Fishing, lobster industries back decade-long pause on new rules
The House Natural Resources Committee voted on July 15 to extend a moratorium on new federal protections for North Atlantic right whales to 2035, advancing a proposal that the Associated Press described as clearing a key hurdle in Washington. A vote by the Republican-controlled Congress could happen as soon as this summer, the AP reported.
The bill was introduced by U.S. Rep. Jared Golden, a Democrat from Maine, and co-sponsored by Republican Rep. Mike Lawler of New York. The Trump administration backed Golden’s efforts to further delay new regulations aimed at protecting the whales, according to the AP.
The federal government already paused any new right whale rules until 2028. The committee’s vote would extend that moratorium by an additional seven years, to 2035. Environmentalists said the additional delay could spell the end for the vanishing whales.
There are only about 380 North Atlantic right whales left, the AP reported. The species can drown after becoming entangled in fishing gear or being struck by boats.
The fishing and lobster industries gave the plan full-throated support, according to the AP. The AP reported that the committee vote cleared a key hurdle, and that a floor vote this summer is considered likely to pass.