A timely opportunity to protect North Atlantic right whales in Canada

Abstract

The survival of federally protected North Atlantic right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) requires an immediate reduction in the risk of entanglement in commercial fishing gear. This paper argues that at least a 30% reduction in risk is needed to meaningfully contribute to the conservation of right whales. The argument follows from risk estimates calculated using time and space intersections of right whales and fishing gear in Canadian waters. Almost all the risk occurs during July, August and September (12%, 50%, 37% respectively) and the groundfish fishery contributed the greatest proportion (86%) of annual risk. Given that efforts in the USA to reduce entanglement risk through modified fishing gear have been unsuccessful to date, we address the alternative option of restricting certain fishing gear at times and locations where entanglement risk is elevated. There are many options that Canada could employ to achieve the above risk reduction and our results clearly point to the most effective and efficient action being seasonally restricted fishing in two relatively small regions; the Grand Manan Basin and the Roseway Basin. Fully a third (34%±4%) of the annual risk is associated with these two basins, though fishery catch estimates in the basins are relatively small and declining.