Canadian Government Implements Mandatory Speed Restrictions
August 18, 2017

Ottawa to force ships to slow down to prevent whale deaths in the Gulf of St. Lawrence - CBC

In light of the large amount of North Atlantic right whale deaths in recent months, the Canadian government has announced that they are implementing mandatory speed restrictions in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. Ships over 65 feet long will be required to slow to 10 knots while travelling in the western Gulf of St. Lawrence. There have been at least ten North Atlantic right whales found dead in the Gulf of St. Lawrence since June and four of them have shown evidence of blunt trauma consistent with ship strikes.¹ The speed restriction is good news but it is our hope that it becomes permanent and that it is only the beginning of measures taken to protect these whales.

Map Credit: CBC

They have lost 2% of their entire population this year alone, many of the whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence are thin and have lesions and four have been spotted with entanglements.² There were only five births this year³ and there have been thirteen known deaths so far - this is not only devastating, it's simply unsustainable. These whales deserve to live, they deserve to be happy and more must be done to protect them. Please visit our fact sheets on these whales to find out more about what is happening to them and what we can all do to help.

¹http://globalnews.ca/news/3675453/at-least-13-north-atlantic-right-whales-now-dead-noaa/
²https://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/right-whales-gulf-of-st-lawrence/article35871334/
³http://www.andersoncabotcenterforoceanlife.org/blog/years-right-whale-moms-far/