In the words of Captain Jeffery Monroe, who was recently granted an undeserved public platform in an interview on Maine’s CBS affiliate, “a large ship running aground is far more catastrophic than the loss of one whale.”

By all measure, the 370 remaining North Atlantic right whales should be emulated as a rare and precious element. Perhaps someone will grant Mr. Monroe the same kindness. It is just one human after all, out of 8.025 billion.

Right whales, like other similar species, sequester copious amounts of carbon simply by existing and create entire ecosystems with their migratory feeding patterns. They are quiet compared to their more boisterous humpback cousins. They are difficult for even a 35 foot vessel to spot and avoid at speed on the open ocean, and they are slow-moving and rear their children near the surface, teaching them to breathe and feed.

Fishing line entanglement and ship strikes are the leading causes of their mortality, despite what the oil industry and other propagandists would have the unwitting, unknowing individual believe about offshore wind turbines.

Yet collectively we do nothing but watch their slow, painful journey to the end. Basic and completely reasonable regulations fall one after the next, forfeited because of a few whining lobstermen and a newly elected fear-mongering degenerate.

Someday we will face what we have invited upon ourselves. Until then, we witness.

Sarah Perry
Falmouth