Save the whales, avoid the lobsters

 Lobster is an extremely popular seafood dish in America and is enjoyed by millions.

However, the organization known as Seafood Watch at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in

California recently made an announcement stating that lobster is no longer a sustainable seafood

dish, and should be avoided. This statement comes from growing concerns that the ropes used

for lobster fishing are endangering the population of North Atlantic right whales. Lobster fishing

primarily takes place off the coast of Maine and Canada, which is also the primary habitat for the

North Atlantic right whales. Federal authorities state that the species faces a quickly growing risk

of extinction, as their population numbers have fallen into the hundreds.

The Seafood Watch organization at the Monterey Bay Aquarium hopes to raise

awareness for the North Atlanic right whales endangerment by making this announcement.

Raised awareness of this issue puts pressure on both lawmakers and fisheries to enact more

protections for the marine mammals, as they play a crtical role in the oceanic ecosystem. Those

in the fishing industry hold a different opinion, however. Stating that the industry has stayed in

compliance with both federal and state regulations enacted to protect the whale populations. The

differing opinions could stall action and lead to the whale’s population numbers falling even

more. This could potentially lead to the extinction of the critical speices.


https://www.nytimes.com/2022/09/13/science/lobsters-right-whales-maine.html


Abigail Dunsmore (4)

Comments

  1. AnonymousOctober 14, 2022 at 8:19 AM

    It is so sad to read that the population of North Atlantic right whales have fallen into the hundreds due to lobster fishing. The fact that this problem is not communicated enough in big fishing states, such as Massachusetts, is disheartening. Does lobster fishing affect other marine species? What other ways can individuals combat the endangerment of these whales besides boycotting lobster sales? - Gina Pasquale

    ReplyDelete
  2. AlannaOctober 14, 2022 at 2:52 PM

    Hard to hear about another species being negatively impacted by humans overconsumption, especially being their lives are lost when they aren't even the ones being fished. I assume the whales are being caught in the fishing nets, are other large mammals also finding themselves getting trapped? Is our lobster fishing also causing lobster populations to decrease?

    ReplyDelete
  3. Anna NiezreckiOctober 14, 2022 at 5:16 PM

    Hi Abigail, I think its eye opening for everyone to hear about how fishing also impacts whales. When people think about fishing, generally they will only focus on how it negatively impacts the species being fished. The fact what is it negatively impacting these whales is informative to hear about because it brings up the question of what other species are being affected by fishing in general? Another question I have is what about the ropes is negatively affecting the whales? Are they getting tangled in them?

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousOctober 14, 2022 at 6:48 PM

    I never thought about the effects on whales from lobster fishing. Are there any other ways to farm lobsters other than using the ropes that are harming the whales? If so, why aren't more people in the fishing industry using it? Also, could global warming be contributing to the large decrease in the number of North Atlantic right whales as well?
    - Tiffany Pham

    ReplyDelete
  5. Elizabeth HardyOctober 14, 2022 at 10:10 PM

    This is very eye opening and it proves that all actions have consequences. Just because we think we're not harming a certain living thing doesn't mean we aren't. This reminds me of how other marine life get caught in plastic that we put into the ocean. These whales are getting caught in our materials just the same. Because the industry refuses to acknowledge this, could lawsuits get involved?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Sneha MageshOctober 16, 2022 at 3:41 PM

    Hi Abigail! I did not realize lobsters are among the animals that are being impacted by fishing. it also shows that every action has a domino effect. The overfishing of lobsters is also hurting whales! Because eating lobster is very popular, especially in New England, I wonder if there is a solution to this issue or if humans should put a complete stop to consuming lobsters?

    ReplyDelete
  7. AnonymousOctober 19, 2022 at 7:14 PM

    Hi Abigail! I never thought about the effect lobster fishing has on the ecosystem. Although the best solution would be to stop this process of overfishing lobster, it seems impossible due to the seafood industry. Is there any alternative measures such as techniques to prevent overfishing? Or do you think action needs to be done at a government level to enact more regulations? -Samantha Bunner

    ReplyDelete
  8. AnonymousOctober 19, 2022 at 8:40 PM

    I'm glad they are making moves to try and protect the whales. I definitely agree with your concluding statement about this suggestion possibly backfiring because people don't want to stop lobster trapping, and therefore, throw up legislative blocks to halt progress. I wonder if there is a more sustainable/non-rope way to trap lobsters in order to compromise because the lobster industry is huge and I'm afraid protecting the whales will unfortunately not be a strong enough cause to immediately stop their activities.
    -Ila Bedenkop

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Strain-Induced Jamming in a Spirostomum Ambiguum Cell

Spirostomum ambiguum are single-celled organisms that reside on sediment beds of brackish water habitats. These worm-like organisms range in size from 1 to 4 mm and feast on surrounding bacteria. However, there is more to meet the eye regarding this tiny aquatic organism. In a fraction of the time it takes to blink, Spirotomum ambiguum can shrink to more than half its original length. This contraction generates a gravitational force equivalent (g-force - a measure of acceleration) that is 10,000 times greater than that experienced by any other contracting cell. The energy produced is large enough to destroy the internal structures of a cell. However, this single-cell organism manages to dissipate this energy. Manu Prakash and Ray Chang of Stanford University noticed after imaging the insides of Spirostomum ambiguum cells before and after they had undergone a contraction event that their internal structures vacuoles (fluid-filled sacs) appear to entangle in the folds of a membrane-like ...
Read more

Did Corona Virus Feel Much Longer than it Actually Was? It May Have Also Changed Your Personality

 Everyone knows of those big historical events in which each person knows exactly where they were and what they were doing when they got the news. The release of the first iPhone, the announcement of the first African American president, and the national legalization of same-sex marriage are just to name a few. Endless monumental events help shape our society and give us a sense of community. Each is revolutionary in its own ways and vary per person, but some happen to make a more direct impact on all of us. Unfortunately, repeated time and time again these events are typically negative due to a trauma stress response. Coronavirus beginning 2020 is and will always be a unifying factor for every person who can recall the events. Its unique, sudden, and unpredictable nature makes it prominent in our government, healthcare, and local communities. What I’ve come to the realization of is that Coronavirus also had a drastic effect on our life order and even our personalities. In an artic...
Read more

Slimy Skincare: The Effects of Snail Mucin on Skin

If you’ve been on the right side of TikTok for a decent amount of time, you’ve definitely noticed an uptick in the popularity of snail mucin in skincare. The skincare industry never fails in shifting the goalposts for women all over the world. There is always some new fad or brand that is the “must-have” for the week and then vanishes into obscurity. Even worse, some of these fads can end up negatively impacting your skin. I definitely don’t need to remind anyone of the tragedy that was the St. Ives scrub (holy microtears). Usually, trends in beauty and skincare are driven by brands rather than particular ingredients or additives, which makes the popularity of snail mucin even more notable. Are the beauty influencers finally onto something, or is this yet another damaging trend that no one will remember in a month? A study done in May 2022 using hairless mice as a proxy for human skin showed that snail mucin does in fact lessen the effects of aging. In this study, exposure to UV rays w...
Read more