Government of Canada
Symbol of the Government of Canada

Species at Risk Public Registry

http://www.registrelep-sararegistry.gc.ca

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. > Documents
  3. > Recovery Strategy for the North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena glacialis) in Canadian Waters: Table 3
Table 3. Examples of activities with the potential to result in the destruction of the critical habitat of the North Atlantic right whale.
Threat Known or possible activities Possible Effect Pathway Function Affected Feature Affected Attribute Affected
Prey removal Capture and removal of prey species (e.g., a plankton fishery) Reduction in the abundance and availability of prey species. Adult foraging and feeding

Calf nursing and rearing		 Quantity of prey Sufficient quantity of C5 Calanus finmarchicus copepodites to support the population.
Acoustic disturbance Vessel noise (multiple sources). Types of vessel noise are described in Section 1.8.4.

Depending on the level of noise and mitigation employed, underwater noise production can cause:

  • alterations from natural behaviour
  • interference with communication
  • interference with feeding activities
  • avoidance of the area (displacement)
 Adult foraging and feeding

Calf nursing and rearing

Socializing and resting		 Acoustic environment Noise levels appropriate to allow effective social communication and foraging, and do not impede use of the critical habitat by North Atlantic right whales
Acute and chronic in-water and/or land-based industrial sounds (e.g. pile driving, production drilling etc.)
Seismic surveys using air gun arrays
Sonar
Alteration of physical and biological oceanographic conditions Large scale tidal energy turbine developments in the Bay of Fundy Depending on the scale of development and mitigation employed, the potential to reduce the energy of the tidal cycle which in turn could persistently alter the oceanographic features within critical habitat that lead to prey aggregation. Adult foraging and feeding

Calf nursing and rearing		 Quantity of prey Oceanographic features and conditions (e.g., upwellings, that support and aggregate concentrations of prey)
Contaminants Dumping and discharges of contaminants / pollution (multiple sources could include ocean dumping, industrial developments and persistent vessel discharges in and around critical habitat). Contaminants could impact the quantity and quality of prey. Biological and ecosystem level effects may also occur. Adult foraging and feeding

Calf nursing and rearing

Socializing and resting		 Quality of water and air

Quality and quantity of prey		 Water and air quality at levels that support sufficient quantity and quality of prey, and do not impede use of the critical habitat by North Atlantic right whales.

Return to Recovery Strategy for the North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena glacialis) in Canadian Waters

Footer

Date Modified:
2014-04-14