Jan 21, 2021

President Biden’s flurry of actions to protect the environment reignites a controversy about the Atlantic’s only marine monument

“Last summer, we watched in shock as President Trump effectively nullified the monument status of the Northeast Canyons and Seamounts by opening it to commercial fishing,” said Bradley Campbell, president of the Conservation Law Foundation. “Defending this monument is critical for protecting valuable species, confronting the climate crisis, and leaving a healthy ocean for future generations.”

Jan 13, 2021

Groups Sue Feds to Protect Endangered North Atlantic Right Whales From Vessel Strikes

“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.”

Injured north Atlantic right whale #4150 bears deep scars from propeller strike, last seen in 2019.
Dec 30, 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.”

right whale aerial shot
Dec 30, 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

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 10, 2020

A Wave of Good News for the People of Great Bay

From multimillion-dollar investments to win-win collaborations, good news from New Hampshire’s Great Bay give us reasons to celebrate in 2020. Taken together, these stories remind us that when communities act boldly, we can turn the tide on pollution and restore the health of the rivers, bays, and coast in the Seacoast region and beyond.

Conservation Law Foundation's Great Bay–Piscataqua Waterkeeper shares a wave of good news to celebrate the power community action in 2020.
Dec 02, 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.”

North Atlantic right whale
Nov 23, 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.

Kelp Forest and Red Cod