A new interactive mapping tool has been introduced by the federal government in an effort to protect the endangered North Atlantic right whale.
Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Dominic Leblanc announced the WhaleMap yesterday that displays real time information on the locations of the whales as they travel in Canadian waters.
This will allow ocean industries and the public will have rapid access to the most recent information available.
“Our government is committed to the protection of endangered species, and will continue to take all appropriate actions to reduce threats to the iconic North Atlantic right whale and help ensure the survival of the species. Protecting Canada’s endangered whales from further harm is a shared responsibility, and working with partners like Dalhousie University adds more tools to strengthen these efforts,” Leblanc says.
The map was developed by Hansen Johnson, who is a PHD student in Oceanography at Dalhousie University.
It is now available on Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s website.
In 2017, 12 North Atlantic right whales died in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The global population is approximately 450 with only roughly 100 females of breeding age.
