For the fourth year in a row, the Government of Canada has put measures in place for the protection of the North Atlantic right whale. 

For 2020, a new seasonal dynamic closure protocol will replace a static closure in the St. Lawrence Seaway. When a whale is detected, a 15-day closure of the fishery will take place in the area. If whales are detected within that 15 days, the area will remain closed until November 15. 

If two 15-day closure areas overlap, both areas will remain closed until November 15. 

A closure protocol is also being expanded into the Bay of Fundy. Fisheries and Oceans Canada will also impose new gear marking requirements and work with the commercial fishing industry on gear modifications for 2021. 

To allow the snow crab fishery in northern New Brunswick to start early, Fisheries and Oceans Canada has contracted a third-party icebreaker to provide services in the Acadian Peninsula, Baie des Chaleurs and Northumberland Strait. 

Environmental groups say while the measures are encouraging, more needs to be done to ensure the survival of the North Atlantic right whales. 

“The success of these measures depends on surveillance,” says Oceana Canada campaign director Kim Elmslie. “Fishing zone closures and speed requirements for vessels are triggered based on whale sightings, so we strongly urge the government to step up surveillance.”

According to today’s announcement, the government will add acoustic detection using hydrophones and aerial surveillance using drones to its efforts to detect whales in Canadian waters.