Focus: Environment piece on new regulations established by the National Marine

Focus: Environment piece on new regulations established by the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) to protect endangered species. Early this month, NMFS released two proposed rules that many predict would have a heavy and sustained impact on Maine\u27s lobster industry. In an effort to protect whales and other marine mammals, the proposed rules would ban the use of floating lines and require sinking lines instead. Tora Johnson, a professor at the College of the Atlantic in Bar Harbor as well as a commercial fisher, says sinking gear requirements would force many lobstermen out of business. Peter Inniss, a fisherman who operates out of Portland, hopes the development of new fishing gear such as low-profile rope may be a partial solution