This summer, the Canadian government says it would take action to prevent a dying whale species from dying in its waters due to collisions with ships.
It is a North Atlantic right whale, of which there are only roughly 370. The whales move north to New England and Canada to feed after giving birth off the southeast coast of the United States in the winter and spring.
The whales encounter hazards along the route, such as collisions with ships and becoming entangled in commercial fishing gear. The governments of the United States and Canada have long been criticized by environmental organizations for their lack of action to save the seriously endangered species.
According to a statement released by Transport Canada on June 27, Canada is implementing required protection measures for the whale this summer. According to the agency, all ships that are 42.7 feet (13 meters) or longer are required to adhere to speed limits in specific oceanic zones in order to prevent whale strikes.
According to Transport Canada, it is also asking for voluntary slowdowns in other oceanic regions. According to the agency, the limitations demonstrate its dedication to the preservation and conservation of North Atlantic right whales, who are in risk of extinction.
According to the statement, Transport Canada has been taking steps to assist safeguard this iconic species from ship collisions in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, a busy area where right whales are frequently sighted.
Scientists are expressing alarm about the absence of right whale reproduction at the same time as the limits are being implemented. Only 11 mother-calf pairings were born this year, according to a statement made earlier this year by the New England Aquarium in Boston. According to U.S. government officials, the whales must give birth to at least 50 calves each season in order to begin the process of rebuilding their population.
A proposal that would have mandated that more ships slow down in East Coast waters in order to save the whale was withdrawn by the U.S. government earlier this year. Federal ocean managers stated that there was no way to apply the restrictions prior to President Donald Trump taking office in January, and the action was taken in the last days of President Joe Biden’s administration.
The whale was wiped out long ago during the commercial whaling era, but it was previously common off the East Coast. Despite decades of protection under the U.S. Endangered Species Act, it has not recovered quickly.
