Fishing-gear threat to right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) in Canadian waters and the risk of lethal entanglement

2011 ◽  
Vol 68 (12) ◽  
pp. 2174-2193 ◽  
Author(s):  
Angelia S.M. Vanderlaan ◽  
R. Kent Smedbol ◽  
Christopher T. Taggart
Keyword(s):  
Relative Risk ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Eubalaena Glacialis ◽  
Bay Of Fundy ◽  
Commercial Fishing ◽  
Fishing Gear ◽  
Critical Habitat ◽  
North Atlantic Right Whale ◽  
Right Whale ◽  
Right Whales

Commercial fishing gear can potentially entangle any whale, and this is especially true for the endangered North Atlantic right whale ( Eubalaena glacialis ), for which entanglement is second only to vessel strike as being responsible for documented right whale deaths. We use right whale survey data and Canadian fishing-gear deployment data to estimate the relative threat of gear entanglement in a Scotia–Fundy study area and the relative risk of lethal entanglement in the Bay of Fundy and on Roseway Basin, Scotian Shelf, where Critical Habitat has been legislated. We focus on groundfish and pelagic hook-and-line; groundfish gillnet; and crab-, hagfish-, and inshore and offshore lobster-trap gear. Our analyses demonstrate that groundfish hook-and-line gear poses the greatest threat to right whales among the seven gear types analysed during the summer-resident period in Critical Habitat and that gear from the lobster fisheries poses the greatest threat during the spring and autumn periods when whales are migrating to and from Critical Habitat. We suggest that area-specific seasonal closures of some fisheries would reduce threat and risk to whales without unduly compromising fishing interests.

Observations of a western North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) birth offshore of the protected southeast U.S. critical habitat

2011 ◽  
Vol 27 (3) ◽  
pp. E234-E240 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. J. Foley ◽  
R. C. Holt ◽  
R. E. Hardee ◽  
P. B. Nilsson ◽  
K. A. Jackson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North Atlantic ◽  
Eubalaena Glacialis ◽  
Critical Habitat ◽  
North Atlantic Right Whale ◽  
Right Whale

scholarly journals North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) and its food: (I) a spatial climatology of Calanus biomass and potential foraging habitats in Canadian waters

2019 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
pp. 667-685 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Plourde ◽  
C Lehoux ◽  
C L Johnson ◽  
G Perrin ◽  
V Lesage
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Water Column ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Eubalaena Glacialis ◽  
Bay Of Fundy ◽  
North Atlantic Right Whale ◽  
Main Prey ◽  
Right Whale ◽  
The North ◽  
The North Atlantic

Abstract This study aimed at identifying potentially suitable foraging habitats for the North Atlantic right whale (NARW; Eubalaena glacialis) in the Gulf of St Lawrence (GSL), on the Scotian Shelf (SS) and in the Bay of Fundy (BoF), Canada, based on the distribution densities of their main prey, Calanus copepod species. More than 4800 historical Calanus spp. water column integrated samples as well as 221 vertically stratified sampling stations were used to create a 3D (latitude, longitude and vertical) climatology of Calanus spp. biomass densities for spring and summer–fall when NARW are feeding in Canadian waters. We then combined this 3D preyscape with bio-energetic considerations to highlight potentially suitable NARW foraging habitats in the region. Our 3D climatological approach successfully identified the known feeding areas of Grand Manan (BoF) and Roseway Basin (western SS), confirming its validity. Expanding our analyses to the GSL and other parts of the SS, we identified in both regions areas previously unknown where Calanus spp. biomass densities exceeded minimum levels suitable for foraging NARW. Our results represent a key contribution to the identification of important foraging areas for NARW in Canadian waters, especially in the context of climate change and the documented shift in NARW distribution.

scholarly journals Mortality and serious injury of northern right whales (Eubalaena glacialis) in the western North Atlantic Ocean

2020 ◽  
pp. 193-208
Author(s):  
Amy R. Knowlton ◽  
Scott D. Kraus
Keyword(s):  
North Atlantic ◽  
North Atlantic Ocean ◽  
Commercial Fishing ◽  
Fishing Gear ◽  
Broken Bones ◽  
Right Whale ◽  
Right Whales ◽  
Ship Strike ◽  
Serious Injury ◽  
Serious Injuries

Northern right whales in the western North Atlantic number about 300 animals and have shown little sign of recovery in recent decades.Mortality and serious injury due to human activities, particularly commercial fishing and shipping, are thought to be significant factorslimiting their recovery. From 1970-1999, 45 right whale deaths were reliably documented. Sixteen of these fatalities (35.5%) were due toship collisions, and three (6.7%) were due to entanglement in fishing gear. The remainder were neonates (13; 28.9%) and ‘unknown cause’mortalities (13; 28.9%). Criteria for defining serious injuries and mortalities from entanglement or ship strikes were developed and includeany animal carrying fishing gear, cuts from entanglement or ship strike deeper than 8cm, swelling or necrosis, evidence of poor health fromsuch interactions, and, in carcasses, evidence of haematoma, haemorrhaging or broken bones. A total of 56 animals fitting the definedcriteria were documented from 1970-1999: 31 (55.4%) from entanglement and 25 (44.6%) from ship strikes. Nineteen were fatal (16 shipstrikes, 3 entanglements), 10 were possibly fatal (2 ship strikes, 8 entanglements) and 27 were non-fatal (7 ship strikes, 20 entanglements).The breakdown of potentially serious injuries by age and sex reveals no difference in levels between sexes but shows a 3.3:1 higher levelof interaction in juveniles and calves versus adults. The data show that ship strikes are more immediately lethal, but entanglements can resultin long term deterioration of an animal and may be responsible for higher levels of mortality than previously thought. Considering that someanimals become entangled, drown and never return to the surface, even these levels may be underestimated. Between 1986 and 1999, 84animals were presumed dead based on a lack of resightings for six years. There were 32 confirmed deaths during this time period suggestingthat at least as many unreported deaths occurred as carcasses were reported. Definitive actions need to be taken to reduce the level andseverity of anthropogenic injuries and deaths. Actions could include continued disentanglement efforts, gear modifications, seasonalclosures for fisheries, mandatory ship reporting, ships’ routing measures and speed restrictions for commercial shipping.

Simulation of the entanglement of a North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis ) with fixed fishing gear

2018 ◽  
Vol 35 (3) ◽  
pp. 760-778 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laurens E. Howle ◽  
Scott D. Kraus ◽  
Timothy B. Werner ◽  
Douglas P. Nowacek
Keyword(s):  
North Atlantic ◽  
Eubalaena Glacialis ◽  
Fishing Gear ◽  
North Atlantic Right Whale ◽  
Right Whale

Assessment of mitochondrial DNA structuring and nursery use in the North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis)

1999 ◽  
Vol 77 (8) ◽  
pp. 1217-1222 ◽  
Author(s):  
S Malik ◽  
M W Brown ◽  
S D Kraus ◽  
A R Knowlton ◽  
P K Hamilton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mitochondrial Dna ◽  
North Atlantic ◽  
Nursery Area ◽  
Eubalaena Glacialis ◽  
Bay Of Fundy ◽  
Genetic Structuring ◽  
North Atlantic Right Whale ◽  
Right Whale ◽  
The North ◽  
The North Atlantic

The North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) inhabits five areas along the east coast of North America at different times of the year. During 17 years of field observations, it has been found that only 59% of the newborn calves are brought to the Bay of Fundy nursery area. To examine whether this is because of population structuring, the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region haplotypes were determined for 269 individuals. Seven polymorphic sites were found to define five haplotypes. Calves were divided into two groups based on whether or not they were brought to the Bay of Fundy nursery. Significant genetic structuring of mitochondrial haplotypes was found between these groups (p = 0.002). Mothers that have had more than three calves demonstrated significant fidelity (p = 0.005) to the Bay of Fundy, suggesting that philopatry is the basis for the genetic structuring. Although this study clearly identifies the existence of two subpopulations and an alternative nursery area(s), the location(s) of the alternative area(s) is unclear and remains an important issue for the conservation of the species.

scholarly journals The Last 400 - Strategies for Saving North Atlantic Right Whales in Canada

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Oceana ◽  
Holly Lake ◽  
Kim Elmslie ◽  
Lesley Wilmot
Keyword(s):  
North Atlantic ◽  
Atlantic Coast ◽  
The United States ◽  
High Rate ◽  
Commercial Fishing ◽  
Fishing Activity ◽  
North Atlantic Right Whale ◽  
Right Whale ◽  
Right Whales ◽  
North Atlantic Right Whales

Tragically, endangered North Atlantic right whales are killed each year in the watersalong the Atlantic Coast of Canada and the United States. Between 2012 and 2016,human activity killed an average of 5.6 of them every year. In recent years, more right whales are being spotted in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, likely due to the effects climate change is having on the distribution of their food source, and they have experiencedalarmingly high death rates in areas that are busy with commercial fishing activity and shipping traffic.The summer of 2017 was devastating for the population. A total of 17 North Atlantic right whale deaths were reported -12 of them in Canadian waters. The first dead whale was found on June 7 that year and by the end of the month, six had beenfound floating or washed ashore in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. History has repeated itself in 2019. From June to August, eight right whales were found dead in Canadian waters — including four within 48 hours— and four more were found entangled infishing gear.The winter started with much-needed hope and excitement with the birth of seven calves. But given that not every carcass is found, and that the death toll has already exceeded the number of known births, 2019 is yet another year of decline for right whales. What’s more, four of the eight deaths were reproductively active females, of which there are fewer than 100 left. On the surface, these numbers might not seem like much.However, North Atlantic right whales are among the most endangered species on the planet, and 2017 and 2019 have dealt catastrophic blows these animals could have done without. Given that only about 400 of them remain,10 the loss of 28 right whales over the last three years (17 in 2017, three in 2018 and eight in 2019) amounts to seven per cent of the species’ population.The North Atlantic right whale population is teetering on the brink of extinction. Many of the few remaining animals are dying horrible deaths as a result of ship strikes and entanglements in fishing gear. The whales that manage tosurvive injury are often left weak and vulnerable. Scientists have long known, and recent research confirms, that humans continue to cause a high rate of right whale deaths.Every single death deepens the urgency with which we must act to stop the tragedy unfolding in the Atlantic. Many people are working hard to save right whales, but more must be done.The Canadian government must do everything possible to halt this disastrous downturn. If nothing changes, we could witness the extinction of this species.

scholarly journals Variation in North Atlantic right whale Eubalaena glacialis occurrence in the Bay of Fundy, Canada, over three decades

2019 ◽  
Vol 39 ◽  
pp. 159-171 ◽  
Author(s):  
KTA Davies ◽  
MW Brown ◽  
PK Hamilton ◽  
AR Knowlton ◽  
CT Taggart ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North Atlantic ◽  
Eubalaena Glacialis ◽  
Bay Of Fundy ◽  
North Atlantic Right Whale ◽  
Right Whale
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