Tension over whale plan:

Discovery

A group representing Maine’s lobstermen says it’s now willing to work with the federal government on a plan to protect right whales after withdrawing its support for the plan this summer.

The Maine Lobstermen’s Association is one of the key stakeholders in an effort to better protect the North Atlantic right whales, which number only about 400 and are vulnerable to entanglement in fishing gear. A federal plan that’s being developed to help save the whales would remove miles of lobster trap rope from the waters off Maine.

The lobstermen’s association issued a public statement on Oct 11 saying it appreciates that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Fisheries Service has offered a “constructive response” to its concerns about whale protection.

However, the statement also says the lobstermen still think the whale plan focuses too much on new restrictions for their industry. The organization said it believes NOAA Fisheries should also consider the impact other fisheries have on the whales.

The group hopes its letter sends a message that finding a way to save the whales is still one of its priorities, said Patrice McCarron, its executive director, in a telephone interview.

NOAA Fisheries is not commenting on the lobstering group’s statement, agency spokesman Jennifer Goebel said. However, the regulators have also recently expressed desire to work with the lobstermen, who