Tension thaws over whale plan between lobstermen, feds

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A group representing Maine’s lobstermen says it’s w willing to work with federal government on a plan to protect right whales after withdrawing its support for plan this summer.

Maine Lobstermen’s Association is one of key stakeholders in an effort to better protect rth Atlantic right whales, which number only about 400 and are vulnerable to entanglement in fishing gear. A federal plan that’s being developed to help save whales would remove miles of lobster trap rope from waters off Maine.

lobstermen’s association issued a public statement on Oct. 11 saying it appreciates that National Oceanic and Atmospheric ministration’s National Marine Fisheries Service has offered a “constructive response” to its concerns about whale protection.

However, statement also says lobstermen still think whale plan focuses too much on new restrictions for ir industry. organization said it believes AA Fisheries should also consider impact or fisheries have on whales.

“Going forward, MLA will continue to insist on a science-based process informed by best available data to ensure rigorous accountability for risk to endangered whales from across spectrum of human interactions with m,” group stated.

group hopes its letter sends a mess that finding a way to save whales is still one of its priorities, said Patrice McCarron, its executive director, in a telephone interview.

“We were always committed to finding ways to make our fisheries safer for right whales,” McCarron said.

AA Fisheries is t commenting on lobstering group’s statement, ncy spokesman Jennifer Goebel said. However, regulators have also recently expressed desire to work with lobstermen, who have said whale protection plan placed too much onus on ir business, which is an industry vital to Maine’s ecomy.

Chris Oliver, AA’s assistant ministrator for fisheries, said this month that federal manrs are also “diligently working with our Canian counterparts to dress both ship strikes and entanglements in Canian waters.” That is ar concern Maine’s lobstermen have raised in recent years.

new whale protections must first go through a rulemaking process. Maine regulators plan to hold public meetings about proposed protections next month. AA must eventually propose formal rules, and that’s expected in next few months, Goebel said.

right whales dwindled in population during whaling era and have suffered high mortality and poor reproduction in recent years. Conservationists have sounded alarms that whales could face extinction because of a declining population of breeding females.

“Entanglements in vertical fishing lines used in lobster and crab trap/pot fisheries cause right whale death rates to rise and birth rates to fall,” said Jane Davenport, a senior attorney with Defenders of Wildlife, which has vocated for tight restrictions.