The Government of Canada has announced the enhanced 2020 measures that will help reduce the risks to North Atlantic right whales during the 2020 season from April to November. In addition to measures to prevent entanglements with fishing gear, Transport Canada will re-implement the mandatory speed limit to 10 knots in the western Gulf of St. Lawrence and continue to allow vessels to travel at safe operational speeds in parts of the shipping lanes north and south of Anticosti Island when no North Atlantic right whales are detected in the area. New measures also include two seasonal management areas:
- restricted area in the Shediac Valley where vessels will be required to avoid the area or reduce their speed to 8 kn; and
- a trial voluntary speed limit of 10 knots for the Cabot Strait for parts of the season.
All measures apply to vessels longer than 13 metres.
