Ottawa will do whatever it takes to protect right whales, says Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlanc

The federal government will bring "absolutely every protection to bear" to preventdeaths of North Atlantic right whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, federal Fisheries Minister Dominic LeBlancpledged on Thursday.

His department is working closely with Transport Canadato address the "serious and troubling situation" and will provide whatever resources are necessary to protect the endangered species as well as the people who work near the "iconic animals," he said during a news conference in Moncton.

The government isprepared to "take all necessary steps," he said, noting the 10 recent confirmed deaths pose a threatto Canada's global reputation.

'We have, as a department, received help from experts literally around the world'

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The death toll of the endangered North Atlantic right whale in Gulf of St. Lawrence has climbed to 10 since June.

"Every option to protect right whales is on the table," the minister said, citing changes to shipping lanes, increased aerial surveillance, remote-controlled acoustic equipmentor changes to fishing gear as being among the possibilities.

LeBlancsaid he plans to convenea symposium with representatives of the marine and fishing industries to discuss and finalize the options. "We have a lot more work to do."

Ten right whales have died in the Gulf of St. Lawrence since June 7 four of them washingup on the west coast of Newfoundlandin the past week alone.

• 'Very tragic summer' leaves experts searching for plan to halt right whale deaths
• North Atlantic right whale deaths appear to be from collisions with ships, fishing gear

Preliminary necropsy reports suggest ship strikes and fishing gear entanglement are possible causes.

At least two other whaleshad to be freed from snow crab gear in recent weeks, including one saved byJoeHowlett, a 59-year-old fisherman fromCampobelloIsland, N.B.,who was killed during the rescue nearShippaganon July 10.

Fisheries and Oceans Canadaestimates there are only about 500 right whales left in the world, which means the deaths represent about two per cent of the global population. At least two of the dead whales were females.

Marine mammal experts have called on the federal government to take immediate steps to prevent further deaths.

LeBlancsaid Thursday it's a challenging problem, given the volume of shipping and marine traffic in the area.The Gulf of St. Lawrence connects central and Eastern Canada to international shipping markets.

ButCanada has "an enormousresponsibility" under the Endangered Species Act to find solutions, he said.

"If a country doesn't [address] its responsibilities, then one of the potential remedies is a restriction into the U.S. market, so Canada is and will take every possible measure to ensure we're doing what the world expects of us and what Canadians expect of us to protect this species."

Public concern

Canadians have been "deeply captured" by the images of the dead whales and the tragic circumstances surrounding the death of Howlett, said LeBlanc.

"Anybody who thinks it's not extremely seriousis very mistaken."

Some of the best scientists in the world are working on the issue, said LeBlanc, 15 or 20 of them "almost full-time."He expects a final report by mid-September, he said.

Earlier in the day, LeBlanc flew in a helicopter with some of the scientists overan area of the Gulfabout 30 kilometres east of Miscou Island, and saw approximately 15 to 25 right whales, he said, calling it "an absolutely majestic sight and a privilege."

They also saw drifting buoys and crab cages, whichwill be removed, he said.

Unprecedented numbers in the Gulf

LeBlancestimated there are between 80 and 100 right whales currently in the Gulf, which is two or three times higher than ever before.

Scientists have suggested climate change may have reduced their food supplies in other areas, forcing them to seek out new sources.

The whales are expected to leave the area around Thanksgiving, said LeBlanc. It's too early to speculate whether the same numbers will continue to return, he said.

• Fatal attraction: Why are so many right whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence?

The Fisheries Department responded to the deaths of the whales and Howlett last month by shutting down two days earlypart of the snow crab fishery,which overlapped the areawhere the whales were found.

Other stepsincluded asking mariners to voluntarily slow down along the Laurentian Channel in shipping lanes between the Magdalen Islands and the Gasp Peninsula untilSept. 30, and asking all commercial fishermen in the Gulf of St. Lawrence to watch for whales andreport any sightings.

Three of the eight right whales found floating between the Magdalen Islands and New Brunswick's Acadian Peninsula this summer suffered blunt trauma, indicating vessel strikes.

Another right whale was found entangled in snow crab gear.