January 2, 2024 — More than $4.6 million dollars is being awarded to the Massachusetts Department of Fish and Game’s Division of Marine Fisheries from a congressional appropriation through the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission to enhance the conservation program for endangered North Atlantic right whales.
DMF will use the funding and an additional $475,000 grant from the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), to help development of innovative fishing gear technologies, increase ongoing research and monitoring, and provide fishing gear to lobster industry participants to reduce harm to the right whales.
As part of a 5-year program, DMF anticipates receiving more than $23 million from NOAA Fisheries between now and the end of 2028 subject to annual congressional appropriations.