Rare whale died of chronic entanglement in Maine fishing gear

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — 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 found dead off Martha’s Vineyard in January. The whales are declining in population and are at the center of efforts to more tightly regulate shipping and commercial fishing off the East Coast.

A necropsy determined that the whale died from “chronic entanglement” in gear that was earlier determined to be consistent with the kind of rope used in Maine’s lobster fishery, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Wednesday. NOAA said a law enforcement investigation into the whale’s death remains open.

The right whales number less than 360 and they have experienced high mortality in recent years. The death of the whale reignited a longstanding debate between environmentalists and commercial fishermen about the need to more tightly regulate lobster fishing.

https://apnews.com/article/right-whale-entangled-endangered-maine-7ffdd2faf5b09dfd476395ca0ff728a5