A rare whale found dead off Massachusetts earlier this year died as a result of entanglement in Maine lobster fishing gear, federal authorities said. The North Atlantic right whale was discovered deceased off Martha’s Vineyard in January. The whales are in decline in population and are at the forefront of efforts to more tightly regulate shipping and commercial fishing activities along the East Coast.
A necropsy revealed that the whale succumbed to “chronic entanglement” in gear that was identified to be consistent with the type of rope used in Maine’s lobster fishery, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). NOAA stated that a law enforcement inquiry into the whale’s death is still ongoing.
With fewer than 360 individuals remaining, the right whales have faced significant mortality rates in recent years. The incident has reignited a prolonged dispute between environmentalists and commercial fishermen regarding the necessity to enforce stricter regulations on lobster fishing practices.
The right whales, weighing up to 150,000 pounds (68,000 kilograms), are highly susceptible to fatal entanglement in the ropes commonly utilized in lobster fishing that connect lobster traps to surface buoys. “Dying this way is a horrendous fate that no creature deserves, but it’ll happen again and again until we get these deadly fishing ropes out of the water,” stated Kristen Monsell, oceans legal director for the Center for Biological Diversity.
Industry representatives have claimed that they have made progress in avoiding whale entanglements and have been largely successful. The Maine Lobstermen’s Association mentioned that entanglement incidents in Maine gear have been extremely rare, with this being the first reported entanglement in 20 years and the first death attributed to the fishery. They highlighted significant changes made by Maine lobstermen in fishing practices over the past 25 years to mitigate entanglement risks.
The whales’ population declined by approximately 25% from 2010 to 2020. Once abundant along the East Coast, the right whales were decimated during the commercial fishing era and their recovery has been slow. Their migration has become perilous as their food sources shift with warming waters, leading them to move into unprotected areas where they face entanglements and collisions.
In recent years, scientists and environmentalists have emphasized the need for measures to protect the right whales and their habitats. Efforts to balance conservation and economic interests continue as stakeholders work towards finding solutions to safeguard these majestic creatures from further harm.