Massachusetts AG Urged U.S. and Canadian Leaders to Commit to Protections for North Atlantic Right Whales

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey sent a letter to New England Governors and Eastern Canadian Premiers expressing concern about the future of the North Atlantic right whale and urging the coalition to take “all necessary measures to protect this iconic species, now on the brink of extinction.” AG Healey’s letter followed a series of recent right whale deaths in New England waters, where the species faces a number of hazards, including ship strikes and fishing gear entanglements. The letter noted that the species’ population has dwindled to roughly 400 individuals, of which just 95 are breeding females, making it “one of the world’s most endangered large whale species.” AG Healey’s letter outlined a number of strategies put in place by the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries to protect right whales, and called on the governors and premiers to adopt similar measures in their states and provinces.