Fisheries and Oceans Canada closed part of the snow crab fishery two days early on Wednesday as part of efforts to save the remaining population of North Atlantic right whales. His death prompted the U.S. agency that responds to marine mammals in distress to announce Wednesday that it was hallting efforts to free large whales trapped in fishing gear. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says it won't try to rescue large whales trapped in fishing gear until the agency's emergency response protocols are reviewed. Joe Howlett, shown here with his son Tyler Howlett, died Monday after freeing a right whale from snow crab gear in the Gulf of St. Lawrence near Shippagan. According to the International Fund for Animal Welfare, nearly three-quarters of all known North Atlantic right whales have scars from past entanglements with commercial fishing gear.

Source: CBC News July 12, 2017 18:57 UTC