North Atlantic Right Whale trapped in fishing gear / Submitted: Dept. Fisheries and Oceans (File photo)
The future is looking brighter for the North Atlantic Right Whale which is why Ottawa is easing some restrictions to protect the mammals for the 2019 season.
Vessel strikes and entanglement in fishing gear have been two key threats for the Right Whale in recent years.
The endangered species has been migrating into the Gulf of St. Lawrence in greater numbers.
Federal fisheries minister Jonathan Wilkinson says DFO will still have mandatory speed restrictions for vessels and a static closure for the fishery in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
But he says the area will be a different shape and much smaller than last year and other periodic closures may also be necessary.
Wilkinson says the government is striving to take a balanced approach with its protection measures by respecting the Species-at-Risk Act and the economy of coastal communities.
According to the DFO, not a single Right Whale died in Canadian waters last year.
More recently five calves were spotted in American waters.
