Landmark law saved whales through marine industries change

PORTLAND, Maine (AP) — The drive to protect vanishing whales has brought profound impacts to marine industries and those changes are accelerating as the Endangered Species Act approaches its 50th anniversary. Maritime industries, some of the oldest in the U.S., are subject to a host of restrictions designed to protect rare whales such as the North Atlantic right whale. Those restrictions, which limit how fast vessels can travel and how commercial fishermen can fish, are set to expand in the coming years. The act also is motivating new innovations, such as ropeless fishing, to help avoid harm to the animals.