RESEARCH, CONSERVATION & STEWARDSHIP PROJECTS

North Atlantic right whales have been roaming the ocean for thousands of years. Over 800 years of extensive hunting for their yield of commercially valuable products, baleen and oil, resulted in a significant decline in the population. Despite international protection since 1935, the species is still hovering on the brink of extinction: about 350 remain.

The CWI supports many research projects and stewardship measures taking place throughout the Canadian range of the species. From the Labrador shore searching for bones from the Basque-whaling era to the Gaspe Peninsula surveying for the missing nursery ground, the CWI involvement in right whale research has played a major role in the recovery of the species. It has contributed to the development of the recovery plan, the relocation of the Bay of Fundy shipping lanes and outreach material to educate fishermen, mariners and policy makers about right whales. However, more needs to be done to reduce human caused mortalities and the CWI is committed to ensure the future of the North Atlantic right whale.

rightwhale.ca

CWI is maintaining rightwhale.ca, a bilingual website promoting stewardship of the highly endangered North Atlantic right whale in Canadian waters. The main goal of rightwhale.ca is to highlight and promote ongoing conservation and stewardship efforts in Canada including disentanglement response, development of new fishing practices, and actions to reduce collisions between right whales and ships. It targets different audiences but mostly focuses on fishermen, recreational and professional mariners, and students. In addition, rightwhale.ca provides scientific information on the right whales for policy makers.

Gaspé Peninsula Surveys

In 2006, CWI organized a survey of the Gaspé Peninsula area for the presence of right whales, obtain photographic data to identify individuals, assess the level of human activity in the area where right whales are found and conduct educational activities with interested members of the community to develop a local sighting network. Shipboard surveys were undertaken from July 28, 2006 to August 12, 2006 at the mouth of Chaleur Bay. A total trackline distance of 786km was surveyed over a period of six days. There were three right whales sighted of which one was successfully photographed and identified to catalogue number 1155. Other marine species seen during the surveys were grey seal (Halichoerus grypus), harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), basking shark (Cetorhinus mazimus), and minke (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), fin (Balaenoptera physalus), humpback (Megaptera novaeangliae) and blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus). We trained selected individuals from the local community to participate in a network of observers. Network members have provided opportunistic sightings of five additional and different right whales during the summer and autumn of 2006.
For more info, link to www.rightwhale.ca