An Act to protect and preserve the northern right whale and other resident endangered whale and sea turtle species

HD 2695 requires Massachusetts' Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program (NHESP) to annually review how recreational and commercial fishing licenses, vessel activities, and coastal development impact endangered whales and sea turtles under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act (MESA), starting in 2026 for five years. It mandates NHESP to publish annual reports on whale sightings and human-caused injuries, and to evaluate designating Cape Cod Bay as protected habitat for Northern Right Whales. The bill also creates a new "Sustainable Fishing" license program for crab and lobster harvesters using gear that prevents bycatch, initially issuing 25 licenses in 2027 with annual increases of 25 for four years. Finally, it sets the economic value of a Northern Right Whale at $2 million for legal purposes, treating injury or death as equivalent economic loss to the Commonwealth.