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Whale TRT to consider float rope-endline tradeoff
BALTIMORE, MD – In a surprising turnaround, the Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team (TRT) has indicated it is willing to consider proposals to allow the lobster industry to use float rope for groundlines instead of sinking groundlines in very limited areas.
But any expanded sink rope exemption will come at a steep price – a significant reduction in the number of endlines in the water column.
And, even if such an exemption is eventually adopted by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), it almost certainly will not come in time to stop the Oct. 5 implementation date of the sink rope requirement for groundline now on the rule books.
Still, just the potential for relief, which for Maine fishermen would be only in “the sliver” area between the existing whale plan exemption line and the state waters boundary, was welcomed.
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