Endangered whales in Massachusetts are getting help after a federal appeals court restored lobster fishing limits, Reuters reports.
The decision stemmed from a 2022 ruling by the National Marine Fisheries Service. The agency banned the use of vertical buoy lines in the Massachusetts Restricted Area Wedge — a 200-nautical-mile area of federal waters — annually from Feb. 1 to April 30.
In response, the Massachusetts Lobstermen's Association sued, resulting in a federal judge voiding the ruling in March 2024. However, in January 2025, U.S. Circuit Judge Seth Aframe ruled in favor of preserving the fishing regulation.
Per Reuters, Aframe said, "The same threat to the right whale described in the 2022 emergency rule findings persisted beyond the 2022 foraging season and therefore ... required additional regulatory actions."
The upheld ruling is a win for the endangered right whale and the environment.
Since the seafood industry has been essential to the economy — supporting 1.2 million jobs, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration — it's no shock that some fishermen haven't been excited about limitations. However, over-fishing and unregulated fishing have caused environmental problems like this.
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The same general efforts to protect a whale are also applied to conservation across other species, and imbalances in the ecosystem can have domino effects that can upset the food chain in ways that could cost the fishing industry even further.
Buoy lines can seriously injure animals or lead to whale death due to infection or entanglement. An injured whale can also become weak and may not reproduce due to stress, resulting in another hit to the species's population.
On the Endangered Species Act list since 1970, only 370 North Atlantic right whales, including fewer than 70 reproductive females, are believed to be in existence today, per NOAA. They are often found in the New England area in spring and summer.
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Definitely 👍 Tragically, a baby North Atlantic right whale died after a ship collision in 2024. With less potential interference during their foraging season, as mandated by the ruling, these whales will have more opportunity to thrive and hopefully rebuild their population.
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Fishing regulations help ensure biodiversity among all marine life while also protecting the industry's financial stability. The ruling shows how important it is for more state and federal laws to protect the environment.
Save Our Seas 2.0, signed in 2020, has helped reduce the likelihood of more microplastics in the water. The Inflation Reduction Act has also helped move the U.S. toward adopting clean energy, with upgrades to induction stoves and electric vehicles supported by tax rebates and incentives.
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