Measures to Protect Endangered Marine Mammals from Marine Vessels
LOCATION: West coast and East coast
Issue/Source:
Date: October 23, 2020
Suggested Responses
- Transport Canada has put in place a suite of protective measures to reduce the impacts of marine traffic on the Southern Resident killer whale (SRKW) and the North Atlantic right whale (NARW).
- We worked collaboratively with Indigenous Groups, coastal communities, industry, academia and marine stakeholders to assess the measures put in place in 2019, and to refine our approach for the 2020 season to reduce the impacts of vessel traffic on at-risk whale populations, including the threat of underwater vessel noise and physical disturbance to the SRKW, and the threat of vessel collisions with NARW.
- We are adapting the approach as new science emerges, and also working on long term solutions by advancing quiet ship designs and new technologies to reduce underwater noise from ships at the source and improving our ability to detect whales.
- We look forward to continued collaboration with Indigenous Groups, marine stakeholders, academia, scientists and communities to help reduce the risks that vessel traffic poses to the marine environment while balancing our commitment to safety, security and strong coastal communities.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
- Transport Canada (TC), in collaboration with the marine industry, academia, Indigenous groups, environmental organizations, other government departments, the United States (U.S.) and the broader international community, is assessing, testing and implementing measures to reduce the impacts of marine traffic on at-risk whale populations, in particular the Southern Resident killer whale (SRKW), and the North Atlantic right whale (NARW). These measures are adaptively managed to be more effective year after year.
- For the SRKW on the west coast of Canada, underwater noise and physical disturbance from vessels are one of the three key threats facing the species. Lack of prey and contaminants are the other two threats, which are being addressed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Environment and Climate Change Canada respectively.
- With only 72 remaining as of September 2020, the SRKW are facing imminent threats to their survival and recovery. TC, with the collaboration of Indigenous Groups, and key stakeholders, has implemented a suite of voluntary and mandatory measures to reduce vessel impacts from both large commercial vessels and smaller recreational and whale watching vessels.
- In addition to seasonal voluntary slowdowns of large commercial vessels and a lateral displacement of inshore traffic through the ECHO Program, for the 2020 season, TC again issued an Interim Order under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001 to establish mandatory “interim sanctuary zones” to restrict on an interim basis all boats from key areas that are in effect until November 30th, and increased the minimum distance (from 200 to 400 meters) that vessels could approach any killer whale which is in effect all year.
- On the east coast, the NARW, of which approximately 400 remain, are facing two primary threats: entanglement in fishing gear and vessel strikes. Since 2015, their summer distribution in Canadian waters has shifted from predominantly the Bay of Fundy and southeast of Nova Scotia to the Gulf of St-Lawrence.