PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — Federal regulators who want to enforce new vessel speed rules to help protect rare whales can expect some pushback from ship operators. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced the new proposed rules, which are designed to protect the last remaining North Atlantic right whales, last month. The rules would expand seasonal […]
Patrick Whittle | Associated Press
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Court reinstates ban on lobster gear to protect right whales
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — A federal circuit court has reinstated a ban on lobster fishing gear in a nearly 1,000-square-mile area off New England to try to protect endangered whales. The National Marine Fisheries Service issued new regulations last year that prohibited lobster fishing with vertical buoy lines in part of the fall and winter […]
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High number of seal deaths off Maine linked to bird flu, feds say
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — An unusual number of seals are becoming stranded and dying off Maine this summer, and avian influenza is to blame, the federal government said Tuesday. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has confirmed that samples from four Maine seals tested positive for the virus. The animals all died or required euthanasia, the […]
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America’s scallop harvest projected to decline again in 2022
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — America’s scallop fishing industry will continue to decline in catch into next year due to a decrease in the availability of the oft-pricy shellfish off the East Coast, federal regulators say. The decline in scallops is happening as prices for the shellfish, one of the most lucrative seafoods in America, has […]
Posted inFood & Drink
Shellfish attitude in lobster land: Maine oysters boom
BRUNSWICK, Maine (AP) — Maine is producing more oysters than ever due to a growing number of shellfish farms that have launched off its coast in recent years. The state’s 2021 oyster harvest was the largest and most valuable in its history, according to recent data from the Department of Marine Resources in Maine. The […]
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Adoptions another facet of life halted by war in Ukraine
LEEDS, Maine (AP) — The ripple effects of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine have been devastating for families of all kinds — including those who have seen their prospective adoptions put on hold. Ukraine was once one of the U.S.’s most frequent partners on international adoptions, but the war changed all that: The embattled country has halted all […]
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App to provide verified sightings of sharks off New England
Shark’s in the water. But is it near swimmers? Soon, New England beachgoers will know. An aquarium and environmental organization are working together to collect better data about shark sightings and help keep people informed of when the animals are nearby. Representatives with the New England Aquarium in Boston and Chatham, Massachusetts-based Atlantic White Shark […]
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US fishing haul fell 10% during first pandemic year
PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — America’s commercial fishing industry fell 10% in catch volume and 15% in value during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, federal regulators said Thursday. The 2020 haul of fish was 8.4 billion pounds, while the value of that catch was $4.8 billion, officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration […]