right whales on the brink.

• Author: Morris, Ashira
• Position: PROGRESS REPORT

THE PROBLEM

With only around 400 North Atlantic right whales in the world, the species is one of the most endangered whales in our ocean.

New England's waters--dense with fishing gear--are especially treacherous. These large, slow whales often get entangled in the thick ropes that connect buoys at the surface to lobster traps on the sea floor. This can lead to injury, painful infection, and death. Scientists estimate that 80% of all right whales have been entangled at least once.

Right whales are protected under the Endangered Species and Marine Mammal Protection acts, but the federal government is ignoring them, denying right whales the protections they need.

CLF IN ACTION

CLF is taking an all-hands-on-deck approach to save New England's iconic whale. In 2018, the organization filed two lawsuits against the federal government for failing to do its duty under the Endangered Species Act.

CLF advocates also have urged lawmakers to support new ropeless fishing gear that would eliminate the dangerous lines ensnaring so many whales. When the federal government proposed new rules about fishing lines last fall, CLF advocates testified at public hearings and rallied members and supporters to speak up, as well.

In addition, CLF collaborated with Bow Seat Ocean Awareness to host an art contest for youth focused on right whales [SEE PAGE 8 TO LEARN MORE].

And, as offshore wind energy develops in New England, CLF is working to ensure that this necessary renewable energy doesn't advance at the expense of the iconic whale.

PROGRESS

Last January, CLF and its partners reached a historic agreement with Vineyard Wind to follow measures to...