From the Office of Senator Kerry

Thursday, July 19, 2001

Washington, D.C. – Senators Edward M. Kennedy and John F. Kerry today announced that the Committee on Commerce, Justice, State and Judiciary has approved $7 million to fund efforts to preserve the Atlantic Right whale, including $300,000 to be used by Massachusetts to execute the Massachusetts Right Whale Conservation Plan.

Senator Kerry said, "As the entire nation watched the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown attempts to save the whale Churchill we were all reminded of the very real need to protect these remarkable mammals. Critical programs such as this require a dramatic infusion of resources in order to ensure the safety of today's right whales and the promise of a sound management structure for future populations."

"I'm pleased that we were able to secure these funds to protect the endangered right whale,"said Senator Kennedy. "We must do all we can to ensure that the species is protected so that future generations may come to appreciate the uniqueness of this magnificent mammal."

The federal funding will be used for a surveillance and monitoring program of the Atlantic Right Whale, to develop new state regulations to improve compliance and enforcement with gear restrictions, and for the removal of abandoned non-compliant gear, gear research, gear modification and entanglement operations.

During the past year, more than 30 calves were born and, based on the availability of plankton in the Gulf of Maine and the Bay of Fundy, scientists are predicting another record year. Federal funding will help protect these new-born whales and, ultimately, to rebuilding whale stock in the area. As the whales migrate from their historic birthing grounds in the South Atlantic to New England, increased offshore aerial surveillance is needed. And, as whales that do not give birth winter in the Cape Cod Bay, technology that is able to monitor these animals and provide warnings to marine traffic utilizing the Cape Cod Canal.

Since 1997, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has expanded more than $800,000 to execute its Right Whale Conservation Plan, developed as a result of a federal lawsuit under the Endangered Species Act. The project will be completed by a cooperation between the court-appointed Massachusetts Endangered Whale Working Group and the federal Large Whale Take Reduction Team.