Good News Stories for Endangered Species Day 2026

Trump White House Supports Delaying Right Whale Regulations for Maine Lobster Fishery Until 2035

The White House Office of Management and Budget (OMB) has announced it "strongly supports" legislation that would delay new fishing regulations affecting Maine's lobster industry from 2028 to 2035, giving the sector additional time to adapt to North Atlantic right whale protection measures.

The endorsement backs H.R. 8509, introduced by Congressman Jared Golden (D-ME), which would extend the current regulatory moratorium by seven years. In a Statement of Administration Policy published May 1, the OMB said that "if H.R. 8509 were presented...

NOAA Reports Slight Drop in US Large Whale Entanglements in 2023

NOAA Fisheries unveiled its National Report on Large Whale Entanglements Confirmed in the United States in 2023, which found that 64 entanglements took place in 2023, down slightly from the 67 entanglements confirmed in 2022.

It is also below the average annual number of confirmed entanglements over the previous 16 years (which was 71.8), per NOAA Fisheries. NOAA said it would continue to analyze data to determine if the dip in entanglements was a temporary decline or the beginning of a longer-term trend...