Endangered whales need more protection. So do their rescuers.

Record number of West Coast whale entanglements prompting lawsuit

Whale rescue teams do important, dangerous work, and they have been overwhelmed. Last year, there were 71 reported whale entanglements, most off California’s coast, breaking the record for the third year in a row.

But these bills don’t go nearly far enough. That’s why the Center for Biological Diversity is preparing to sue the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to force reforms in how it manages the commercial Dungeness crab fishery, the main culprit in West Coast whale entanglements.

Humpback whales — which accounted for 54 of last year’s reported entanglements — are protected under the Endangered Species Act, as are leatherback sea turtles that also get entangled in crab lines. That means that these entanglements aren’t just tragic; they’re prohibited under federal law.

We’ve worked with regulators and crabbers to address this problem over the past couple of years, and we’ve heard their statements of concern as the problem has gotten worse and worse. But words aren’t enough anymore. It’s time for action now, before the start of the next crab season in November.

Only preventive reforms, such as reducing the number of crab lines in important feeding areas for whales, can save endangered humpback whales and the brave men and women who try to disentangle them.

The Trump administration has been extremely hostile to the protection of whales, sea turtles and other endangered marine species. In June, the administration abruptly canceled a 2015 proposed rule — a compromise recommended by the Pacific Fishery Management Council — to protect marine mammals and sea turtles from the mile-long gill nets used to catch swordfish.

So now more than ever, it’s up to California. Our fishery regulators have a legal and moral obligation to save the whales and protect whale rescuers by reducing the number of entanglements.

Kristen Monsell is an attorney with the Center for Biological Diversity

Related posts:

Welcome to Schitte Behind.. “Chapter 1” is published by Schitte Industries.