U.S. House Committee Passes Additional $2 Million for Right Whale Research

The U.S. House Committee on Appropriations passed the Fiscal Year 2021 Commerce, Justice, and Science (CJS) bill out of committee with an additional $2 million toward protecting the imperiled North Atlantic right whale. The news was welcomed by scientists and environmental groups—including Defenders of Wildlife—who have advocated for greater federal investment to protect the right whale, of which fewer than 400 remain today. If approved by the U.S. Senate and signed into law, the CJS bill will provide a total of $5 million for research and monitoring as well as developing innovative fishing technologies to reduce entanglement risks.  

Jane Davenport, senior attorney at Defenders of Wildlife, issued the following statement: 

“These additional funds are some much-needed good news for the North Atlantic right whale. With fewer than 400 alive today, they face a dire situation, as vessels and commercial fishing lines continue to kill and maim right whales—including calves—every year. By investing these funds in monitoring and innovative technologies, we hope the federal government will help turn the tide before it’s too late.” 

Background:
The North Atlantic right whale is one of the world’s most endangered large whale species. Fewer than 400 survive today, with only 95 females of breeding age. Once hunted by generations of European and New England whalers, the North Atlantic right whale continues to face human-caused dangers along the eastern seaboard of Canada and the United States. Since 2017, there have been 41 confirmed right whale deaths and serious injuries (i.e., live whales with injuries likely to cause death) due to entanglements with commercial fishing gear and vessel strikes. 

The threats are omnipresent—one study found 85% of right whales bear scars from past entanglements. Even when entanglements are not fatal, they often maim whales or prevent them from building adequate fat stores, limiting females’ ability to birth desperately-needed calves. Females and calves are also uniquely vulnerable to vessel strikes. Out of 10 right whale calves born in the 2019-20 calving season, two have already been killed by vessel strikes and their mothers have not been resighted since.