Canadian Wildlife Federation Welcomes New Measures To Reduce Risks to North Atlantic Right Whales

Ottawa, February 19, 2021 – Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Transport Canada announced the measures that will be in place in 2021 to reduce the risks to North Atlantic right whales from fishing and shipping. Building on measures from 2020, CWF is encouraged by new additional measures to help protect this endangered species.

These measures include:

• Establishing a DFO technical advisory committee to discuss fisheries management issues related to North Atlantic right whales

• Implementing the use of weak points in ropes (thought to reduce the chance of serious injury when a whale becomes entangled) used by the fishery by the end of 2022

• Initiating season long closures only if whales are sighted a second time in the same between 9 and 15 days after the first sighting

• Modifying Transport Canada restricted area so that it can be implemented earlier in the season

• Exempting vessels in water shallower than 20 fathoms (36m) from the Transport Canada 10 knot speed restrictions

“Only 366 North Atlantic right whales remain. Without changes in our activities, the right whale will likely go extinct in our lifetime,” says Sean Brillant, CWF Senior Conservation Biologist Marine Programs. “Ensuring that we are using the best available science to inform our decision-making and continuing to invest in initiatives such as ropeless fishing gear development and marine animal response are critical at this stage if we want to protect right whales and other marine wildlife.”

The Canadian Wildlife Federation is a national, not-for-profit charitable organization dedicated to fostering awareness and appreciation of our natural world. By spreading knowledge of human impacts on the environment, carrying out research, developing and delivering education programs, promoting the sustainable use of natural resources, recommending changes to policy and co-operating with like-minded partners, CWF encourages a future in which Canadians can live in harmony with nature. For more information, visit CanadianWildlifeFederation.ca.

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Sean Brillant, Senior Conservation Biologist, Marine Programs, 902-237-9692, seanb@cwf-fcf.org
Pam Logan, Director of Communications, 613-222-1405, pamelal@cwf-fcf.org
Heather Robison, Media and Community Relations Officer, heatherr@cwf-fcf.org, 306-540-5302