GLOUCESTER, MA \u2013 On July 16, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMF) published its long-anticipated proposal to further protect endangered whales by reducing the number of endlines in the water.<\/p>\n
Comments will be accepted through Sept. 16 and public hearings will be held in August and September (see schedule next page).<\/p>\n
The proposed rule is the latest in a series of steps NMFS has taken since the creation of the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan in 1997 to reduce the risk of entanglement to three stocks of large whales \u2013 fin, humpback, and North Atlantic right whales.\u00a0 First came gear modifications, including weak links.\u00a0 Then, in 2008, came sinking groundline requirements.<\/p>\n
This time, the agency is proposing to further cut whale entanglement risk by reducing the number of \u201cvertical lines,\u201d more commonly called buoy lines or endlines, fishermen use on their fixed gear…<\/p>\n
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Read the rest and much, much more in the August issue of Commercial Fisheries News. Read online<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n
immediately and download for future reference. [add_to_cart=3035]<\/i><\/b><\/p>\n New endline-reduction proposal centers\u00a0on seasonally closed areas, trap trawl measures GLOUCESTER, MA \u2013 On July 16, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMF) published its long-anticipated proposal to further protect endangered whales by reducing the number of endlines in the water. Comments will be accepted through Sept. 16 and public hearings will be held in August … <\/p>\n