The Bay State is once again stepping up its game for the ocean's gentle giants. Yesterday, Massachusetts marked the third annual Right Whale Day with a celebration at the New England Aquarium. The event was part of a broader effort to protect the endangered North Atlantic right whales, with Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper acknowledging that "our actions can make a real difference for endangered species like the North Atlantic right whale," according to an interview with Mass.gov.
With Massachusetts home to some of the strictest state regulations for whale conservation, including seasonally managed fishing closures and vessel speed limits, the commonwealth has shown that it's possible to knowingly both protect these marine creatures and support the fishing industry. Heather Pettis, Research Scientist at the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, highlighted the importance of Cape Cod Bay, which is currently a temporary home to nearly half of the right whale population, including seven of the 11 new calves, emphasizing the need "to both celebrate and protect them while they are in Massachusetts waters and beyond," as she told Mass.gov.
The state's commitment to marine life has not gone unnoticed. In 2023, the Department of Fish & Game's Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) was spotlighted with the NOAA Fisheries "Partner in the Spotlight" Award. With more than $23 million expected to flow in from NOAA Fisheries over the next five years, Massachusetts is set to advance research and innovation in whale conservation even further. This investment includes funds for research, as well as the development of new fishing gear technologies to reduce risks of whale entanglements, according to statements on Mass.gov.
The DMF has successfully launched a passive acoustic monitoring program to fine-tune protect the whales by better understanding their presence in Massachusetts waters. This program, run in partnership with the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute and consisting of 19 monitoring devices, helps inform management measures. DMF Director Daniel McKiernan cited nearly three decades of partnership with the Center for Coastal Studies as a base for innovative protection strategies, such as dynamic seasonal fishing closures and speed restrictions. These efforts are "dramatically reduce risks, without overburdening the industry," as McKiernan stated in an interview with Mass.gov.
Massachusetts' proactive approach extends to the cleanup of "ghost fishing gear" as well. The state recently updated its laws to make it easier to remove lost, abandoned, or derelict fishing gear that poses threats to the whales and the marine ecosystem. Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr explained the significance of these actions, saying, "The vast majority of the remaining right whales in the world can be in Massachusetts waters in the winter and spring, and that creates a special obligation for us to take effective actions to protect those that remain and increase their numbers for the future," as reported by Mass.gov.
In terms of public engagement, the Massachusetts Environmental Trust (MET) has been at the forefront, leveraging funds from specialty license plate sales, such as the Right Whale/Roseate Tern plate, to support aquatic conservation efforts. These efforts include funding for right whale research and recovery projects. "The Trust is proud to have led the way in leveraging public support for conservation to respond to some of our greatest environmental challenges of our time," said MET Board & Chair RJ Lyman in a statement to Mass.gov.
