Review of the Effectiveness of Recovery Activities for North Atlantic right whales

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

Long-term population survey and monitoring

1

1

1

Development of molecular techniques to identify individual North Atlantic right whale from free-floating feces

1

1

DFO 'shoulder season' survey of North Atlantic right whale critical habitat in the Bay of Fundy in October 2013

1

1

Discovery of evidence for North Atlantic right whale mating ground

1

1

1

Oceanographic research to understand ocean warming trends in the Bay of Fundy

1

1

Investigation of potential contribution of groundlines in the Bay of Fundy lobster fishery to North Atlantic right whale entanglement risk

1

1

Acoustic research into North Atlantic right whale distribution and habitat use outside of the known critical habitat areas: Scotia Shelf

1

1

1

North Atlantic right whale passive acoustic and habitat survey in Roseway Basin

1

1

Research on the behaviour of North Atlantic right whale mother-calf pairs in the Bay of Fundy

1

1

1

research to understand and reduce the risk of vessel collisions with North Atlantic right whales

1

1

Analysis of entanglement risk from fixed -gear fisheries

1

1

1

1

1

Assessment of ambient and anthropogenic noise levels with identified critical habitat during seismic surveys in summer 2013

1

1

1

1

Demonstration that vessel traffic noise causes measurable stress in North Atlantic right whales

1

1

1

Evaluations of historical and present policy initiatives for North Atlantic right whale conservation in Canada, and transborder between Canada and the USA

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

Increase understanding of North Atlantic right whale critical habitat in Roseway Basin

1

1

North Atlantic right whale and plankton research in Roseway Basin

1

1

Research into North Atlantic right whale distribution and habitat use outside of known critical habitat areas including identification of unknown North Atlantic right whale foraging habitat

1

1

1

increased knowledge about human impact on North Atlantic right whales' food supply

1

1

1

Investigation of North Atlantic right whale movement patterns within and among

1

1

1

Total

3

3

5

12

18

13

2

Management Activity

amendments to the Recovery Strategy for the North Atlantic right whale

Development of the critical habitat order for Grand Manan Basin and Roseway Basin

Development of an Action Plan for the North Atlantic right whale

1

1

1

1

1

1

SARA permitting processes

1

Identification of Ecological and biologically significant area with the North Atlantic right whale's range in Atlantic Canada

1

DFO C&P officer patrols and monitoring

1

1

1

1

1

Voluntary standard practices and mitigation strategies concerning interactions between North Atlantic right whales and fishing gear

1

1

1

Consideration of North Atlantic right whale-fishing gear interactions in integrate fisheries management plans

1

1

Updates to navigational documents and charts

1

1

1

Production of the Mariner's Guide to Marine Mammals

1

1

Amendment of Marine Mammal regulations to include whale-watching guidance to reduce disturbance to marine mammals

1

1

Completion and review of strategic environmental assessments for offshore oil and gas exploration and development activities on the Scotian Shelf

1

1

Completion and review of environmental assessments for seismic programs on the Scotian Shelf

1

1

Review of mitigation and monitoring measures for seismic survey activities in and near the habitat of cetacean species at risk

1

1

Total

6

4

6

2

2

5

6

Emergency Response

Marine Mammal Response Program

1

1

Regional marine mammal response networks respond to report of dead or distressed marine animals including North Atlantic right whales

1

1

1

1

Development of National Stranding Network Committee

1

1

1

1

1

Monitoring presence and conditions of North Atlantic right whale carcasses

1

1

Right-whale necropsies

1

1

1

Total

0

3

0

4

3

4

2

Education and Outreach Activities

Poster campaign to identify new North Atlantic right whale aggregation areas

1

1

1

1

Outreach to fishing industry about identification and protection of North Atlantic right whales

1

Development of a herring weir release manual for large species including North Atlantic right whale

1

1

1

Voluntary codes of practise and record keeping tools promoted for use by Bay of Fundy industries

1

1

1

Cetacean identification training for at-sea observers and fisheries offices

1

1

Development of "Marine Species Identification Guide Common to the Bay of Fundy and Scotian Shelf Region"

1

1

Websites with information about North Atlantic right whales

1

Education and outreach activities for schools, local residents, and visitors to Grand Manan Island

1

Total

0

1

1

4

1

2

8

Grand Total

9

11

12

22

24

24

18

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

Long-term population survey and monitoring

1

1

1

1

Development of molecular techniques to identify individual North Atlantic right whale from free-floating feces

1

1

DFO 'shoulder season' survey of North Atlantic right whale critical habitat in the Bay of Fundy in October 2013

1

1

Discovery of evidence for North Atlantic right whale mating ground

1

Oceanographic research to understand ocean warming trends in the Bay of Fundy

1

1

Investigation of potential contribution of groundlines in the Bay of Fundy lobster fishery to North Atlantic right whale entanglement risk

1

Acoustic research into North Atlantic right whale distribution and habitat use outside of the known critical habitat areas: Scotia Shelf

North Atlantic right whale passive acoustic and habitat survey in Roseway Basin

1

1

Research on the behaviour of North Atlantic right whale mother-calf pairs in the Bay of Fundy

1

1

1

1

research to understand and reduce the risk of vessel collisions with North Atlantic right whales

1

1

Analysis of entanglement risk from fixed -gear fisheries

1

1

1

1

1

1

Assessment of ambient and anthropogenic noise levels with identified critical habitat during seismic surveys in summer 2013

1

1

1

Demonstration that vessel traffic noise causes measurable stress in North Atlantic right whales

1

1

1

Evaluations of historical and present policy initiatives for North Atlantic right whale conservation in Canada, and transborder between Canada and the USA

1

Increase understanding of North Atlantic right whale critical habitat in Roseway Basin

1

1

1

1

North Atlantic right whale and plankton research in Roseway Basin

1

1

1

1

Research into North Atlantic right whale distribution and habitat use outside of known critical habitat areas including identification of unknown North Atlantic right whale foraging habitat

1

1

1

increased knowledge about human impact on North Atlantic right whales' food supply

1

1

1

Investigation of North Atlantic right whale movement patterns within and among

1

1

1

Total

1

1

1

1

1

0

0

2

2

7

1

0

13

3

6

0

9

1

1

0

Management Activity

amendments to the Recovery Strategy for the North Atlantic right whale

1

Development of the critical habitat order for Grand Manan Basin and Roseway Basin

1

Development of an Action Plan for the North Atlantic right whale

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

SARA permitting processes

1

1

Identification of Ecological and biologically significant area with the North Atlantic right whale's range in Atlantic Canada

1

DFO C&P officer patrols and monitoring

1

1

1

1

1

Voluntary standard practices and mitigation strategies concerning interactions between North Atlantic right whales and fishing gear

1

1

1

1

Consideration of North Atlantic right whale-fishing gear interactions in integrate fisheries management plans

1

1

1

1

Updates to navigational documents and charts

1

1

1

1

Production of the Mariner's Guide to Marine Mammals

1

1

1

Amendment of Marine Mammal regulations to include whale-watching guidance to reduce disturbance to marine mammals

1

1

Completion and review of strategic environmental assessments for offshore oil and gas exploration and development activities on the Scotian Shelf

1

1

1

Completion and review of environmental assessments for seismic programs on the Scotian Shelf

1

1

1

Review of mitigation and monitoring measures for seismic survey activities in and near the habitat of cetacean species at risk

1

1

1

Total

5

0

3

1

3

4

1

5

1

1

1

1

1

1

4

5

3

4

6

2

Emergency Response

Marine Mammal Response Program

1

1

Regional marine mammal response networks respond to report of dead or distressed marine animals including North Atlantic right whales

1

1

1

1

Development of National Stranding Network Committee

1

1

1

1

1

1

1

Monitoring presence and conditions of North Atlantic right whale carcasses

1

1

1

Total

0

0

0

0

0

3

0

0

0

2

1

4

0

0

0

2

1

1

0

2

Education and Outreach Activities

Poster campaign to identify new North Atlantic right whale aggregation areas

1

1

1

1

1

1

Outreach to fishing industry about identification and protection of North Atlantic right whales

1

1

1

Development of a herring weir release manual for large species including North Atlantic right whale

1

1

1

1

1

1

Voluntary codes of practise and record keeping tools promoted for use by Bay of Fundy industries

1

1

1

Cetacean identification training for at-sea observers and fisheries offices

1

1

1

Development of "Marine Species Identification Guide Common to the Bay of Fundy and Scotian Shelf Region"

1

1

1

1

Websites with information about North Atlantic right whales

1

Education and outreach activities for schools, local residents, and visitors to Grand Manan Island

1

Total

0

0

0

0

1

1

0

0

0

1

0

0

0

1

2

3

0

7

5

6

Grand Total

6

1

4

2

5

8

1

7

3

11

3

5

14

5

12

10

13

13

12

10

Objective 1: Reduce Mortality and injury as a result of vessel strikes

1. Rate of interactions in Canadian waters declines
2. Regular analysis of vessel/North Atlantic right whale risk and mitigation measures is conducted

Objective 2: Reduce mortality and injury as a result of fishing gear interactions (e.g. entanglement and entrapment)

1. Rate of interactions in Canadian waters declines
2. Regular analysis of gear/North Atlantic right whale risk and mitigation measure is conducted
3. Increased involvement in mitigation effort by fisheries associated with higher risk gear
4. Possible disentanglement efforts are conducted

Objective 3: Reduce injury and disturbance as a result of vessel presence or exposure to contaminants and other forms of habitat degradation

1. Assessment of impacts of contaminants on North Atlantic right whales are completed
2. Harmful levels of noise in North Atlantic right whale habitat is taken place at acceptable levels and durations
3. Human-induced impact on food supply are understood and reduced where possible

Objective 4: Monitor population and threats

1. Information collected in monitoring programs in disseminated
2. Regular forums to discuss monitoring results are held
3. Necropsies are conducted when possible

Objective 5: Increase understanding of life history characteristics, low reproductive rate, habitat and threats to recovery through research

1. Research is published
2. Regular forums to discuss research results and threat mitigations are held.
3. Critical habitat in Canadian waters is identified and protected

Objective 6: Support and promote collaboration for recovery between international agencies and bodies and between government agencies, academia, environmental non-government groups, Aboriginal peoples and coast communities in Canada

1. Successful implementation of North Atlantic right whale conservation activities increases
2. Cooperative bilateral or multilateral arrangement to advance North Atlantic right whale research and conservation

Objective 7: Develop and implement education and stewardship activities that promote recovery

1. Measured increase in awareness and support for recovery activities
2. Key user groups work to develop and implement best practices (stewardship)
3. North Atlantic right whale emergencies are reported in a timely fashion