March 28, 2024
The Government of Canada announced that the fishery and vessel management measures to safeguard the endangered North Atlantic right whale for the 2024 season remain unchanged from last year. These measures help support the ongoing protection and recovery of the species.
Canada will continue to apply vessel traffic management measures including speed restrictions throughout much of the Gulf of St. Lawrence to protect whales where they are detected, and an area restricted to vessels of over 13 metres in the southern GSL where right whales have been found to aggregate in larger numbers. This year, vessel traffic management measures begin as of April 17.
Depending on the severity of a violation, vessel owners could face fines of up to a maximum of $250,000.
The government will also use adaptive closure protocols, such as seasonal and dynamic area closures for non-tended fixed gear, trap and pot fisheries in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, Bay of Fundy, Roseway Basin, and other areas, where and when right whales are visually or acoustically detected.
Gear marking requirements, lost gear reporting requirements and marine mammal disturbance reporting requirements will also be enforced.