Maine lobstermen are already facing gear changes and the seasonal closure of nearly 1,000 square miles of fishing grounds. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association says that should reduce whale mortality by about 46% but the agency is looking for further risk reductions of another 44%.
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“These are measures that are going to really hurt and there were measures that were put forth that look really bad that didn’t come close to 90 percent, so I want people to realize that this is real, that this is coming and it’s not going to be pretty,” said Kristan Porter, president of the Maine Lobstermen’s Association and an Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team member.