October 7, 2021 — Later this month, a stretch of federal waters off the coast of Maine will become temporarily off-limits for lobster fishing.
The seasonal closure is part of a new set of regulations aimed at protecting the endangered right whale population.
According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, there are fewer than 370 right whales left in the world.
The marine mammals are native to Maine waters, traveling between coastal Nova Scotia and New England to feed and breed.
Research shows as many as four out of every five right whales show signs of injury from fishing line entanglement.
Along with the seasonal closure of some federal waters, the new regulations also limit the use of fixed-line lobster traps.