The government of Canada announced the temporary mandatory slowdown for vessels in the Gulf of St. Lawrence has been lifted, in order to ensure ships can maintain manoeuverability in winter conditions and “for the safety of those operating in Canadian waters”.
The temporary mandatory slowdown was implemented in August for vessels 20 metres or more to a maximum of 10 knots, due to the increased presence of whales in the western Gulf of St. Lawrence, between the Quebec north shore and just north of Prince Edward Island, adn as a response to the death of 12 right whales during the summer of 2017, some of which were determined to be as a result of ship strikes. The global population of these marine mammals is approximately 450.
However, the Ministry of Transport informed that there have been no sightings of North Atlantic right whales in the area of the slow-down in recent weeks.
Since August, Transport Canada has issued 13 penalties to ships for alleged non-compliance with a temporary mandatory slowdown and it will now continue to investigate all reported cases of non-compliance while the speed restriction was in effect.
“Our government took forceful action in response to the whale deaths in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. We will continue to monitor the situation and will impose the speed restriction again if the whales migrate back to the area,” said Marc Garneau, Minister of Transport.
The measure was part of the country’s $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan, the largest investment ever made to protect Canada’s coasts and waterways. Through this plan, the Government of Canada is creating a marine safety system that provides economic opportunities for Canadians, while protecting waters for generations to come.
“While lifting the slowdown at this time helps ensure safe transit for mariners during harsh winter conditions, our focus is on continuing to work with partners on the effective actions we will take to protect the iconic North Atlantic right whale,” said Dominic LeBlanc, P.C., Q.C., M.P., Minister of Fisheries, Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard.
