PORTLAND PRESS HERALD • June 3, 2024
In the modern era, not a single adult right whale death has been shown to stem from natural causes. Whether from a vessel strike or a fishing gear entanglement, every adult right whale found dead has been brought to its end by human causes. Since 2017 alone, NOAA Fisheries has reported 15 documented right whales killed by vessel strikes. Two more are unlikely to survive, and another four have been wounded. Those are just the ones we know about. As many as 2 in 3 right whale deaths go undocumented. A proposed expanded vessel speed rule would mandate slower speeds for more vessels crossing right whale habitats – lowering the risk of fatal vessel strikes. Advocates are also fighting for the adoption of innovative fishing gear technologies that could reduce the risk of whale entanglement. The Biden administration will decide whether the story of the North Atlantic right whale ends with no survivors, or redemption, protection and recovery. ~ Jane Davenport, Defenders of Wildlife