Latest news with #OceanaCanada
CTV News
4 days ago
- General
- CTV News
Calving season ends for North Atlantic right whales as conservationists hope for population recovery
A pair of North Atlantic right whales interact at the surface of Cape Cod Bay, March 27, 2023, in Massachusetts. For the past eight years, the North Atlantic right whale population has been fighting for its life. In 2017, 17 whales died from a combination of vessel strikes, entanglements, and unknown causes, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). They suffered 10 more deaths in 2019. In nearly a decade, 157 right whales have died or suffered serious injuries or illnesses, prompting the declaration of an unusual mortality event (UME) for the species. 'Understanding and investigating marine mammal UMEs is crucial because they can be indicators of ocean health, giving insight into larger environmental issues which may also have implications for human health,' reads the NOAA website. The calving season for the North Atlantic right whale recently ended, with the New England Aquarium reporting 11 confirmed mother-calf pairings. 'If you look over averages, 11 is actually the average number born,' said Kim Elmslie, campaign director with Oceana Canada. 'Last year, 20 calves were born and four of those calves are presumed to have died. 'The ideal number to hit is 50 calves, some models say. In 2009 there were 39 calves born, which is still a low number for this species. Every calf is to be celebrated, but we want to see more.' NOAA estimates there are roughly 370 North Atlantic right whales left; in 2017 that number sat at 431. Fifteen years ago the population rested at 477. Elmslie notes the raw numbers only tell half the story of the challenge facing the species. 'Of that population that are about 370, only 70 are reproductive females,' she said. 'If that number were to drop below 50, we'd have a crisis for the species.' Entanglements pose an ever-present threat to right whales, a fact that was hammered home this week as Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) reported an entangled whale that was spotted on the north shore of the St. Lawrence estuary. Oceana Canada said it was the first reported right whale entanglement in Canadian waters this year. DFO said the whale, which was identified as a juvenile male born in 2021, was first sighted entangled in North Carolina last December. Due to the ongoing entanglements, Oceana Canada has advocated for ropeless fishing gear to reduce the incidents. Elmslie says there is support from the fishing industry for exploring those kinds of opportunities. 'There are some unique opportunities as we see markets start to shift,' she said. 'It's a very interesting time globally. Canada might be poised in an interesting way to take advantage of these opportunities.' As the summer rolls along, Oceana Canada and other organizations will be keeping a close eye on the North Atlantic right whale population. 'Every year, everybody holds their breath,' she said.
CBC
23-02-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Atlantic conservationists concerned, frustrated as Trump orders pull back progress
U.S. President Donald Trump is signing executive order after executive order. Some of which involve stripping away protection for marine wildlife and environmental welfare. And now, marine wildlife and environment experts in Atlantic Canada are raising alarm bells. Kim Elmslie, campaign director for Oceana Canada, said there is concern around how policy changes in the U.S. could impact conservation efforts of the endangered North Atlantic right whale. She said these whales, which have an estimated population of about 370, spend more of their time in American waters. "This is a species, like any wild animal, that doesn't recognize borders, so what happens in the U.S. can impact in Canada," said Elmslie. "Rolling back or changing measures in the U.S. could hasten this species decline and potential extinction." A month ago, the Biden administration had dropped a proposed rule that would have required more vessels to slow down in East Coast waters. Elmslie said she will be keeping an eye on changes to policies around vessel speed limits and restrictions around the use of fishing gear and will continue efforts to work with the U.S. on these measures. Sean Brillant, senior conservation biologist for marine programs with the Canadian Wildlife Federation, said one of the greatest concerns for him is a lack of communication from marine scientists and experts in the U.S., with lingering rumours about incoming drastic policy changes. "We've seen situations where, all of the sudden, some collaborators on different projects need approval from higher levels of government before they are allowed to communicate with Canadian scientists," he said. Historically, there hasn't been as much interest in conservation or protection work from the other side of the border, said Brillant, and that's now likely to continue or get worse. Bring on the plastic and "Drill, baby drill" President Trump signed an executive order last week reversing a Biden administrative environmental initiative that eliminated plastic single-use straws within all federal buildings and parks. Paper straws were used as an alternative. Trump instructed the U.S. government to stop buying paper straws and to revert back to plastic. This was just one move Trump made to weaken the country's environmental commitments. He also removed the United States from the Paris climate agreement for the second time and pulled back on a Biden administration policy to end all use of single-use plastics from all federal operations by 2035. "We're facing a global plastic pollution crisis that our leaders cannot afford to ignore and the U.S. is moving in the wrong direction on this," said Krista Beardy, a microplastics researcher at the University of New Brunswick. Beardy said while plastic straws are just one small part of the problem when it comes to ocean waste, they act as a reminder to the bigger issue at hand. "The environment, air, land and sea are completely polluted with plastics," said Beardy. Single-use plastics, such as straws, coffee lids and to-go containers, break down into microplastics that are problematic. "These are turning up in the stomach of fish and birds and other animals as well as now in human blood and tissue," said Beardy. She said estimates suggest about 199 million tonnes of plastic waste are in our oceans right now. And, 16 million tonnes of plastic enters marine habitats every year. "It's really quite alarming," said Beardy who also points to carbon emissions that are created through the production of plastics. "90 per cent of plastic products are derived from fossil fuels." Beardy said the Paris Agreement, which was adopted by 196 countries and took effect in 2016, is meant to hold nations accountable and encourage them to work together in their efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to ensure the world meets a net zero goal by 2050. Beardy said meeting this goal is imperative to a stable climate and to protect our air and water resources. In turn, it's critical for public health and a thriving economy. She said it is for this reason that many multi-national companies are reducing their use of single-use plastics to be in line with their sustainability goals. "So this also makes Trump's decision an absolute outlier in the business world itself," said Beardy. Beardy said governments on either side of the border have invested a lot of money into research that is meant to inform policy decisions. And, it has taken decades of outreach from researchers and conservationists to start seeing change. She said any steps backward are frustrating and ignoring research is a waste of taxpayers dollars and a waste of time. "We don't have that time to waste, global warming and climate change are moving forward and if we don't meet our emission reduction targets then there's going to be trouble," said Beardy. Brillant said it's more important than ever that the government and experts in Canada ensure current protections do not falter. "I think it's part of an emerging understanding that we've had an exceedingly frivolous relationship with plastics, especially throw-away plastics, I think that we see society acknowledging this," said Brillant. He said it's up to governmental bodies to reflect society's desire for cleaner oceans through policy. His hope now is that these drawbacks will reinforce individuals to make their own conscious efforts to reduce plastic waste.
