Processing Your Payment

Please do not leave this page until complete. This can take a few moments.

October 2, 2007

Final ruling: Lobstermen must change gear

Lobstermen will have to buy new gear to protect endangered whales by October 2008, a federal agency said yesterday.

The National Marine Fisheries Service issued its final ruling on requirements that lobstermen use sinking lines to connect their off-shore traps instead of floating lines, which environmentalists say can entangle North Atlantic right whales, the Associated Press reported.

Sen. Olympia Snowe opposed the new requirements, saying they would be too expensive for lobstermen to implement. But lobstermen must start using the new lines by Oct. 1, 2008, the NMFS said.

Sign up for Enews

Most Recent

Most Recent

Comments

Order a PDF