April 11, 2024 — The 2024 hurricane season doesn’t officially start for more than a month.
Yet a storm is already raging off the North Carolina coast, and this one involves the future of two of the most iconic symbols of the state’s coastal areas − whales and fishing.
But to save one, whether one of the most highly endangered animals in the world or an industry that supports thousands of jobs and is worth millions to coastal communities, must the other go?
“We’re not against species protection at all,” said Frank Hugelmeyer, president and CEO of the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA). “But we don’t think you solve one existential problem by creating another one.”