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Tell the National Marine Fisheries Services: Step Up for Right Whales!

Dear John,

North Atlantic right whales are cherished gentle giants who traverse the busy waters of the US East Coast. Many of these docile creatures wear the painful evidence of fishing gear entanglements and ship strikes--a reminder of the dangers they face. Eighty-five percent of North Atlantic right whales bear scars from being entangled in gear at least once in their lives, while over half bear scars from being entangled at least twice. Right whales nearly went extinct due to commercial whaling but were able to slowly recover after whaling on them ceased. Now, they are once again in serious jeopardy of extinction due to human actions.

In July 2020, the International Union for Conservation of Nature changed their status on the organization's Red List to "critically endangered"--the designation closest to "extinct." It has since been determined that only about 360 North Atlantic right whales remain. Since 2017, at least 46 whales--more than 10 percent of the population--have been confirmed dead or are presumed dead after suffering serious injuries. After years of mismanagement, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) has proposed new regulations to minimize the risks fishing gear poses to right whales. While this is a promising step, the whales need bolder action to ensure their survival.

These regulations are based on an outdated population estimate and do not establish a sustainable level of risk protection. The only way to save this species is to immediately reduce the risk and severity of entanglements. According to the US Marine Mammal Commission, entanglement risk should be lowered by 80 percent in US waters. The NMFS plan would achieve a risk reduction of only 60 percent.

Fourteen right whale babies have been born this year. While this is wonderful news, it is not enough to save the population. Born into perilous conditions, these young whales now face countless obstacles to survive. We must ensure protections for right whales that allow the species to flourish rather than teeter on the edge of extinction.

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What You Can Do
Email NMFS today ([link removed]) to share your comments on these regulations.

Note: When you submit comments through AWI's website, your name and comments will be publicly viewable on the official comment page at Regulations.gov. You may also submit your comments directly at [link removed] ([link removed]), where you may choose not to provide identifying information.

Please be sure to share our Dear Humanitarian alert with family, friends, and co-workers! As always, thank you for taking action on behalf of the animals.

Want to learn more? Watch this video ([link removed]) to hear from AWI's Kate O'Connell about the plight of the North Atlantic right whale.

Sincerely,

Cathy Liss
President

P.S. Follow us on Facebook ([link removed]), Twitter ([link removed]), and Instagram ([link removed]) for other important animal protection actions and news. Check out the latest edition of the AWI Quarterly ([link removed]), and view some of our recent victories in our most recent Annual Report ([link removed]).

Photo by NOAA Fisheries Christin Khan NEFSC

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Animal Welfare Institute
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The Animal Welfare Institute is a not-for-profit organization, founded in 1951 and dedicated to reducing animal suffering caused by people. We seek better treatment of animals everywhere: in the laboratory, on the farm, in commerce, at home, and in the wild.

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