Information and Public Hearings announced by NOAAfor Draft Plan aimed at reducing risk of entanglement of critically endangeredNA Right Whales and other large whales. On Dec. 30th, 2020 NOAA announced therelease of proposed rulemaking (357 pages) to reducethe risk of entanglement for North Atlantic Right, finback and humpback whaleentanglements in fixed fishing gear along the eastern seaboard of the USA. The public comment period will last 60days and close on March 1st. NOAA will be holding four informational sessions that takeplace on Jan 12, 13, 18 and 19 to provide information about the rule making andanswer questions. NOAA protected species staff will also hold four publichearings to receive and consider public comments on the alternatives,including NOAA’s preferred alternatives, that will take place on February 16,17, 23 and 24. Please register ahead to participate. Some of the highlights outlined in the announcementfrom Chris Oliver, NOAA Assistant Administrator for Fisheries, include thefollowing proposed modifications to the Atlantic Large Whale TakeReduction Plan: - Modify gear configurations to reduce the number of vertical lines by requiring more traps between buoy lines and by introducing weak insertions or weak rope into buoy lines. - Modify existing seasonal restricted areas to be closed to buoy lines. - Add up to two new seasonal buoy line closures. - Modify gear marking to introduce state-specific marking colors and increase the number of and area of marked lines. ProposedPot/Trap Fisheries Regulations to Help Save North Atlantic Right WhalesAvailable for Public Comment | NOAA Fisheries DraftEnvironmental Impact Statement, Regulatory Impact Review, and InitialRegulatory Flexibility Analysis for Amending the Atlantic Large Whale TakeReduction Plan: Risk Reduction Rule Volume I (noaa.gov) Events| Register for NOAA Fisheries January Informational Sessions Events| Register for NOAA Fisheries February Public Comment Hearings R. Zack Klyver, Science Director Blue Planet Strategies, LLC PO Box 917 / Bar Harbor / ME 04609 (207) 460-9575 - cell zack@blueplanetstrategy.com www.blueplanetstrategy.com