August 18, 2021 — In its first phase of recommended actions to help protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale, the federal Large Whale Take Reduction Team instituted sweeping changes in the rules governing the Northeast lobster and Jonah crab fisheries to help reduce gear entanglements.
Now, the team is turning its attention to other fisheries in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic as its begins the second phase of rule-making to establish wide protections for right whales, other whales and sea turtles.
NOAA Fisheries filed notice on Aug. 11 of its intent to prepare an environmental impact statement and request public comment as vanguard steps toward amending the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan to help the species rebound from its current decline.
The second phase is expected to significantly impact a number of commercial gillnet fisheries in New England and elsewhere along the East Coast, including monkfish, spiny dogfish, skate and other groundfish fisheries.