The North Atlantic right whale population faces renewed threats as a U.S. congressional bill seeks to freeze new federal protections until 2035, drawing sharp concern from marine biologists and conservationists across Canada and the United States. According to an internal federal memo from Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) obtained via an access-to-information request by The Canadian Press, Ottawa officials are growing increasingly alarmed over the legislative push. Representative Jared Golden of Maine and backed by President Donald Trump, aims to extend an existing moratorium on new federal regulations intended to safeguard the endangered mammals.
Legislative Push to Extend Regulatory Moratorium to 2035
The U.S. legislative text seeks to prolong a current pause on federal rulemaking designed to protect North Atlantic right whales from commercial fishing and shipping hazards. Originally scheduled to expire in 2028, the regulatory freeze aims to buy time for the development of new conservation measures with lesser economic impacts on the U.S. fishing sector. However, conservation groups and scientists on both sides of the border argue that granting the industrial sector another decade of reprieve could prove fatal for the species. According to Sean Brillant, senior conservation biologist for the Canadian Wildlife Federation, the extinction risk is immediate if major partners like the United States step back from active protection.
Population Status and Primary Migration Threats
North Atlantic right whales remain among the most endangered marine mammals globally, with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) estimating the current population at approximately 380 individuals, including just 70 breeding females. Every year, these cetaceans migrate thousands of miles between winter calving grounds off Florida and Georgia and summer feeding areas in the northeast United States and eastern Canada. Ocean warming has driven their food supply northward, pushing whales deeper into the Gulf of St. Lawrence, according to Sean Brillant. This shifting migration route forces the animals through heavy shipping lanes and intense fishing corridors, exposing them to two primary killers: vessel strikes and gear entanglement.
Conservation Science and Technological Solutions
Marie Cadieux, marine conservation coordinator for the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, Quebec chapter (SNAP Quebec), warns that the proposed U.S. legislation will likely increase fatal collisions and entanglements. Nora Ives, a marine scientist for U.S.-based Oceana, describes the policy move as premature, unnecessary, and catastrophic, noting that at least 31 right whales have been killed or seriously injured by fishing gear since 2022. This toll includes a tragic 2024 case where a three-year-old female was found dead after spending more than half its life entangled in lobster gear originating from Maine. Despite these risks, environmental scientists emphasize that solutions exist, pointing to ongoing trials in Canada and the U.S. deploying ropeless or on-demand fishing gear that eliminates vertical lines in the water column.
Recent Stability and Future Cross-Border Cooperation
Recent conservation efforts have yielded tangible results, halting a decade-long population freefall between 2014 and 2021 through vessel speed restrictions and dynamic fishery closures. Mandatory 10-knot speed limits for vessels over 13 meters in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and select U.S. waters, alongside temporary fishing area closures when whales are spotted, have helped stabilize numbers. The most recent calving season recorded 23 calves, the highest figure in 15 years, according to Sean Brillant. Yet, because a calf takes a decade to reach sexual maturity, biologists stress that stabilization alone does not guarantee survival. As the U.S. Congress weighs the bill, Canadian officials and conservationists maintain that cross-border scientific collaboration and strict national leadership remain essential to prevent extinction.