CBC News Nova Scotia recently published following article about protecting marine mammals from commercial fishing imports into the United States:
“Canadian researchers say they have a solution to a new U.S. government requirement that its seafood imports be caught in a way that minimizes harm to marine mammals.
A recently released paper recommends summertime closures in two fishing grounds off Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to protect one of the most threatened marine mammals in Atlantic Canadian waters — the North Atlantic right whale.
The idea is to get fishing gear and lines out of the water when endangered whales are in the area.
The risk analysis says not only would it help the whales — which have an estimated population of 520 — it would also “maintain market access for Canadian seafood as other nations strengthen their laws on seafood imports….”