‘Prince of Whales’ Gets Partial Win in Dispute Over Fishing Rope

Massachusetts officials must seek an incidental take permit under the Endangered Species Act before issuing licenses allowing fishermen to use vertical buoy ropes due to the threat they pose to endangered North Atlantic right whales, a Massachusetts federal court ruled.

Richard Max Strahan will likely be able to show that the ropes have harmed and will continue to harm the whales, despite substantial efforts of state agencies and local fishermen to protect them, the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts said Thursday.

The continued use of the ropes would violate Congress’s ban on activities that harm endangered species ...