P.E.I. fishermen want answers about new restrictions to protect whales

The P.E.I. Fishermen's Association has some questions for the federal government about this year's restrictions to protect endangered right whales.

Among the new rules, Transport Canada has identified a sensitive area off western P.E.I. that it's calling the Shediac Valley. Boats won't be allowed in unless absolutely necessary, butexact boundaries have not yet been set.

"The coordinates won't actually be set until after the whales arrive," said Melanie Giffin, marine biologist for the association.

"So we don't actually know the location of that box until the whales are here and aggregating. So there's still some confusion around that."

Theassociation also says it's not clear ifthe exclusion of non-essential boats in the ShediacValleywill apply to licensed fishermen.

"We don't know if fishing is going to be allowed in there or not. So these kind of things need to be figured out," said Giffin.

Marked fishing gear

Fishermencontinue to do their part to keep whales safe, Giffin said.

For instance, this year theywill be using new colour-coded lines and ropes, sothe origin of any entanglements can be traced. Crews have already begun weaving the mandatory coloured strands into their lines, in preparation for the spring season.

Some lobster crews will also be testing special ropes this year that are designed to break if a whale gets tangled. The polymer line has a weak linkwoven into it, that whales can break without getting injured. The innovation was pioneered by lobster fishermenin the U.S.

"We need to trial iton different kinds of bottomand see if it works for us here," said Giffin.

The weak link could be phased in as a mandatory piece of gear in the 2022 season.

The association has also sent out whale identification sheetsto help fishermenreport any sightings of North Atlantic right whales.

No sightings have been reported so far in P.E.I. lobster fishing zones, according to Giffin right whales typically stick to deeper waters, she said.

"Our lobster fishing is actually pretty safe," said Giffin.

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