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Atlantic herring serve as valuable bait for fishermen and lobstermen in Massachusetts, making them vital to the health of the state's blue economy, which grew 38% between 2009 and 2019. (Adobe Stock)

New England anglers seek greater protections for Atlantic herring stock

Recreational fishermen in New England say commercial trawlers are threatening the survival of smaller businesses relying on a healthy stock of Atlanti…

More than 6,000 blue economy businesses in Massachusetts employ a total of 100,000 individuals, who earn nearly $4 billion in annual wages. (Adobe Stock)

Lawmakers, scientists advocate for MA’s 'blue economy'

Lawmakers and scientists in Massachusetts are working to bolster the state's growing "blue economy." Several pieces of legislation aim to create a "b…

The state of Massachusetts is soliciting proposals for 5,600 megawatts of offshore wind energy by 2027, a vast increase from the 1,600 megawatt goal in the 2016 Act to Promote Energy Diversity.(Adobe Stock)

MA Working Through Fishing Industry Concerns About Offshore Wind

With many states working on becoming more carbon-neutral, Massachusetts is looking to offshore wind for its sustainable future. According to a 2021 …

The right whale population has decreased by more than 100 animals since 2010. (Stephen Meese/Adobe Stock)

Survey: Widespread Public Support for Protecting Right Whales

BOSTON -- A new survey finds widespread public support up and down the East Coast for protecting right whales from getting tangled up in fishing gear…

Whales can become entangled in fishing gear that hangs from the ocean surface to the seabed.(NOAA)

Will Feds Go for Proposal to Protect Right Whales?

BOSTON - Advocates for the endangered right whale are asking the federal government to close four sections of ocean off the New England coastline to c…

A new report has found that natural features such as the dunes at Cape Cod National Seashore are more effective than man-made barriers at protecting communities during big storms. (Donna Benavides/Wikipedia)

Report: Nature Offers Best Protection Against Natural Disasters

CAPE COD, Mass. -- As hurricane season begins, a new report from The National Wildlife Federation and Allied World insurance shows that natural …

North Atlantic right whales get caught in lobster and crab fishing lines, preventing them from swimming, diving or feeding normally. (Photo courtesy of NOAA)

Massachusetts Lobstermen Test Ropeless Fishing Gear to Save Right Whales

BOSTON — Researchers say conservationists and the fishing industry must work together to save the critically endangered North Atlantic right wha…

Currently the right whale birth rate is lower than the mortality rate. (Lauren Packard/NOAA)

Massachusetts to Celebrate Right Whale Day

BOSTON — The Massachusetts State House is hosting Save the Right Whale Day this afternoon. The event celebrates a state resolution around the …

A bipartisan bill pending in Congress, the SAVE Right Whales Act, would provide funding for ropeless gear trials and other right whale research and conservation innovations. (Rusty Elliott/Adobe Stock)

How Lobster-Gear Changes Could Save Right Whales from Extinction

CAPE COD, Mass. – North Atlantic right whales number slightly more than 400 and are facing extinction, including off the shore of Massachusetts…

Vineyard Wind is expected to build one of the first massive offshore wind farms in the U.S. (Andy Dingley/Wikimedia)

Offshore Wind Farm has MA Analyzing Impact on Fisheries

NEW BEDFORD, Mass. – A proposed offshore wind farm south of Martha's Vineyard could be the first industrial-sized facility of its kind in the U.…

The Northeast Canyons and Seamounts Marine National Monument is home to thousands of endangered and vulnerable species. (NOAA)

Ocean Monuments Have No Impact on Commercial Fishing

BOSTON – Public data on commercial fishing show no losses from the creation of protected areas off the New England coast, according to a new …

The latest FDA guidelines say more than 90 percent of fish species are safe to eat, but there are exceptions. (aimworld/Google Plus)

New Health, Safety Guidelines for Fish Lovers

BOSTON – Good news for Bay Staters who love fresh fish. Two U.S. agencies have released new advice on how much and which types of fish are …

The Atlantic puffin is one of many species that are expected to benefit from President Obama's designation of the first-ever marine national monument in the North Atlantic. (Richard Bartz via wikimedia)

New England Scores: First Atlantic Marine National Monument

CAPE COD, Mass. - With the stroke of a pen, President Obama has designated a new national monument off the coast of Cape Cod. It is the first-ever …

Massachusetts made history this month by signing into law the largest commitment of any state in the nation to offshore wind power. (Amber Hewett)

Commonwealth Gets Ball Rolling “Big Time” on Wind Power

BOSTON – August has proved to be a pivotal month for offshore wind power in the Commonwealth and the region. Catherine Bowes, senior manager …

Coral canyons and seamounts off the Massachusetts coastline are being considered for National Marine Monument Designation. A new Edge Research poll finds overwhelming support for protecting the ocean. (NOAA)

Poll: 80% of Bay Staters Support Permanent Protection of Special Ocean Areas

BOSTON -- A new poll finds that four out of five Bay Staters support permanent protections for the ocean. A poll conducted by the Edge Research found …

Harmful blue-green algae is increasing in bodies of water. In Massachusetts, it has affected this year's shellfish harvest. (NASA)

Harmful Algae On the Rise in New England, Nation

WOODS HOLE, Mass. - Algal blooms in bodies of water in New England and across the nation are increasing. It's a combined result of climate change…

PHOTO: Hundreds of marine mammals are stranded on beaches in Massachusetts and around the country, and groups are asking Congress to restore critical funding to rescue them. Photo credit: � J. Cumes/Int'l. Fund for Animal Welfare

Groups to Congress: Restore Critical Funding for Stranded Sea Mammals

YARMOUTH PORT, Mass. – Hundreds of dolphins, seals and whales are stranded on beaches in the Bay State every year, but dwindling government …

PHOTO: Coastal storm damage, such as in the wake of Superstorm Sandy, will be more frequent as sea levels rise through the century in the Northeast, according to a new report. Photo courtesy Risky Business Project.

Report: Massachusetts Economy Headed “Underwater?”

BOSTON - The Northeast is expected to experience a temperature increase over the next century. But a new study identified rising oceans, and their …

PHOTO: The Obama administration�s tough new requirements to limit carbon pollution from new power plants are being hailed as �bold� by some business leaders in Massachusetts.

Commonwealth Sustainable Biz Backers Hail “Bold” EPA Move

BOSTON - Linking global warming to disease, extreme weather and other environmental problems, the EPA has set the first national limits on heat-…

PHOTO: The documentary film Blackfish about Tilikum, the now infamous orca responsible for three deaths while in captivity opens in a limited release today (Friday) - with a showing in Cambridge. Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures.

Killer Whales in Captivity? “Blackfish” Documentary Makes Splash

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. – Should killer whales be kept in captivity and made to perform tricks for humans? That's a question raised in the …

GRAPHIC: A new report from the National Wildlife Federation says climate change is a threat to migratory birds, many of them iconic species that travel through or spend summers in New England. Courtesy NWF

New England’s Feathered Friends Face Threat From Global Warming

BOSTON - A new study called Shifting Skies says climate change is affecting migratory birds that live in or pass through Massachusetts and New England…

PHOTO: The Portland-Maine pipeline, shown here crossing Coos County, NH, is cited in a petition calling on the federal government to issue stricter regulations for transporting tar sands oil from Western Canada across New England and the Midwest.

New Englanders Join to Petition U.S. on Tar Sands Regs

BOSTON - More than 55 groups and individuals are petitioning the federal government to halt plans to pump corrosive tar-sands oil from Canada to Ameri…

PHOTO: Oil found in Gulf wetlands in 2012. Courtesy: Craig Guillot, NWF

Environmental "Trial of the Century" to Start Today

BOSTON - Billions of dollars and the health of the Gulf Coast are on the line as the trial against BP begins today in New Orleans. Based on …

PHOTO: Sally Jewell, the current CEO of Seattle-based outdoor retailer REI, is President Obama's new nominee for Secretary of the Interior. Courtesy of REI, Inc.

Interior Department to Try On Non-Politico Secretary

BOSTON - The head of REI, the prominent outdoor clothing and gear retail company, has been nominated for Secretary of the Interior. If confirmed…

PHOTO: A new report says lobster fisheries in the Gulf of Maine might be the

Lobster “Canary in Coal Mine” of New England Climate Change?

BOSTON - The New England lobster, under threat from disease and invasive species, may be the "canary in the coal mine" of climate disruption…

Wind turbines off Denmark's coast. Photo courtesy NWF

A “Win-Win” for Wind Power, Whales Off MA Coast

BOSTON - The Obama administration has announced funding for seven projects that will speed up the development of the nation's first offshore wind farm…

PHOTO: Wind turbines off the shore of Denmark. Courtesy of NWF.

Offshore Wind = Onshore Jobs For Mass?

BOSTON - Some of the country's most influential environmental groups say it is time for a concerted effort at building and operating wind-energy turbi…

After the "Rockets' Red Glare" Comes the Cleanup

BOSTON - After the colorful Fourth of July fireworks have faded from the night sky, they're not really gone; not if you count the leftover plastic …

Hurricane Irene Impacts Wildlife on MA Coast

BOSTON - Bay State residents continue to clean up damage left from Hurricane Irene, but not only people are feeling the impact. The state's wildlife …

Oil Drilling Opponents Rally at MA Beaches

SOUTH BOSTON, Mass. - Hundreds of Bay Staters are expected to gather Saturday at Massachusetts beaches for the second annual "Hands Across the Sand" …

Hooked on a New Fish Quota System

DENNIS PORT, Mass. - The first year of a new commercial fish quota system in New England came to an end this weekend, and some small boat fishermen …

Summer's Coming; How Many Fish in the Ocean for New England?

CAPE COD, Mass. - A law to rebuild depleted ocean fish populations was passed by Congress 35 years ago today, and experts say it has produced …

“Farmed Fish” Vs. “Wild Caught”

BOSTON - A trip to the fish department at a Massachusetts supermarket includes more options in recent years, such as choosing between "wild caught" …

Scientists: Dispersants' "Failure of Chemicals Policy"

BOSTON - More than a million gallons of chemical dispersants have been sprayed into the Gulf of Mexico since the BP oil spill began, but some of the …

Report: BP Can’t Be Singled Out

As the costs of Gulf Coast cleanup efforts from the BP oil spill continue to rise, a new report examines the industry as a whole, in terms of safety …

Environmental Health Risks: Not Just Cancer

WASHINGTON, D.C. - A recent report delivered to President Obama by a special panel appointed by President Bush warned that the risk of cancer from …

Int’l Committee Considers Trade Ban on MA Sushi Delicacy

BOSTON - Atlantic Bluefin tuna has a reputation in Massachusetts sushi bars as delicious and expensive, and 'endangered' may soon be added to that …

Healthy Oceans = Fit Economy?

BOSTON - For hundreds of years the Atlantic Ocean has played an integral role in New England's economy. However, many experts agree that if a …

Shark Attack Survivors in DC to Back Senator John Kerry's Legislation

WASHINGTON - In a nice example of turning the other cheek, a group of shark attack survivors from around the U.S. is in Washington today to voice …

New Fishing Regulations a Boon for Fish and Industry

CAPE COD, Mass. - More fish for our future. That's what many scientists and fishermen are saying after last week's landmark decision by the New …

Survey Says: Time for New Fishing System

Cambridge, MA – Fisheries are a traditional part of the New England economy, and still are very important to it. Problems of over-fishing off …

Beach Season is Here: Sharks Beware!

Cape Cod, MA — The warm weather saw many Bay Staters flocking to the beach over the long weekend, with more than a few wondering if there were …

Fish for our Future: There is Hope on the Table

Boston, MA - Fisheries have been a large part of New England's economy and culture for centuries, but now many scientists are saying that if we don't …

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MA: Oceans