Humpbacks found in United States waters will continue to be protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. “It is very expensive to do this type of research,” Gouveia said. “It takes place offshore, you have to have a research platform, and then there’s a lot of analysis of the genetic material. Remember, humpbacks were listed globally . It took a lot of time.” Patrice McCarron, executive director of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association, characterized the humpback delisting as great news for the lobster industry. “Maine lobstermen have made significant changes in how they rig their gear over the last 20 years to aid in the recovery of large whales. The MLA is proud of all the work our lobstermen have done to protect whales and it’s nice to see those efforts pay off,” she noted.
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