Interim Order: Protect Right Whales in Gulf

Summary#

The federal government issued the Interim Order for the Protection of North Atlantic Right Whales (Eubalaena glacialis) in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, 2025 under the Canada Shipping Act, 2001. It sets temporary speed limits and possible navigation restrictions for vessels in parts of the Gulf to protect right whales; the order takes effect immediately and is repealed after 30 days.

What it does#

• Applies to vessels longer than 13 m.
• Sets a default speed limit of 10 knots over ground inside defined “static zones” and “seasonal management areas.”
• Triggers the same 10-knot limit inside designated “dynamic shipping zones” (and a 5-nautical-mile buffer and 2.5-nautical-mile side buffer) whenever the Minister of Transport detects at least one right whale in the zone and a navigational warning is issued by the Canadian Coast Guard.
• Allows a temporary prohibition on navigation in a defined “restricted area” if the Minister of Transport decides it’s needed because of many whales or reports of whale deaths/injuries; that prohibition would be announced by the Canadian Coast Guard and would bar vessels from entering the area.
• Lists exceptions to the restricted-area prohibition for certain vessels (for example, those used for commercial fishing, Indigenous communal fishing under licence, government or enforcement vessels on duty, authorized research, marine mammal response work, pollution response, or to avoid immediate danger). Excepted vessels (other than government/peace officers) must follow an 8-knot speed limit in the restricted area while the prohibition is in effect.
• Exempts commercial fishing vessels operating in waters no deeper than 36.57 m from the static-zone 10-knot limit—unless a notice and navigational warning say a right whale has been detected in that static zone; in that case the speed limit applies for 15 days from detection (and can be extended by further detections).
• If government whale-detection work cannot be carried out for 7 days or more in a dynamic shipping zone, the Minister must ask the Canadian Coast Guard to issue a navigational warning imposing the 10-knot limit until detection resumes.
• The order relies on published or broadcast navigational warnings (NAVWARNs) and Department of Fisheries and Oceans notices to communicate when limits or prohibitions start and stop.
• The order was signed by Chrystia Freeland on April 16, 2025 and was published in the Canada Gazette on May 3, 2025. It comes into force on the day it was made and is repealed 30 days later.

Who's affected#

• Commercial ship operators (cargo ships, tankers, container vessels) and cruise ships that operate in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.
• Ferries, tugs and towing vessels, and other commercial vessels longer than 13 m.
• Fish harvesters whose vessels are over 13 m (note: there is a specific shallow-water exception, but limits can still apply if whales are detected).
• Research vessels, government vessels, and marine response teams (some of which are listed among exceptions and may face reduced speed limits).
• Recreational boats over 13 m (smaller recreational boats under 13 m are not covered by this order).
• Communities and businesses that depend on marine shipping and fishing in the affected areas may notice schedule or routing changes while the order is in effect.

Why it matters#

• The order creates short-term, enforceable speed and navigation controls in parts of the Gulf of St. Lawrence aimed at protecting North Atlantic right whales.
• For mariners and shipping operators, it can mean slower transits, temporary route closures, and the need to watch for navigational warnings and Department of Fisheries and Oceans notices.
• For people concerned about whale safety and conservation, it is a targeted government action intended to reduce risks to a vulnerable whale population during the 30‑day interim period.
• The measures depend on whale detection and official notices, so their timing can change quickly based on where whales are seen or if detection activity is interrupted.