As we are in the midst of calving season for the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, I can’t help but think of Snow Cone. Right whale 3560, nicknamed Snow Cone for her markings that resemble the summertime treat, is a right whale that I had the privilege of watching nurture and play with her baby calf off the coast of Florida just last spring.
Once entangled in vertical buoy lines, whales swim with attached gear for long distances, ultimately resulting in fatigue, compromised feeding ability, or severe injuries that lead to reduced reproductive success and painful, protracted deaths. The situation is so dire, a federal court last year ordered the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to craft new rules protecting the right whales from fishing entanglement by blocking off roped fishing where these whales are present.
Supporters of the Collins provision will say the bill could, in the long-run, be helpful because it authorizes $40 million over ten years towards expanding ropeless technologies. However, there is no guarantee these funds will be appropriated. This ‘authorization’ merely sets the money aside in case a future Congress decides to fund this proposal.
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