Dead North Atlantic right whale found in Gulf of St. Lawrence

A dead North Atlantic right whale has been found drifting in theGulf of St. Lawrence.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada said in a media release the dead whale was spotted during an aerial surveillance flight on June 4.

"We are working with the Marine Animal Response Society (MARS),the Quebec Marine Mammal Emergency Response Network, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to find the whale and try to recover it," reads the release.

If the whale is located, Fisheries and Oceans Canada said it wouldattempt to install a satellite tag on the whale so it can be tracked.

The release states the department is assessing recovery and necropsy options.

This is the first right whale death reported in 2019. There were none reported in Canadian waters last year andFisheries and Oceans Canada decided to continue with protective measures.

A report releasedlate last year said there were only 411 right whales leftalive.