Court restores protections for critically endangered whales off New England

Study suggests algal blooms disorient whales, putting them in danger

When certain algae flourish in the sea, they produce neurotoxins that can sicken both humans and marine animals. Acute exposure to these toxins is known to kill whales and other marine mammals outright, but many carry the toxins chronically without displaying obvious symptoms. The authors of a new study suggest these chronic exposures may nonetheless prove lethal.  The study, published in Frontiers in Marine Science in November, found an associa…

Court reinstates rules to protect right whales from fishing gear

By Patrick WhittleCommercial fishermen who hoped for a loosening of fishing regulations during President Donald Trump’s administration faced a setback when a federal appeals court reinstated rules meant to protect a dwindling whale species from getting entangled in fishing gear.

Court restores protections for endangered whales to prevent fishing gear entanglement

PORTLAND, Maine — Commercial fishermen who hoped for a loosening of fishing regulations during President Donald Trump’s administration faced a setback when a federal appeals court reinstated rules meant to protect a dwindling whale species from getting entangled in fishing gear. The Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower court’s decision on Thursday and reinstated the protections. The lower court had ruled against a fede…

Fishermen hoping for loosening of regulations under Trump thwarted by whale ruling

There are fewer than 400 of the whales species left - and the number is dwindling

Ticker: Court restores protections for endangered right whales; Trump’s tariff threat sends crypto prices falling

Commercial fishermen who hoped for a loosening of fishing regulations during President Donald Trump’s administration faced a setback when a federal appeals court reinstated rules meant to protect a dwindling whale species from getting entangled in fishing gear. The Boston-based 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals reversed a lower court’s decision on Thursday and reinstated the protections. The lower court had ruled against a federal law banning lo…

Court restores protections for critically endangered whales off New England

A Massachusetts court on Monday restored federal protections for endangered whales off New England against entanglement in fishing equipment, overruling a lower court that struck down the federal rule. The Massachusetts Lobstermen’s Association challenged the National Marine Fishers Service (NMFS) rule, finalized in 2024, which closed a 200-square-mile stretch of federal water between February and…