NMFS Publishes Final Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Rules
On October 5, 2007, the National Marine Fisheries Service published final rules amending the regulations implementing the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Plan. The rules are promulgated under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. They prescribe management measures for reducing incidental mortality and serious injury to the Northern right whale, the humpback whale, and the fin whale as a result of commercial fishing. The rules are also intended to benefit minke whales, which are not strategic but which are known to be incidentally taken in commercial fishing.

These rules are controversial. NMFS took over 50 pages in the Federal Register to respond to comments on the proposed rules and on the accompanying Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Many commenters argued that the DEIS was inadequate for several reasons. NMFS disagreed with these comments.