The Nature Conservancy in MaineOn June 5, 2024, a female humpback whale known as Chunk was spotted off Cape Elizabeth entangled in fishing gear. By the following day, the whale had died and was hauled from Casco Bay for a necropsy to determine cause of death. The situation was reminiscent of a North Atlantic right whale’s death on Martha’s Vineyard earlier this year. The necropsy report for that young female concluded she had suffered from “chronic entanglement wounds,” evidenced by the fishing rope deeply embedded in her tail and her thin body condition.
Efforts to protect critically endangered North Atlantic right whales are currently reshaping life in the Gulf of Maine. It’s estimated there are only 350 right whales left, with fewer than 70 adult females remaining to sustain the population — and evidence shows entanglement can affect a whale’s ability to reproduce. Initiatives are underway to reverse the population decline, and The Nature Conservancy in Maine is working closely and thoughtfully with the people and communities who understand the issues best. “We need an all-hands-on-deck approach that empowers fishermen, scientists, and others to use their knowledge and experience to help find solutions to address these risks,” TNC Maine marine program director Geoff Smith says.
Current actions range from adjusting shipping lanes and implementing vessel speed restrictions to researching changes in the distribution of Calanus finmarchicus, the zooplankton that makes up the bulk of a right whale’s diet. Fishermen anticipate new rules will require them to reduce the number of vertical endlines and buoys they use to mark the location of their lobster gear. “To date, efforts to reduce entanglement risks have focused on the pot and trap gear used to catch lobsters in the Gulf of Maine,” Smith says. “It’s important to recognize the entanglement risk is not really from the traps themselves, but from the vertical endlines and buoys used to mark and haul the gear.”
Ropeless or “on-demand” gear can eliminate the need for endlines and surface buoys altogether. These retrieval systems are triggered when the fisherman approaches the area above the trap. Results are promising in Massachusetts, where area lobstermen have been using the new gear, but conditions and fishing practices are different in Maine and require further testing. Costs to fishermen are another concern.
TNC Maine recognizes the importance of allowing those working on the waterfront to test the gear before making the decision to implement it. The organization has partnered with the Maine Department of Marine Resources to help launch the Innovative Gear Library, donating over $100,000 worth of on-demand gear that any lobsterman can try. “There is still time to sustain these magnificent animals and the fishing communities that are woven into the cultural fabric of Maine,” Smith says. “Let’s work together to implement appropriate solutions before it’s too late.”