March 3 (Reuters) – The Trump administration on Tuesday took the first step toward loosening regulations that protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale from vessel strikes. Here are some details: * The National Marine Fisheries Service said it isconsidering replacing seasonal vessel speed restrictions withwhale management areas and technology-based measures to avoidvessel strikes. * […]
U.S.
Trump administration considering looser protections for North Atlantic right whale
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March 3 (Reuters) – The Trump administration on Tuesday took the first step toward loosening regulations that protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale from vessel strikes.
Here are some details:
* The National Marine Fisheries Service said it isconsidering replacing seasonal vessel speed restrictions withwhale management areas and technology-based measures to avoidvessel strikes. * There are about 380 North Atlantic right whales. Theirmain threats to survival include entanglement in fishing gearand collisions with vessels, the agency said. * NMFS, a division of the Commerce Department, is seekinginformation and comments for 90 days. * During the Biden administration, NMFS proposed to toughenvessel speed restrictions, but the rule was never finalized.
(Reporting by Nichola Groom; Editing by Daniel Wallis)