglement in traditional fishing gear and ship strikes. With fewer than 360 of these whales remaining, the initiative is seen as a critical effort to prevent their extinction.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced on Tuesday that nearly $10 million will be allocated to efforts to protect these rare whales. Approximately $7 million of the funding will be directed toward the development and testing of ropeless fishing gear, enabling members of the fishing industry to assess and provide feedback on the new technology.
Traditional lobster and crab fishing typically involve traps connected to the surface by vertical ropes, which pose a risk to marine life. Ropeless fishing methods, however, utilize systems like inflatable lift bags that allow fishermen to retrieve traps without using ropes that could entangle whales.
"It is crucial that we accelerate our collective efforts to recover this species, and these partnerships will empower the science and conservation community to do just that," said Janet Coit, NOAA Fisheries Assistant Administrator.
In addition to supporting gear innovation, nearly $3 million of the funding will go toward improving modeling and monitoring efforts related to right whale populations. This includes over $1.3 million allocated to Duke University’s Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab to develop a near-real-time modeling system to predict the whales' distribution along the East Coast.
This year, several right whale deaths have been reported, with some showing signs of entanglement in fishing gear. With fewer than 70 reproductively active females left, Coit emphasized that the species is "approaching extinction."
The whales' migration route extends from calving grounds off Florida and Georgia to feeding grounds off New England and Canada. Due to warming ocean temperatures, these whales have increasingly ventured outside protected areas in search of food, putting them at greater risk.
Commercial fishermen are currently subject to a range of regulations designed to protect the whales and conserve lobster populations, with more regulations expected in the near future. While some fishermen have expressed doubts about the practicality of ropeless gear, others have collaborated with government agencies to test these innovative systems.
Patrick Whittle (August 17, 2024). Feds announce funding push for ropeless fishing gear that spares rare whales. Wabi5. https://www.wabi.tv/2024/08/16/feds-announce-funding-push-ropeless-fishing-gear-that-spares-rare-whales/
