Article Title
Atlas of Maine: Overlap of Lobster Fisheries and Atlantic Right Whale Habitat in the Gulf of Maine
Abstract or Description
This map depicts the critical habitat areas for Atlantic Large Whales and North Atlantic Right Whales, as well as the critical fishery zones of lobster fisheries in the Gulf of Maine. The areas of dark blue represent the critical habitats and regulated waters implemented for the protection of the North Atlantic Right and Atlantic Large Whales. These critical zones for whales are overlapped by the lobster gear areas. Additionally, the inset map of the Maine coastline shows the waters exempt from the minimum traps per trawl requirement, and waters exempt from the Maine state American Lobster Permits. The existence of the overlapping areas of lobster fisheries and whale habitats poses many threats, such as gear entanglement, to Atlantic Large and North Atlantic Right Whales, while also threatening local Maine economics reliant on lobster fisheries.
Source Data Note
Data was obtained from the NOAA Fisheries, Greater Atlantic Region, last updated 3/23/2017.
https://www.greateratlantic.fisheries.noaa.gov/educational_resources/gis/data/
Rights
Recommended Citation
Winslow, Caroline "Atlas of Maine: Overlap of Lobster Fisheries and Atlantic Right Whale Habitat in the Gulf of Maine," Atlas of Maine: Vol. 2017: No. 1, Article 14.Available at: https://digitalcommons.colby.edu/atlas_docs/vol2017/iss1/14