To Protect Right Whales NOAA Should Withdraw Proposed Rule

Comment letter calls for faster and more effective action to save critically endangered species

NOAA Should Withdraw Proposed Rule for Right Whales

On March 1, The Pew Charitable Trusts submitted comments on a proposed rule from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to protect endangered North Atlantic right whales from becoming entangled in fishing gear. In its letter, Pew outlined how the rule as proposed fails to satisfy the conditions of the Endangered Species Act and other governance, which require that protections reduce serious injury and deaths enough to prevent extinction. Therefore, Pew recommends that the agency withdraw the proposed rule and, while developing its replacement, prohibit fishing gear that uses vertical lines in certain high-risk areas during the times of year when right whales are likely to be present.

America’s Overdose Crisis
America’s Overdose Crisis

America’s Overdose Crisis

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America’s Overdose Crisis

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37 Scientists Pioneering the Future of Biomedical Research

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Biomedical researchers are at the heart of nearly every medical advancement. From cutting-edge cancer treatments to breakthrough discoveries about emerging viruses, these scientists use creativity and ingenuity to explore new horizons in human health and medicine. And for nearly 40 years, The Pew Charitable Trusts has supported more than 1,000 early-career researchers committed to this work.

Right whale
Right whales

Right Whales Urgently Need Protection From Fishing Gear

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North Atlantic right whales, which migrate along the East Coast from Canada to Florida, were heavily hunted by commercial whalers into the early 20th century. In the decades after whaling ceased, the population slowly but steadily increased, but now that trend has reversed.

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How does broadband internet reach our homes, phones, and tablets? What kind of infrastructure connects us all together? What are the major barriers to broadband access for American communities?