MSC pre-assesment made public

Participant list confirmed

Workplan made public

DFO has published its 2023 management measures plan to protect NARW in Canada

The FIP produced a bait report which demonstrates bait demand is in high (estimated up to 100,000 mt) and many of the preferred bait species in Atlantic Canada are harvested from other countries. Alternative bait sources have also been identified including blended baits, synthetic bait, acoustic bait, non-traditional species bait, and non-seafood alternative bait.

The FIP continues to correspond with DFO about action progress; DFO has given increased priority to logbook reporting and catch verification for 2022-2023.

Federal-provincial bait working group established; the working group will examine bait supply & demand and alternative bait sources.

Data requests were prepared for DFO to disclose SARA log reporting frequency and ETP species identified

Completed meeting with DFO science in March 2021, presented proposed research approach

Draft bait survey has been prepared to disseminate

DFO has published new management measures to protect NARW; measures implemented include: mandatory use of Whalesafe gear, mandatory reporting of lost gear, the establishment of temporary and season-long fishery closures and ghost gear retrieval.

DFO has developed an action plan for the (Canada) North Atlantic Right Whale (NAWR); the action plan outlines conservation measures for achieving species recovery