Regulators consider tracking lobster fishing to protect whales

Regulators consider tracking lobster fishing to protect whales

FILE - In this March 28, 2018, file photo, a North Atlantic right whale feeds on the surface of Cape Cod bay off the coast of Plymouth, Mass. The profitable U.S. lobster fishery will soon have to contend with new rules designed to protect the endangered species of whale, and that could necessitate major changes for fishermen. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — America’s lobster fishing businesses could be subjected to electronic tracking requirements to try to protect vulnerable right whales and get a better idea of the population of the valuable crustaceans. An arm of the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, an interstate regulatory authority, said this month it is considering implementing the tracking requirements for lobster boats that have federal permits. The rules would also apply to boats that harvest Jonah crabs, which are the subject of another important New England fishery. Regulators say the tracking requirement would provide scientists with better data about the fishery.

Photo: FILE – In this March 28, 2018, file photo, a North Atlantic right whale feeds on the surface of Cape Cod bay off the coast of Plymouth, Mass. (AP Photo/Michael Dwyer, File)