By Patrick Whittle, Associated Press | Posted – Oct. 28, 2022 at 6:46 a.m.
A North Atlantic right whale feeds on the surface of Cape Cod bay off the coast of Plymouth, Mass., March 28, 2018. Scientists released new data on Monday, that showed a vanishing species of whale declined in population by about 2% last year. (Michael Dwyer, Associated Press)
https://www.ksl.com/article/50501408/endangered-whales-decline-slows-but-population-falls-again
Estimated read time: 3-4 minutes
PORTLAND, Maine — The decline of an endangered species of whale slowed last year, as it lost about 2% of its population, but scientists warn the animal still faces existential threats and is losing breeding females too fast.
The North Atlantic right whale’s population was more than 480 in 2010 and fell by more than 25% over the following decade. The North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium, a group of scientists, government officials and industry members, said Monday that the…
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Exposing the Big Game 
And now the Biden administration is going to tempt fate even more. The building of offshore wind is going to be right along the migration route.
The construction and noise alone will kill them, as well as any other marine life. The administration is going to provide ‘guidance’. What BS! We know what that means – voluntary cooperation. There needs to law and big fines if any are killed or disturbed. I hope it goes to court. I don’t see how it can go forward when the whales are on the endangered species list:
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/feds-unveil-plan-to-grow-wind-power-while-sparing-rare-whale/ar-AA13vHOW?ocid=msedgntp&cvid=03676fad53734b4c85903c5a32da162b
There are only 340 right whales left and that must be an estimate, and they aren’t breeding as much. HOW can anybody take a chance?
What’s happening with the lobstermen is that they aren’t going to be allowed to be out there when the whales are migrating.
Does anybody think that Big Wind is going to be held to the same standard? That construction or activity will stop? They’ll lose money. They need more than ‘guidance’ – they need to be ordered in no uncertain terms what will happen if any whale is injured or killed. It’s bound to happen anyway, and there’s so much we don’t know about how noise affects them or their navigational ability.
Here’s a copy of the so-called ‘joint draft strategy’ for review and comment if anybody is interested. I must say it wasn’t the easiest thing to find.
They claim that the nebulous ‘climate change’ is responsible even for vessel strikes and the whales getting tangled up in fishing line! It couldn’t be that there are too many ships and boats or the nature of fishing now, could it? It makes the entire thing suspect that no responsibility is assumed to be taken by what humans have done to this poor animal since the whaling days. I really don’t think this can be done, offshore wind and a healthy whale population. We have more than 90% of everything on the planet as it is:
Click to access BOEM_NMFS_DRAFT_NARW_OSW_Strategy.pdf
Here’s the article where they tried to put the blame for vessels strikes and entanglements on ‘climate change’! Humans and nothing more are responsible for climate change and this animals’ ultimate extinction. Quickly reading through the plan, they know that they cannot afford to lose even one. Shame on them for moving ahead with this!:
“NOAA Fisheries and our partners are dedicated to protecting and recovering North Atlantic right whales. Their population includes fewer than 350 individuals and fewer than 70 reproductively active females and has been experiencing an Unusual Mortality Event since 2017. Climate change is affecting every aspect of right whales’ survival—changing their habitat, their migratory patterns, and the location and availability of their prey. It is even increasing their risk of becoming entangled in fishing gear or being struck by vessels.”
Too many ships and boats and the nature of fishing is to blame. Mitigation does not mean no risk or loss of these animals. Drastic measures need to be taken, meaning mandatory compliance, not voluntary.
https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/north-atlantic-right-whale-and-offshore-wind-strategy-open-public-comment-until