New rules sprung on lobster fishermen to protect endangered whales

Parts of the water off the coast of New Brunswick will be closed to lobster fishing this season to protect the North Atlantic right whale, the Department of Fisheries and Oceans has told lobster fishermen.

It's one of several new measures that will affectthe lobster industry, after a historically deadly summer for the endangered whales.

Until now, the focus was mostly on snow crab fishing in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, after necropsies revealed at least three whales likely died as a result of entanglement in fishing gear.

• Earlier snow crab season, ship speed limits announced to protect North Atlantic right whales
• Ottawa will do whatever it takes to protect right whales, says Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc

But Tuesday's notice reveals many of the same measures announced in late March for the crab fishery will be applied to lobster fishing in the gulf as well.

Lobster fishermen reacted withsurprise and disappointment and suggested the new rules weremostly about the federal department's public image.

Martin Mallet, executive director of the Maritime Fishermen's Union, said the lobster industry only found out two weeks ago that Fisheries and Oceans was contemplatingrestrictions on them to protect whales.

He said lobster fishermen tried to suggest other solutions but the federal department didn't listen.

2 kinds of closures

Although lobster fishermen usually stay closer to shore than crab fishermen do, Ottawa believes they could venture into zones where the right whales will be found.

A "static closure" will be implemented off the northern coast of New Brunswick from April 28two days before the season begins and for its duration, until June 30.

The closure area is one wherewhere 90 per cent of the right whales were observed last summer.

Fisheries and Oceans will also enforce what it calls"dynamic closures" in other areas, meaning wherever a right whale will be spotted this season, the area around it will be closed for a minimum of 15 days.

Those closures would be lifted once two consecutiveaerial surveillance missions confirm the whales have moved on.

Other measures lobster fishermenwill now have to follow include:

• Reducing the amount of rope floating on the surface of the water.
• Reporting all lost fishing gear.
• Informing Fisheries and Oceansofall interactions with a marine mammal, includingbycatch, collisions and all sightings of entangled marine mammals that occur during fishing expeditions.
• Reporting any sightingof live, free-swimming whales to Fisheries and Oceans.

These measures will affect all lobster fishermen in the gulf region infishing zones 23, 24, 25 and 26.

Mallet, of the Maritime Fishermen's Union, said its members areexperts in fishing, and the union has scientific experts as well, yet Ottawa didn't seek their collaboration in coming up with a plan.

"It is mainly the process that isdeplored," he said. "Our members do not feel listened to and feel excluded, as if it is taken for granted that these measures do notconcern them."

At least18 north Atlantic right whales have been found dead since last year 12 in Canadian waters and six in U.S waters.

Necropsies on seven of the carcasses found last year determined four whales died of blunt force trauma from collisionswith ships, and the other three likely died from entanglementsin fishing gear.