The federal government has announced $20 million dollars to fund a program to help with the transition to fishing gear that will help prevent whales from becoming entangled.
The Whalesafe Gear Adoption Fund will help support the development of ropeless gear or low breakpoint rope for fish harvesters who must transition to the new gear by the start of the 2023 fishing season.
Each year the Whale Strandings and Rescue Group gets called out to help free cetaceans from fishing gear.
The federal government is hoping to prevent the risk of entanglement by requiring all non-tended, fixed gear fisheries in the Atlantic region to begin using gear that will make it easier for large whales to free themselves should they become entangled.
Federal Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada Bernadette Jordan says it’s part of government’s effort to ensure the protection of marine mammals.
Minister Jordan says the department sees significant amounts of ghost gear in Canada’s oceans, and emphasizes the need to take action to prevent entanglement and protect the species.)
The fund will allow harvesters and others purchase, test and refine existing whalesafe gear, and encourage manufacturers to increase the domestic supply of commercially-ready whalesafe gear by 2023.