“Roughly half of all right whale deaths are because they are run over and killed by speeding boats, and this unprecedented delay is only making matters worse,” said Erica Fuller, a senior attorney at Conservation Law Foundation. “It shouldn’t take a lawsuit to force regulators to make the common-sense decision to reduce vessel speeds in areas where right whales are present. The new administration must act quickly and avoid repeating the same mistakes of the Trump years.”
Jan 13
2021
2021
Dec 30
2020
2020
NOAA Proposes New Rule to Protect Right Whales
“After such an unprecedented delay, this new rule will help stem the surge of right whale deaths we’ve seen over the last several years,” said Erica Fuller, Senior Attorney at CLF. “Ropeless fishing is the only solution that protects whales and fishermen, and the rule expands that practice. However, NOAA must end its reliance on weak rope as a solution and get emergency protections on the water immediately while this rule is finalized.”
Dec 30
2020
2020
New Proposed Lobstering Rules Call For Seasonal Closures, Gear Tweaks To Reduce Right Whale Deaths
Conservationists call the rule a good first step, but way late, and it doesn’t do nearly enough to avert the whale’s extinction. Here’s Erica Fuller, of the Conservation Law Foundation: ‘We’re concerned about the agency’s reliance on weak rope,’ Fuller says, ‘and we’re concerned that it doesn’t appear that they are going to take any emergency action before these measures are effective on the water.’
Dec 17
2020
2020
State officials plan to ban lobster fishing for several months a year to help endangered right whales
“These proposed regulations are a big step in the right direction,” said Erica Fuller, a senior attorney at the Boston-based Conservation Law Foundation, one of several groups that has sued the Fisheries Service to protect the whales. “But in light of the fact that Massachusetts waters have the highest known seasonal density of right whales in the world, a long-term solution that allows fishing and right whales to coexist is imperative.”
Dec 8
2020
2020
Three Generations of Right Whales Lost – Here’s How We Can Do Better
More than three generations of North Atlantic right whales have been lost to the threat of entanglement. The solutions to save these vulnerable species exist and it is up to us to ask our leader for better protections for these majestic animals.
Dec 3
2020
2020
Conservation Groups File Emergency Petition Calling For Closure Of Fisheries To Protect Right Whales
The Conservation Law Foundation and others are calling for the immediate closure of fisheries off southern New England and possibly elsewhere, where the whales are known to congregate and feed.
Dec 2
2020
2020
Emergency Petition Seeks to Protect Endangered North Atlantic Right Whales From Fishing Gear
“At least 32 right whales have been killed by human activities in the last three years alone, yet the federal government is still sitting on its hands,” said Erica Fuller a senior attorney at the Conservation Law Foundation. “The window to save this species is closing, and we’re left with no other option but to file this petition. The federal government must declare this situation what it is – an emergency – and take action to protect these animals now.”
Nov 23
2020
2020
Cod, Climate Change, and Protected Areas
According to a new study, rising water temperatures put fish eggs and spawning adults at higher risk than juveniles and adult fish. Since previous studies mostly only took adult fish into account, this close look at different life stages gives us a better idea of what the climate crisis means for our fisheries and how we can help save Atlantic cod. One big takeaway: protecting spawning areas, where the vulnerable are, is more critical than ever.
We sat down with CLF Senior Science Fellow Gareth Lawson to discuss the implications of the study and the future of Atlantic cod.
Nov 12
2020
2020
How One Change in Fisheries Management Can Help Save the Atlantic Cod
To help rebuild the cod population, scientists and managers must know how many fish are being caught by fishing boats. Thankfully, a recent vote by regional fishery managers brings us one step closer to collecting that valuable information.
Nov 7
2020
2020
Biden Win Sets the Stage for a Greener Future, But Local Action Is Still Vital
The presidential election result is a welcome relief – especially amid the ongoing stresses of an unrelenting pandemic, hobbling economic hardship, and an overdue racial reckoning. We all deserve to take a moment and celebrate that. But even as we see the core values of our democracy vindicated after relentless voter suppression efforts, now is not the time to grow complacent.