Lobster industry members from both the U.S. and Canada are meeting Friday and Saturday at the Mariner’s Church in Portland’s Old Port to discuss protecting the fishing industry and the critically endangered North Atlantic Right Whale, according to CBS 13.
The event, called the U.S.-Canada Lobster Town Meeting, aims to discuss enacting more protections for the right whale, which has migrated further into Canada in recent years where Canadian lobstermen have fewer restrictions in place to protect the whale.
Lobstermen from both countries agree that protecting the right whale is vital to the fishing industry. The North Atlantic Right Whale plays an important role in the marine ecosystem of the Atlantic and losing them could jeopardize the future of the lobster industry.
A study in June done by the New England Aquarium in collaboration with Duke University, estimates a right whale population of fewer than 350.
The town meeting is also hoping to look into better fishing gear that is cost effective and would cause fewer entanglements from right whales, a leading cause to their endangerment.
