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Several Atlantic fisheries closed due to presence of two right whales

May 20, 2018 | 6:45 PM

MONCTON, N.B. — Federal authorities are closing several fisheries in the Gulf of St. Lawrence because of the presence of North Atlantic right whales.

In a statement posted on Twitter, Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc says two of the severely endangered animals have been spotted off the coast of New Brunswick.

As a result, the government is shutting down the snow crab, toad crab, rock crab, lobster and whelk fisheries in five areas, or “grids.”

The closures, which take effect Tuesday afternoon, will also affect parts of the winter flounder and Atlantic halibut fisheries.