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Lobstermen use forensic methods to understand whale entanglement
By Shlomit Auciello | Mar 02, 2012 Share
Photo by: Shlomit Auciello
On the opening day of the 2012 Maine Fishermen's Forum, lobstermen examine gear taken off of entangled right whales in order to understand how such occurrences take place, and possibly prevent them in the future.
ROCKPORT — As part of ongoing efforts to include lobstermen in conversations about fisheries regulation and environmental protection, the Maine Lobstermen's Association has been working with the World Consortium of Wildlife Bycatch Reduction, the National Marine Fisheries Service and Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute to gain a deeper understanding of how whales become dangerously entangled in fishing gear.
On the opening day of the 2012 Maine Fishermen's Forum, March 1, MLA Executive Director Patrice McCarron described the process of reverse engineering, which takes gear that has been removed from entangled whales and invites participants to analyze the gear and related data to better provide a picture of the way events took place in the ocean where no human could see it.
Approximately 450 Northern Atlantic right whales still roam the earth's seas.
The research in reverse engineering is being used to determine fishing practices, regulatory zones and other methods to allow the industry to prosper while preserving endangered species.
The session was a longer version of one to be presented at the MLA annual meeting Friday, March 2 from 9 to 10:15 a.m.
The 2012 Maine Fishermen's Forum will continue through Saturday, March 3 at the Samoset Resort. For more information, visit the website at mainefishermensforum.org.
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