Court Upholds Lobster Fishing Restrictions to Protect Endangered Whales

A federal appeals court has reinstated restrictions on lobster and Jonah crab fishing off Massachusetts to protect endangered right whales. The court ruled that the National Marine Fisheries Service acted legally, rejecting claims the agency did not deserve deference under a Supreme Court decision.

A federal appeals court has reinstated a rule limiting lobster and Jonah crab fishing off the Massachusetts coast, aiming to protect endangered whales. The court rejected a claim that the agency overstepped in setting the rule, citing a recent Supreme Court decision.

The 1st U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Boston delivered a 3-0 decision supporting the National Marine Fisheries Service's authority. The court upheld the ban from February 1 to April 30 annually, on the use of vertical buoy lines in the Massachusetts Restricted Area Wedge.

Environmental groups hailed the decision as a victory for conservation, arguing it is based on robust scientific findings safeguarding the North Atlantic right whales.

(With inputs from agencies.)