One more step toward the extinction of right whales in the North Atlantic?

Photo AFP

QMI agency

Tuesday, 27 march 2018 15:53

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Tuesday, 27 march 2018 15:53

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A new tile is down on the right whales of the North Atlantic, a threatened species that has had to deal with a high rate of mortality last summer in the estuary of the St. Lawrence, so that no little calf seems to be born in the last season.

According to the head of the program of recovery of right whales in the national marine fisheries of the United States, Barb Zoodsma, no birth was observed during the last four months, or during the period of foaling, along the coasts of Florida and Georgia. In an interview with the CNN, the biologist said that it was “concerned” by the situation.

The number of births of right whales observed in the last five years has been very low, while barely a hundred females can give birth to live always, say american researchers. They believe that they would still be less than 450 right whales in the Atlantic.

Last year, 17 whales were reportedly killed, including by reason of collision with ships and strangulation with the fishing equipment. The number, 12 had lost their lives in the gulf of St. Lawrence.

In front of the blaze, the federal government announced, in January last, a series of measures to protect the whales. Fishermen must in particular respect of the new rules, when they use ropes, for example for the crab fishery, in order to limit the risks to the whales.

The speed limits imposed on ships by 2017 should also be back this year.

The right whale of the North Atlantic is a hope to be regarded as being endangered, both in Canada and the United States.