Management solutions for an at-risk population of northern bottlenose whales (Hyperoodon ampullatus) in the international waters of the Sackville Spur [graduate project].

• Main Author: Marotte, Emma
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2018
• Subjects: hyperoodon ampullatus; Newfoundland
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10222/73834

Recent visual and acoustic evidence has indicated the presence of a previously undescribed population of northern bottlenose whales (Hyperoodon ampullatus) around the Sackville Spur, an undersea sediment drift bordering the Flemish Pass in the international waters east of Newfoundland. The area is subject to intense fishing pressure, ongoing hydrocarbon exploration activities and shipping traffic, which threaten this population of whales with acoustic disturbance, entanglement, vessel strike and exposure to contaminants and marine pollution. In light of these negative impacts and large knowledge gaps surrounding the population, protective measures are required. However, there are a lack of clear regulatory and governance mechanisms that exist to guide conservation of sensitive marine species in international waters. To address this complex situation, a risk analysis was conducted to identify which threats most required management intervention. Solutions for the most severe threats were evaluated based on their perceived feasibility and effectiveness, and formed the basis of a shortlist of management recommendations. In the absence of an existing international framework, proposed solutions include strengthening Canadian policy and legislation to address the effects of marine noise, incorporating whales into the ecosystem based approach used by regional fisheries management bodies, and implementing subsidy and incentive programs for marine industry. These protective measures would address the known threats and help ensure the long-term survival of this new population.