The National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) is currently reviewing a petition to list the Atlantic Humpback Dolphin as Threatened or Endangered Under the Endangered Species Act. Once a species is listed, it becomes eligible for “critical habitat designation.” Then, the federal government works to implement several types of protections. The Fish and Wildlife Service summarizes […]
Tag: national marine fisheries service
Whales in Danger in United States Waters
A new opinion piece in The Hill is calling for extra protection for whales in the United States. Kyla Bennett, the science policy director at Public Employees for Environmental responsibility (PEER) called on the current administration to act to save the North Atlantic right whale, Bryde’s whale, and North Pacific right whale. Each of these […]
New Rule on Critically Endangered North Atlantic Right Whales Falls Short
The National Marine Fisheries Service (NFMS) released a new rule at the end of December to reduce the risk to critically endangered North Atlantic right whales. Unfortunately, the rule is inadequate to protect these animals. NFMS’ rule focuses on helping whales that get tangled in fishing gear used for crab and lobster fishing. However, their […]
Atlantic fisheries managers move to protect the little fish seabirds rely on.
Seabirds are often the first thing we see—and hear—on the coast. Flying above the waves, they make up the soundtrack of life on the water. These majestic creatures rely on tiny fish called forage fish for their survival, but they face stiff competition with the large, industrial fishing operators that also harvest these fish. Two […]
Another Loss Brings West Coast’s Beloved Orcas to a 30-Year Low
Conservationists are mourning another tragic loss for the west coast’s beloved orcas, whose population is now the lowest it’s been in 30 years. These orcas, who are otherwise known as the southern resident killer whales, live in three distinct pods (J,K and L) that travel through Puget Sound, the Straight of Georgia and the Strait […]
No Calves This Year Means Right Whales Are Closer to Extinction
Scientists were already worried about the survival of North Atlantic right whales following a slew of tragic deaths over the past year. Now, even more concerns are being raised about the lack of calves this year. Once considered the “right” whales to kill, this species was nearly hunted to extinction. Today, there are estimated to […]
POLL: Should the Pacific Bluefin Tuna be given endangered species protection?
Pacific bluefin tuna have declined by a staggering 97 percent, but the Trump administration has declined to grant them much-needed federal protection that would have helped ensure their survival. Pacific bluefin tuna are slow-growing, taking years to fully mature, and long-lived, which makes them especially vulnerable to overfishing. The demand for them, particularly for sushi, […]
The World’s Most Endangered Porpoise Could Be Gone by 2018
Conservationists have been sounding the alarm for years over concerns that the world’s smallest porpoise is heading towards extinction, but things are looking even more dire with a prediction that they could disappear forever as soon as 2018. The vaquita only exists in a small area in the Gulf of California, off the coast of […]