BOSTON (AP) - The federal government is asking mariners to route around an area east of Boston because of the presence of rare whales.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says North Atlantic right whales were spotted in or near shipping lanes in the area, and it’s asking mariners to avoid it until May 5. The agency says a group of 11 right whales was seen in the area on April 19.
The right whales number about 411. Rules that protect the whales could be expanded soon. The Atlantic Large Whale Take Reduction Team is holding a meeting in Providence, Rhode Island, from Tuesday to Friday on the subject. NOAA created the team to reduce injuries and deaths that whales suffer due to entanglement in fishing gear.
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