Maine politicians protest after lobsters placed on 'red' list
CNN
A prominent advocacy group has called on consumers to avoid lobster because of major threats to the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale, but Maine politicians are not happy about the guidance.
The California-based Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watch has published recommendations on sustainable seafood since the 1990s, ranking different seafood products as "red," "yellow," or "green." On September 6, Seafood Watch added a number of new seafood species to the "red" ranking, which they urge consumers to avoid.
American lobsters were among the species added to the "red" list because the fishery "poses a risk to overfished or at-risk species, including endangered North Atlantic right whales," the rating stated. Fisheries using vertical lines can entangle the whales, posing a risk to the already-endangered species. There are just over 300 North Atlantic right whales left in the wild, according to the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium.