From Seafood Source: Canada's government has announced several measures to help protect the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale (Eubalaena glacialis) during the upcoming year, including measures to reduce the risk of interaction with fishing gear.
The protections include renewing the voluntary shallow water whale-safe gear pilot through 2029. The pilot allows commercial fishers to continue harvesting in water that would otherwise be closed due to the presence of North Atlantic right whales as long as they use innovative fishing gear that reduces the risk of entanglement.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada will also issue advisories about right whale detections in order to provide fishers better information on what to do if they encounter right whales.
Read more: Canada announces North Atlantic right whale protections for 2026
Featured Bycatch Species
The dusky shark is currently listed as Vulnerable by the IUCN, but populations continue to decline.