A recent research study discovered that North Atlantic right whales, a critically endangered species, are engaging in nighttime surface feeding, which puts them at a higher risk of colliding with boats. The study, recently published in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS One, unveiled this behavior in North Atlantic right whales, offering new insights that could aid in preventing fatal collisions between the whales and vessels.
The study’s primary author, Jay Kirkham, a PhD student at Dalhousie University in Halifax, collaborated with the U.S.-based non-profit Ocean Alliance to attach tracking devices to 23 right whales in the Shediac Valley, a submerged valley in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. During the summer months, a segment of the North Atlantic right whale population, estimated at around 384 whales, congregates in the Shediac Valley for feeding purposes.
Kirkham explained that the tracking devices captured video footage and movement data of the whales, highlighting their feeding behavior both during the day and at night. The study revealed that despite typically feeding near the sea floor during the day, the whales ascend in the water column at night to feed on zooplankton, bringing them into closer proximity to large vessels.
According to Kirkham, collisions with ships and entanglements in fishing gear pose significant threats to the whales, with these factors being the leading causes of death in the population. The findings of this study could potentially guide conservation efforts aimed at protecting the North Atlantic right whales.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada emphasized that their conservation measures are focused on preventing whale entanglements in fishing gear and enforcing seasonal fishing closures. Transport Canada, on the other hand, enforces speed restrictions and a vessel exclusion zone in the Shediac Valley during the summer to mitigate the risk of collisions between boats and right whales in the area.
Despite these measures, Kirkham noted that the tagged whales spent a considerable portion of their feeding time outside the vessel exclusion zone, thus increasing their exposure to ship traffic. Transport Canada mentioned the implementation of a right whale surveillance program utilizing visual and audio detection tools to safeguard the whales from collisions, emphasizing the importance of leveraging scientific research and stakeholder feedback to enhance protection measures.