US: South Atlantic black sea bass fishery approves ropeless gear intended to protect right whales

The South Atlantic Fishery Management Council (SAFMC) has approved the use of ropeless fishing gear, also known as on-demand gear, in its black sea bass fishery, which spans the U.S. coastline from the state of North Carolina to Florida. The new gear aims to reduce instances of right whale entanglements. The North Atlantic right whale is one of the most critically endangered species in the world, with an estimated 372 individuals remaining. Currently, the South Atlantic black sea bass fishery, a pot fishery that uses pot traps resting on the bottom of the ocean and a vertical line with a buoy attached for retrieval, closes two areas each year during the right whale calving season to avoid entanglements. The new regulations to use on-demand gear would mean fishers using the equipment will no longer be subject to these closures, as eliminating the permanent vertical lines would eliminate much of the risk. On-demand gear still uses ropes, but the lines only deploy when the traps ...