Trump Administration Backs Legislation to Delay Right Whale Fishing Regulations Until 2035

The Trump administration announced support for legislation sponsored by Rep. Jared Golden (D-ME) — H.R. 8509 — to extend a moratorium on new federal right whale fishing regulations until 2035. An existing moratorium protecting Maine lobster fishermen from new ropeless gear requirements was already in place through 2028; the proposed legislation would push that deadline seven more years. Maine Lobstermen's Association and the Maine Department of Marine Resources support the extension, citing economic harm to coastal communities. Conservation groups and scientists sharply condemned the move: with only approximately 380 North Atlantic Right Whales surviving — including roughly 70 reproductively active females — even a single additional entanglement death could have outsized population consequences. NOAA's own science consistently identifies vertical rope entanglement as the primary cause of NARW mortality. The proposed 2035 moratorium would effectively suspend meaningful regulatory reform for nearly a decade, at a time scientists describe as critical for species survival. Environmental organizations announced plans to pursue legal challenges.