Canada is growing its鈥痵uite of innovative monitoring technologies to protect the North Atlantic right whale.鈥�
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The Ocean Tracking Network鈥�(OTN)鈥痑nd 黑料吃瓜网, in partnership with the University of New Brunswick鈥�(UNB)鈥痑nd Transport Canada,鈥痟ave established a鈥�$3.6-million鈥痯roject to鈥痗onduct monitoring of North Atlantic right whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence using ocean-going鈥痬arine autonomous vehicles called underwater gliders.鈥��
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The project has鈥痑llowed鈥疧TN鈥痶o鈥痯urchase鈥痑 new鈥痵tate-of-the鈥痑rt鈥疓3鈥疭locum鈥痷nderwater glider. This robot will be added to the fleet of gliders operated and maintained by Dalhousie鈥檚 Coastal Environmental Observation Technology and Research group (CEOTR).鈥��
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The glider will鈥痓e equipped with鈥痑鈥痭ew鈥痟ydrophone developed鈥痑t鈥痶he鈥疻oods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI). It鈥痠dentifies鈥痶he calls鈥痮f North Atlantic right whales as they navigate Canadian waters and鈥痯rovides鈥痭ear鈥痳eal-time whale detections鈥痶o鈥痑uthorities鈥痶o help avoid collisions with vessels in busy shipping corridors.鈥疕ydrophone-equipped鈥痷nderwater gliders also detect and report the鈥痗alls鈥痮f鈥痮ther large whales, including blue, fin, sei and humpback.鈥�
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鈥淕lider data is鈥痟elping us know where whales鈥痑re鈥痠n time to鈥痟elp inform decisions that could reduce collisions with vessels 鈥� one of the main causes of death for these whales,鈥濃�痵ays Fred Whoriskey, executive director with OTN.
Extending and enhancing surveillance
Transport Canada is providing up to $2.8 million towards this five-year project, with鈥痑n additional $800,000 in-kind contribution to support鈥痝lider鈥痮perations鈥痑nd data processing provided by OTN and鈥疷NB.鈥�
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Over the past five years, the federal government has鈥痙eployed鈥痑 comprehensive suite of tools to鈥痬onitor鈥痑nd protect the North Atlantic right whale, including鈥痑ircraft surveillance and ship-based鈥痸isual surveys in the gulf, and the glider program鈥痮perated鈥痓y OTN and CEOTR to name a few.鈥疶his new project will extend and enhance existing right whale monitoring work for鈥痑t least鈥痶he next鈥痜ive鈥痽ears.鈥�
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鈥淭he Government of Canada remains committed to protecting the endangered North Atlantic right whale and continues to take action to support the species鈥� recovery. This investment will improve our ability to monitor for these whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The data collected from these gliders will provide information for additional vessel traffic management measures that could reduce the risk of collisions between vessels and whales,鈥� says the Honourable Omar Alghabra, minister of transport.
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Kim Davies, a鈥痳ight whale expert at鈥疷NB, is the scientific lead for the project.鈥疭he has led the design of glider survey paths for the鈥�2021鈥痵eason, and鈥痑ll鈥痑coustic recordings鈥痜rom the gliders鈥痠ndicating鈥痶he presence鈥痮f whales are confirmed by analysts in her lab.鈥��
Managing and mitigating risk
The recent shift of the North Atlantic right whale from its more traditional seasonal feeding grounds in the Bay of Fundy and the鈥疪oseway鈥疊asin to the Gulf of St. Lawrence has increased the risk of collisions with vessels and entanglement in fishing gear for this endangered species.鈥�
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In late 2020, Canada ordered two temporary fishery closures in the鈥疪oseway鈥疊asin after multiple right whale detections in the area.鈥�
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鈥淭he information gathered will be used to help inform decisions to manage human activities鈥痑nd鈥痬itigate鈥痳isks to whales.鈥疻hile the whales do not call all the time, calls are not affected by darkness or rough surface conditions, making acoustic monitoring a鈥痸aluable鈥痶ool鈥痠n efforts to protect the right whale,鈥� says Davies.鈥�