PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • January 14, 2023
Fewer than 350 right whales remain. This critically endangered population is in decline. Entanglements in fixed fishing gear are the primary cause. More than 86% of right whales have been entangled at least once, some as many as nine times. In the last 40 years, scientists documented more than 1,750 entanglements. Declining right whale health overall is also a major contributing factor. Only 10 new mother-calf pairs have been spotted this year; the species needs many more calves to counteract the rate that they are dying and allow for recovery. Advances in ropeless or “on-demand” fishing technology show promise for reducing or eliminating entanglements. Congress needs to step up to fund the costly transition to new technologies that will ensure a vibrant future for the fishing industry while saving an endangered species from extinction. ~ Philip Hamilton and Amy Knowlton, senior scientists, New England Aquarium