The Canadian Press: The Fisheries Department has said little about the proposed U.S. legislation. But the newly released memo shows experts inside the department believe the policy could have grave consequences for the species, of which fewer than 400 remain.
“Recent modelling demonstrates we are now in a 12-year window until [North Atlantic right whale] functional extinction,” the memo reads, saying the species would be functionally extinct when there are no breeding females left.
“Delaying the rules to 2035 may mean [the U.S. oceans authority] misses the window to implement adequate measures to ensure the recovery of the species,” it added…