Feds push for ropeless fishing gear to better protect rare whales

Jack Aylmer

IT’S A BIG INVESTMENT TOWARD PROTECTING ONE OF THE WORLD’S MOST ENDANGERED WHALE SPECIES.

THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCING THIS MONTH ITS INVESTING MILLIONS IN NEW TECHNOLOGY TO HELP SAVE ‘THE NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE’. WITH FEWER THAN 360 LEFT, EFFORTS ARE UNDERWAY TO MAKE COMMERCIAL FISHING SAFER FOR THESE RARE CREATURES. 

FEDERAL AUTHORITIES ARE COMMITTING NEARLY $10 MILLION TO PROMOTE THE USE OF ROPLESS FISHING GEAR. INSTEAD OF USING THE TYPICAL TRAPS CONNECTED TO THE SURFACE BY ROPES. THIS GEAR RELIES ON SYSTEMS LIKE INFLATABLE LIFT BAGS THAT BRING TRAPS TO THE SURFACE WITHOUT THE NEED FOR A PERMANENT VERTICAL LINE IN THE WATER. 

 IT’S NOT JUST FISHING GEAR THREATENING THESE MAMMALS. OFFSHORE WIND PROJECTS ARE ALSO UNDER CAREFUL EXAMINATION. THERE ARE GROWING CONCERNS ABOUT HOW GEOPHYSICAL SURVEYS COULD ALSO BE AFFECTING MARINE LIFE.

IN ADDITION TO THE GEAR DEVELOPMENT, ALMOST $3 MILLION WILL GO TOWARD IMPROVING MONITORING AND PREDICTION EFFORTS FOR WHALE MOVEMENTS. 

WHILE SOME FISHERMAN ARE SKEPTICAL ABOUT USING NEW TECHNOLOGY, OTHERS HAVE BEEN WORKING ALONGSIDE THE NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION. THE NOAA DESCRIBED THE RIGHT WHALES ‘APPROACHING EXTINCTION AND THAT THE STAKES COULDN’T BE HIGHER.’

THERE’S QUITE A BALANCE BETWEEN SAVING THE WHALES, SUPPORTING SUSTAINABLE INDUSTRIES, AND TRANSITIONING TO RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES. THE FUTURE OF THE NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE DEPENDS ON HOW WE NAVIGATE THESE COMPLEX CHALLENGES.

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