Right whales and vessels in Canadian waters

The North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) is the most critically endangered large cetacean and is threatened by vessels that travel in their habitats and migration paths. A need to address the endangered population status of the right whale emerges as current management mandates have proven ineffective at preventing vessel-strikes to right whales and current rates of strike-induced mortality can slow or prevent recovery of the species. This paper identifies the need for an internationally acceptable management strategy to minimize vessel-strikes to right whales in Canadian waters.