A new study by Oceana Canada shows that a majority of vessels traveling through the Cabot Strait are not following a voluntary speed restriction meant to protect endangered right whales.

There are just some 400 North Atlantic right whales left on the planet.

Kim Elmslie is the Director of the campaign and says they wanted to see if ships were adhering to the voluntary speed restriction. As part of a trial run, Transport Canada asked vessels above 13 metres in length to lower their speeds below 10.0 knots. The first trial ran from April 28 until June 15, the second will be from October 1 to November 15, 2020.

Between May 19 and May 25 Oceana Canada recorded 97 vessels—72 per cent of them were going above the 10 knot speed restriction.

She says fastest observed going thru was 21 knots, almost double what the speed restriction is.

Elmslie says that 20 knots is likely certain to kill a right whale should it be struck by vessel, but if that speed is brought down to 10 knots the whale has about an 86 per cent chance of survival.