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The Coalition compiles statewide and national news articles from fair and reliable sources. We are committed to fact-based education about the human-caused threats to right whales, especially along the Maine coast.
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Dead Right Whale Entanglement Confirmed as Maine Lobster Gear
UPDATE | On October 2, 2024, NOAA Fisheries released an update on necropsy findings from histopathology and diagnostic analysis of tissues from dead right whale #5120. The cause of death is determined to be from a chronic gear entanglement.
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On February 14, NOAA Fisheries released a report that the rope found embedded around the tail of the deceased right whale found in January is from Maine lobster gear.
NOAA Fisheries identified the dead right whale as #5120, a female born in January 2021 to a whale known as Squilla (#3720). The 3-year-old whale was first seen entangled in August 2022, with multiple wraps around her tail and 200 feet of trailing gear. In January 2023, there were multiple attempts to disentangle her in Cape Cod Bay, but they were not successful.
#5120 was last seen alive in June 2023. The entangling gear was still present around her tail, and observers documented severe wounds around the embedded ropes and poor body condition. Preliminary necropsy results confirm chronic entanglement.
IFAW team performs a necropsy on a deceased North Atlantic right whale washed ashore in Martha’s Vineyard. Photo: Stacey Hedman – IFAW, NMFS Permit #24359
News Stories
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APRIL
Providence Journal | Scientists: No link between whale deaths and offshore wind construction. Here’s why. Read More
CBC News | P.E.I.’s snow crab season wrapping up as right whale protection begins. Read More
Portland Press Herald | Right whale is found entangled off New England in a devastating year for the vanishing species. Read More
Bangor Daily News | Right whale found dead in Virginia was hit by a ship. Read More
Portland Press Herald | Another endangered right whale dies after a collision with a ship off the East Coast. Read More
The Boston Globe | North Atlantic right whale and her calf spotted near Cape Cod Bay, researchers say. Read More
The Boston Globe | North Atlantic right whale found dead off Virginia Coast, New England Aquarium researchers say. Read More
MARCH
NOAA | Biden-Harris Administration announces new NOAA-NASA agreement to advance North Atlantic right whale conservation technologies as part of Investing in America agenda. Read More
Cape News | Prioritizing Species Survival Over Profit – Editorial.Read More
CBC News | At least 3 right whale calves have died so far this year, conservation group says. Read More
Cape Cod Times | Ships speeding off Cape Cod now get texts to slow down, protect right whales. Read More
Canada Department of Fisheries and Oceans | Government of Canada announces 2024 measures to protect North Atlantic right whales. Read More
Portland Press Herald | Maine lobstermen struggle to adapt to new electronic reporting rules. Their licenses are on the line. Read More
Providence Journal | No link between whale deaths and offshore wind construction. Here’s why. Read More
Atlanta Journal-Constitution | Endangered right whale calf found dead on Georgia’s Cumberland Island. Read More
Knox County Village Soup | Maine Lobstermen Association meeting hosts right whale topics. Read More
Bangor Daily News | Right whale conservation can help Maine lobstermen and the climate. Read More
FEBRUARY
Boston Herald | Off Massachusetts coast, dozens of North Atlantic right whales unexpectedly spotted in shipping lanes. Read More
Portland Press Herald | Death of North Atlantic right whale illustrates difficulty of protecting the endangered mammals. Read More
Penobscot Bay Press | DMR to lobstermen: We need your data. Read More
Provincetown Independent | Entanglement Leads to Death of Young Right Whale. Read More
Bangor Daily News | Already, 2024 is a terrible year for endangered right whales. Read More
The Boston Globe | NOAA cites ‘chronic entanglement’ in death of juvenile right whale that washed up on Martha’s Vineyard. Read More
JANUARY
Portland Press Herald | Rare whale found dead off Massachusetts may have been entangled. Read More
National Fisherman | NOAA examining rope embedded in dead right whale on Martha’s Vineyard. Read More
NOAA | NOAA, BOEM announce final North Atlantic right whale and offshore wind strategy. Read More
The Toronto Star | To protect Canada’s whales, scientists are eavesdropping on the oceans. Read More
The Boston Globe | North Atlantic right whale calf expected to die after boat incident. Read More
Bangor Daily News | Death of right whale found near Martha’s Vineyard under investigation. Read More
Center for Coastal Studies | CCS researchers make season’s first sighting of North Atlantic right whales in Cape Cod Bay. Read More
Portland Press Herald | Maine lobstermen sue state over requirement to track boats. Read More
2023 News
DECEMBER
Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy & Environmental Affairs | MA Awarded $4.6 Million to Support North Atlantic Right Whale Recovery and Lobster Industry. Read More
WGBH | Landmark Endangered Species Act turns 50, but experts say more protections are needed. Read More
CBC News | Canada’s biggest lobster fishery on notice after right whale entanglement in Nova Scotia gear. Read More
Mount Desert Islander | Electronic tracking on lobster boats starts Dec. 16. Read More
The New York Times | Where Will the Whales Be? Ask the Climate Model. Read More
Maine Department of Marine Resources (DMR) | Maine DMR Receives $17 Million to Support Maine’s Lobster Industry, Improve Flawed Right Whale Data. Read More
Maine Morning Star | Experts warn future of Maine lobstering marked by increased risks, increased corporatization. Read More
NOAA Fisheries | North Atlantic Right Whales Have Better Food in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Read More
OCEANA | Calvin: The story of survival for one critically endangered right whale. Read More
The Associated Press | Contrary to politicians’ claims, wind farms don’t kill whales. Read More
NOVEMBER
Portland Press Herald | Maine lobstermen signal opposition to participating in ropeless testing program. Read More
OCTOBER
Responsible Seafood Advocate | Gear-lending program has harvesters working through closures and trying ropeless fishing gear without commitment. Read More
SEPTEMBER
Portland Press Herald | Effort to save right whales gets $82 million federal grant. Read More
AUGUST
Portland Press Herald | Maine Voices: Entanglement isn’t just a right whale problem. Read More
MAY
Portland Press Herald | Hope vs. rope: Can technology save the whales, and Maine’s lobster industry, too? Read More
APRIL
Scientific American | Can Putting a Price on a Whale Save the Environment? Read More
Portland Press Herald | Commentary: Stop entangling the right whale – in red tape. Read More
MARCH
New Hampshire Bulletin | Right whales vs. commercial fishing: no ‘easy solution’ for NOAA, says Raimondo. Read More
Coalition Op-Eds
2025 Op-Eds
Links Coming Soon
2024-2020 Op-Eds
2024
Bangor Daily News | Letter: Unlikely that Maine gear isn’t entangling right whales
Portland Press Herald | Commentary: Whale entanglement is a real problem, one Mainers can help solve
Mount Desert Islander | An extraordinary and significant whale event
Ellsworth American | With whale’s death, it’s time to face hard truths
Portland Press Herald| Opinion: Department of Marine Resources must make fishery safer for whales
2023
Portland Press Herald | Commentary: Hard week for right whales emphasizes urgent need for better tech
Portland Press Herald | Maine Voices: Entanglement isn’t just a right whale problem
Ellsworth American | Avoiding the humpback in the room
Portland Press Herald | Letter to the editor: Omnibus bill could help speed demise of right whales
Portland Press Herald | Letter: Large whales are being entangled in Maine lobster gear
2022
The Boston Globe | Maine Voices: There’s a profound moral impetus to protect the right whale
The Boston Globe | This is the story of a North Atlantic right whale’s will to live — and her species’ to survive
Portland Press Herald | Letter to the editor: Right whale entanglements – the undocumented and unknown statistics
Portland Press Herald | Maine Voices: There’s a profound moral impetus to protect the right whale
Mount Desert Islander | Viewpoint: Maine lobster can innovate a promising future
Portland Press Herald | Letter to the editor: Fighting whale-safe gear rules won’t ‘save Maine lobstermen’
Ellsworth American | Misinformation is a distraction from the real issues and their solution
Knox County Village Soup | Guest column: Fishermen or right whales? We can and should support both
Bangor Daily News | Letter: Lobstermen need to be part of whale solution
Ellsworth American | Commentary: With extinction looming, all must act to save whales
Mount Desert Islander | Viewpoint: Entanglements remain leading cause of right whale injury and death
2021
Ellsworth American | Still time for heroes in entanglement crisis
Ellsworth American | The natural choice
Ellsworth American | Innovation can save whales and lobstermen
2020
Ellsworth American | Fishing the middle ground to save right whales
Right whale #3308 “Sierra” has extensive scarring along her tail stock and flukes from entanglement injuries. Credit: New England Aquarium under DFO Canada SARA permit.
Georgia DNR and Coastwise Consulting staff remove rope from an entangled right whale. Credit: EcoHealth Alliance, NOAA Permit #932-1905 (January 15, 2011)
Coalition Press Releases
OCTOBER 3, 2024 - STATEMENT RE: UPDATED NECROPSY FINDINGS FOR RIGHT WHALE #5120
The updated necropsy findings from right whale #5120 highlight the rigorous scientific process that went into documenting the life and death of this animal. Based on field sighting records, right whale #5120 carried a gear entanglement around her tail stock for at least 18 months. And a tight wrap of rope around her tail ultimately caused her death. This is a devastating loss for a small population, and likely a brutal existence for a young whale.
SEPTEMBER 20, 2022 - CLAIM THAT NO RIGHT WHALE HAS BEEN ENTANGLED IN MAINE FISHING GEAR IN 18 YEARS IS INACCURATE
Recent reports have covered the lobster fishery and the impact of regulations to protect North
Atlantic right whales from fishing gear entanglements that are threatening the critically endangered species. But, 98 percent of the more than 1,700 documented right whale fishing gear entanglements lack conclusive data about where the entanglement occurred.
MEDIA REQUESTS
The Coalition is an all-volunteer group with limited capacity to field timely media requests. Media should contact expert scientific organizations for further comment and information about this issue.
We recommend the following resources:
New England Aquarium
Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute
North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium
Ropeless Consortium
Consortium for Wildlife Bycatch Reduction
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Maine Coalition for North Atlantic Right Whales
The mission of the of the Maine Coalition for North Atlantic Right Whales is to provide accurate information about critically endangered right whales and support policies to save them.