A recent research study has discovered that critically endangered North Atlantic right whales are engaging in nighttime surface feeding, which poses an increased risk of collisions with boats. The findings, published in the peer-reviewed journal PLOS One, highlight the behavior of North Atlantic right whales feeding near the ocean’s surface at night and offer insights to mitigate fatal encounters between the whales and vessels.
Lead author of the study, Jay Kirkham, a PhD student at Dalhousie University in Halifax, collaborated with the U.S.-based non-profit Ocean Alliance to tag 23 right whales in the Shediac Valley, located in the southern Gulf of St. Lawrence. This region serves as a feeding ground for a portion of the estimated 384 North Atlantic right whale population during the summer months.
Utilizing tags that captured video footage and movement data of the whales, Kirkham observed the whales’ feeding behavior during both day and night. The study revealed that while right whales typically feed near the sea floor during the day, they ascend to higher depths at night to follow their primary food source, zooplankton.
Kirkham leveraged these observations to develop a machine learning algorithm capable of identifying nighttime feeding behavior when visual identification was not possible. The data indicated that whales are feeding at depths similar to large vessels at night, heightening the risk of collisions.
Collisions with ships and entanglements in fishing gear are major threats to the North Atlantic right whale population, with this study offering valuable insights for conservation efforts. Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Transport Canada oversee protection measures for the whales, including speed restrictions and vessel exclusion zones in critical areas such as the Shediac Valley.
Transport Canada employs a whale surveillance program that utilizes visual and audio detection tools to safeguard the whales from collisions. These measures, coupled with ongoing scientific research and stakeholder feedback, inform the development of strategies to protect the North Atlantic right whales and reduce the risk of deadly encounters with vessels.
