Protect Our Fishing Future
New whale rules are coming.
What’s this all about?
Most of us have never seen a right whale. Encounters are rare, but they happen. When whale deaths exceed what the law says the population can sustain, additional measures are required to reduce risk to whales. Congress deemed the lobster industry in compliance with the law through 2028. As that deadline nears, the process to consider new federal regulations has started. Your voice matters to make sure those regulations will work for Maine lobstermen. Make a comment today.
Why did this come back?
In 2022, Maine’s representatives secured a 6-year pause on new whale rules. The pause isn’t permanent but it provided time to increase monitoring, better understand where risk is highest, and come up with workable solutions. The laws have not changed, and the clock is running out. New rules will be proposed in 2027 and on the books by January 1, 2029. That’s sooner than it looks. In fact, a comment period is now open. These rules need to be based on reality so they can work for everyone. That’s where you come in.
Who’s making these decisions?
NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) ultimately makes the decision but is required to listen to the Take Reduction Team (TRT), which is made up of fishing industry representatives, conservationists, scientists, and federal and state managers. Maine is represented by four industry members and Maine DMR. They need to hear from you to know what works and what doesn’t. Your expertise and on-the-water knowledge matters.
What’s coming?
It’s time to get informed so you can weigh in. The TRT is scheduled to meet in December 2026 and spring 2027, and proposed rules are expected by Fall of 2027. There is lots of new data on right whales and the lobster fishery and these new ways of seeing what’s in the ocean can translate to new approaches. Everything is on the table. Maine’s TRT representatives can only push for practical solutions if they know what works on the water—and what doesn’t. Given the 2028 deadline, the process will move much faster than previous rounds of TRT regulations, so your input is needed early. Get informed, and submit a comment.
Now is the time to talk to each other, get to your zone council meetings, make sure you know what’s fact and what’s rumor, and submit a comment. We’re here to help. We’ll be posting meetings here, and you can always reach out to DMR and to organizations like the MLA, MLU, and NEFSA to get the scoop on when, where, and how to show up.
