North Atlantic Right whale conservation: is integrated coastal zone management the answer?

North Atlantic right whale are an endangered species that receive protection in Canada under the Species at Risk Act (SARA). Under SARA, Canada is required to undertake actions to promote right whale recovery. As a result,... [ view full abstract ]

North Atlantic right whale are an endangered species that receive protection in Canada under the Species at Risk Act (SARA). Under SARA, Canada is required to undertake actions to promote right whale recovery. As a result, numerous conservation measures have been implemented to protect whales in Canada. Despite existing conservation measures, right whales continue to suffer from unsustainable mortality and an unprecedented 17 dead right whales were found along the Eastern seaboard of North America over the course of June through November 2017. The majority of these whales were found in Canada. This highlights the need for improved management. An Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM) Framework was designed to critically analyze Canada’s Recovery Strategy for North Atlantic right whale. The framework reveals that Canada’s Recovery Strategy shares many key elements with an ICZM. Unfortunately, there are also important weaknesses in Canada’s Recovery Strategy that impede its success. An ICZM approach could build upon the current strategy to take advantage of these strengths and minimize the weaknesses. ICZM may offer a promising framework to improve right whale recovery in the Canadian Maritimes, which is a complex socio-economic and ecological environment.