MAY 28,
2019
by
Michael Moore And Hannah Myers, The Conversation
Many
fish, marine mammals and seabirds that inhabit the world's oceans are critically
endangered, but few are as close to the brink as the North Atlantic right whale
(Eubalaena glacialis). Only
about 411 of these whales exist today, and at their current rate of
decline, they could become extinct within our lifetimes.
From 1980
through about 2010, conservation
efforts focused mainly on protecting whales from being struck by
ships. Federal regulations helped reduce
vessel collisions and supported a slight rebound in right whale numbers.
But at
the same time, growing numbers of right whales died after becoming entangled in
lobster and crab fishing gear. This may have happened because fishing ropes
became stronger, and both whales and fishermen shifted their ranges
so that areas of overlap increased. Entanglement has caused 80% of diagnosed
mortalities since 2010, and the population has taken a significant
downward turn.
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