Ottawa implements further measures to protect right whales

CANADA was to implement further measures on Tuesday to protect the North At la ntic right whale, a crit ica l ly endangered species, af ter si x of the mammals died since June in t he Gulf of Saint Lawrence.

At least three of these deaths have been tentatively blamed on their being hit by ships, said Marc Garneau, Canada’s Minister of Transport.

In response to t he “extremely troubling” deaths – t he first since 2017 – Garneau i n late June activated an interim ship slowdown of 10 k nots around Anticosti Island in t he Gulf, Transport Canada said in a statement on Monday.

That followed a speed restriction covering a large area of the Gulf for vessels 20m (66 feet) or longer.

The measures announced on Monday “include slowing down more ships in areas, increasing t he zones in which speed restrictions will apply, increasing aeria l surveillance, and funding for initiatives to enhance marine mammal response,” the statement said.

Mandatory speed restrictions have been extended to vessels longer than 13m, while surveillance flights over the gulf have increased from seven to 24, since late June, it said.

Canada had already closed 16,000sqkm (6,200 square miles) to commercial fishing i n a bid to protect t he whales.

Government planes are still looking for three other right whales spotted entangled in fishing gear over the past several days.

“Attempts at disentanglements will only be considered if they can be done in a safe manner. Right whales are among the most difficult marine mammals to disentangle due to their size, strength and behaviour,” a statement from Fisheries and Oceans Canada said.

“Weather and sea conditions are a lso factors which will be considered.”

This month’s right whale deaths, as well as seven recent calf births, bring the total population estimate to 412, Canadian officials say.

Conser vation officia ls say t hat North At la ntic right whales are among the most threatened species in t he world.

About a t hird of them v isit Canadian waters to feed each summer, with the number of v isits increasing and the whales’ range in the Gulf expanding in recent years amid changing ocean conditions.

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