rightwhale.ca - The North Atlantic right whale in Canada

Recovery Plan

In 2000, a recovery plan was published to "improve the North Atlantic right whale's long-term chances for survival" 1. The recovery plan drafting team was co-chaired by representatives from Fisheries and Oceans Canada and World Wildlife Fund. To achieve their goal, the plan proposed five different strategies:

• Reduce mortality and injury related to vessel strikes

• Reduce the frequency and severity of entanglement in fishing gear

• Minimize disturbance caused by human activities

• Reduce exposure to chemical contamination and other forms of habitat degradation

• Monitor the population and conduct research needed to better understand and address ongoing threats

The proposed strategies have led to the implementation of a number of stewardship measures to reduce right whale mortalities and provided the framework to prioritize research and education programs in Canada.

The Right Whale Recovery Implementation Team is presently drafting a recovery strategy that is compliant with the Species at Risk Act (SARA). The final document should be available in 2008.

Timeline

1980

First status report issued by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) on the right whale, Eubalaena glacialis, in Canada 2. Subsequent status reports were published in 1985, 1990 and 2003 3, 4, 5.

1992

Canadian recovery plan idea first suggested in Kraus and Brown 6.

1993

Fisheries Act - Marine Mammal Regulations.

1995

Concept of a recovery plan further developed by Brown et al. 7.

1997

World Wildlife Fund Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada co-sponsor the establishment of a Canadian Right Whale Recovery Team and the joint publication of a recovery plan in the absence of any legislative requirement.

1998

North Atlantic Right Whale Recovery Team is created.

September 2000

Recovery Plan is published jointly by WWF and DFO.

June 2003

Species at Risk Act (SARA) proclaimed.

January 2005

The North Atlantic Right Whale is added to Schedule I of the Species at Risk Act as endangered.

1 Anonymous. 2000. Canadian Recovery Plan for the North Atlantic Right Whale. World Wildlife Fund Canada, Toronto, Ontario; Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada.

2 Hay, K. A. 1980. COSEWIC status report on the right whale Eubalaena glacialis in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. 12 pages.

3 Gaskin, D. E. 1985. Update COSEWIC status report on the right whale Eubalaena glacialis in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. 50 pages.

4 Gaskin, D. E. 1990. Update COSEWIC status report on the North Atlantic right whale Eubalaena glacialis in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. 25 pages.

5 COSEWIC. 2003. COSEWIC assessment and update status report on the North Atlantic right whale Eubalaena glacialis in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. VII + 28 pages.

6 Kraus, S. D. and M. W. Brown. 1992. A right whale conservation plan for the waters of Atlantic Canada. Pages 79-85 in Willison et al., eds. Science and the management of protected areas: Developments in landscape management and urban planning, London, UK.

7 Brown, M. W., J. M. Allen, and S. D. Kraus. 1995. The designation of seasonal right whale conservation zones in the waters of Atlantic Canada. Pages 90-98 in N. Shackell and M. Willison, eds. Marine Protected Areas Association, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada.



> Vessel Strike Reduction Program > Fundy Disentanglement Support Network > Roseway Basin Area To Be Avoided > Conservation Areas > Recovery Plan > Bay of Fundy Shipping Lanes > Whale Rescue > Code of Ethics for Whale Watch Tour Operators > Code of Conduct for Fisherman > United States Stewardship Measures	Recovery Plan In 2000, a recovery plan was published to "improve the North Atlantic right whale's long-term chances for survival" 1. The recovery plan drafting team was co-chaired by representatives from Fisheries and Oceans Canada and World Wildlife Fund. To achieve their goal, the plan proposed five different strategies: • Reduce mortality and injury related to vessel strikes • Reduce the frequency and severity of entanglement in fishing gear • Minimize disturbance caused by human activities • Reduce exposure to chemical contamination and other forms of habitat degradation • Monitor the population and conduct research needed to better understand and address ongoing threats The proposed strategies have led to the implementation of a number of stewardship measures to reduce right whale mortalities and provided the framework to prioritize research and education programs in Canada. The Right Whale Recovery Implementation Team is presently drafting a recovery strategy that is compliant with the Species at Risk Act (SARA). The final document should be available in 2008. Timeline 1980 First status report issued by the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) on the right whale, Eubalaena glacialis, in Canada 2. Subsequent status reports were published in 1985, 1990 and 2003 3, 4, 5. 1992 Canadian recovery plan idea first suggested in Kraus and Brown 6. 1993 Fisheries Act - Marine Mammal Regulations. 1995 Concept of a recovery plan further developed by Brown et al. 7. 1997 World Wildlife Fund Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada co-sponsor the establishment of a Canadian Right Whale Recovery Team and the joint publication of a recovery plan in the absence of any legislative requirement. 1998 North Atlantic Right Whale Recovery Team is created. September 2000 Recovery Plan is published jointly by WWF and DFO. June 2003 Species at Risk Act (SARA) proclaimed. January 2005 The North Atlantic Right Whale is added to Schedule I of the Species at Risk Act as endangered. 1 Anonymous. 2000. Canadian Recovery Plan for the North Atlantic Right Whale. World Wildlife Fund Canada, Toronto, Ontario; Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, Canada. 2 Hay, K. A. 1980. COSEWIC status report on the right whale Eubalaena glacialis in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. 12 pages. 3 Gaskin, D. E. 1985. Update COSEWIC status report on the right whale Eubalaena glacialis in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. 50 pages. 4 Gaskin, D. E. 1990. Update COSEWIC status report on the North Atlantic right whale Eubalaena glacialis in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. 25 pages. 5 COSEWIC. 2003. COSEWIC assessment and update status report on the North Atlantic right whale Eubalaena glacialis in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. VII + 28 pages. 6 Kraus, S. D. and M. W. Brown. 1992. A right whale conservation plan for the waters of Atlantic Canada. Pages 79-85 in Willison et al., eds. Science and the management of protected areas: Developments in landscape management and urban planning, London, UK. 7 Brown, M. W., J. M. Allen, and S. D. Kraus. 1995. The designation of seasonal right whale conservation zones in the waters of Atlantic Canada. Pages 90-98 in N. Shackell and M. Willison, eds. Marine Protected Areas Association, Wolfville, Nova Scotia, Canada.

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