Researchers are watching with great interest after recent sightings of rare North Atlantic right whales off the province’s northeast coast.
The endangered species usually feeds in the busy Gulf of St. Lawrence where they are prone to vessel strikes and entanglement in fishing gear.
DFO whale researcher, Dr. Jack Lawson says there have only been 20 to 25 sightings of the rare whales in Newfoundland waters since record-keeping began, yet in the last week or so there have been a number of recent sightings.
On November 3 some turr hunters off Brigus South reported seeing a whale which was similar to a right whale, but no pictures were taken. A few days later two right whales were captured on video off Pacquet off the Baie Verte Peninsula. On November 11 an off duty DFO officer turr hunting at Herring Neck near Twillingate spotted another North Atlantic right whale and captured it on camera.
