BATH, Maine (AP) — The commercial fishery for herring has suffered in recent years due to new restrictions, but those same rules could benefit puffins. Atlantic puffins are known for their colorful beaks and waddling walks. They were once nearly gone from Maine. It is the only U.S. state where they nest. Decades of conservation work have brought Maine’s population of the birds to about 1,300 pairs that nest on small islands off the coast. They are dependent on small fish to survive. The herring fishery is facing new restrictions to try to protect the fish’s population.
Puffin stuff: Herring rules could boost funny-looking bird
