US court directs NOAA to 'vacate' biological opinion that caused Maine lobster fishery to lose MSC certification

'It is not the province of a scientific consultant to pick whales over people,' the court panel said.

The US lobster industry in Maine is at the center of an ongoing debate over its impact on endangered North Atlantic right whales. — The US lobster industry in Maine is at the center of an ongoing debate over its impact on endangered North Atlantic right whales.Photo: The Maine Lobster Marketing Collaborative (MLMC)

Rachel Sapin

Published 16 June 2023, 17:12Updated 16 June 2023, 20:51

Gulf of Maine National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)Lobster Maine Marine Stewardship Council (MSC)