COSEWIC Status Appraisal Summary on the North Pacific Right Whale Eubalaena japonica in Canada - 2015

COSEWIC status reports are working documents used in assigning the status of wildlife species suspected of being at risk. This report may be cited as follows:

COSEWIC. 2015. COSEWIC status appraisal summary on the North Pacific Right Whale Eubalaena japonica in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. xiii pp. (Species at Risk Public Registry).

COSEWIC acknowledges John K. B. Ford for writing the status appraisal summary on the North Pacific Right Whale, Eubalaena japonica, in Canada, prepared under contract with Environment Canada. This status appraisal summary was overseen and edited by David Lee, Co-chair of the COSEWIC Marine Mammals Specialist Subcommittee.

COSEWIC Secretariat
c/o Canadian Wildlife Service
Environment Canada
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0H3

Tel.: 819-938-4125
Fax: 819-938-3984
E-mail: COSEWIC/COSEPAC@ec.gc.ca
Website: COSEWIC

Également disponible en français sous le titre Sommaire du statut de l'espèce du COSEPAC sur la Baleine noire du Pacifique Nord (Eubalaena japonica) au Canada.

• COSEWIC: The Right Whale was considered a single species and designated Endangered in 1980. Status re-examined and confirmed in April 1985 and in April 1990. Split into two species in May 2003. North Pacific Right Whale was not re-evaluated in May 2003; it retained the Endangered status of the original Right Whale. Status re-examined and confirmed Endangered in November 2004 and May 2015.

Wildlife species: Eubalaena japonica

English Name: North Pacific Right Whale

French name: Baleine noire du Pacifique Nord

Range of occurrence in Canada: Pacific Ocean

• Change in eligibility, taxonomy or designatable units:
  • No
• Explanation:
  • No changes.

• Change in Extent of Occurrence (EO):
  • Unknown
• Change in Index of Area of Occupancy (IAO) :
  • Unknown
• Change in number of known or inferred current locations:
  • Unknown
• Significant new survey information:
  • Yes

Explanation

Sightings of two different individuals off the north and south coasts of British Columbia in 2013 (see Population Information section below) confirmed that the current range of the species includes Canadian Pacific waters. Prior to these sightings, the last confirmed North Pacific Right Whale seen in these waters was killed by whalers in 1951. Until very recently, it had been uncertain if the species still occurs in Canada. The range of the species in Canadian waters remains uncertain.

• Change in number of mature individuals:
  • Unknown
• Change in population trend:
  • Unknown
• Change in severity of population fragmentation:
  • Unknown
• Change in trend in area and/or quality of habitat:
  • Unknown
• Significant new survey information
  • No

Explanation

The North Pacific Right Whale was almost extirpated by intensive commercial whaling in the 19th and 20th centuries and remains extremely rare today, particularly in the eastern North Pacific. Although some recovery may have been underway by the mid-20th century, illegal whaling by the former Soviet Union in the 1960s likely further depleted the remnant population. Recent evidence reveals that this illegal whaling was more extensive than once thought. Records indicate that at least 529 North Pacific Right Whales were killed from 1962 to1968 for the Eastern North Pacific, compared to the previously reported number of 372 whales for the same time period (Ivashchenko and Clapham 2012).

Once considered to have a continuous distribution across the North Pacific, recent re-analysis of historical whaling records (Josephson et al. 2008), habitat modelling (Gregr 2011) and genetic analyses (LeDuc et al. 2012) support the existence of two discrete populations of the species, one in the western North Pacific including the Sea of Okhotsk, and one in the eastern North Pacific including the eastern Bering Sea. Although there is no current population size estimate for the western population, the IUCN’s assessment (Reilly et al. 2008) of “~400 animals for the Okhotsk Sea and ~100 for the rest of the North Pacific” is considered reasonable (e.g., NMFS 2013).

Significant new information is available on the eastern population of North Pacific Right Whales. Since the discovery in the late 1990s of an area of predictable summer occurrence in the southeastern Bering Sea, dedicated surveys have been undertaken to estimate numbers. No quantitative estimate was available for inclusion in the last status update (COSEWIC 2004). Estimates of numbers for the eastern North Pacific (including the southeastern Bering Sea) using three independent techniques (photo-identification, DNA genotyping, and acoustic monitoring) have since been published and are summarized here.

Photographs of natural markings to identify individuals have provided both minimum counts of animals and quantitative estimates using mark-recapture methods. The largest number of individuals identified in the Bering Sea in any single year was 17 in 2004 (Wade et al. 2006). From photographs of 18 uniquely marked individuals obtained during 1999–2008 in the southeastern Bering Sea and along the Aleutian Islands, Wade et al. (2011a) estimated 31 individuals (95% CI: 23–54) using a mark-recapture model. This model was also used to derive an estimate of 28 animals (95% CI: 24–42) from 21 individuals identified by genotyping. Of these, an estimated 8 animals were female (95% CI: 7–18) and 20 were male (95% CI: 17–37). Finally, Right Whale vocalizations recorded on three autonomous recording instruments moored in the southeastern Bering Sea during 2001–2002 and 2005–2006 were used in an acoustic cue-counting distance sampling model to obtain an estimate of 25 animals (95% CI: 13–47) (Marques et al. 2011). The results of these three different methods to estimate numbers are consistent and support earlier suggestions that the numbers using the southeastern Bering Sea are extremely small.

Sightings of Right Whales in the Gulf of Alaska are far fewer in number than in the Bering Sea, but there has been relatively little survey effort in the Gulf, notably in offshore waters where the species was historically widely distributed (Brownell et al. 2001; Ivashchenko and Clapham 2012; Allen and Angliss 2013; National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) 2013). Waite et al. (2003) observed a single Right Whale on Albatross Bank, south of Kodiak Island, Alaska, in July 1998. Subsequent acoustic monitoring using a submerged recorder in this area during 2000 detected probable Right Whale calls (Waite et al. 2003; Mellinger et al. 2004). Wade et al. (2011b) documented 4 North Pacific Right Whales during 2004–2006 on Albatross Bank; photo-identification and genotyping of 2 whales failed to reveal a match to Right Whales in the Bering Sea. The whales were found in the Barnabus Trough area of Albatross Bank and were associated with high densities of potential prey, euphausiids and copepods. This location as well as the area of regular Right Whale occurrence in the southeastern Bering Sea were designated as critical habitat under the US Endangered Species Act in 2006 (NMFS 2013).

In addition to very low numbers, North Pacific Right Whales sampled in Alaska have very low genetic diversity (LeDuc et al. 2012). This, plus the infrequency of observations of females and calves, extremely low effective population size, and possible isolation from western North Pacific Right Whales led LeDuc et al. (2012) to conclude that the eastern population is at immediate risk of extirpation.

Sightings of North Pacific Right Whales in the northeastern Pacific south of the Gulf of Alaska are extremely rare. Only nine confirmed sightings were documented between 1980 and 1998 and none from 1999 to 2012 despite substantial survey effort (Brownell et al. 2001; Clapham et al. 2004; Sheldon et al. 2005; Allen and Angliss 2013; NMFS 2013). None was seen during extensive ship-based line-transect surveys off the coasts of California, Oregon and Washington to 300 nautical miles offshore (about 131° W longitude) undertaken in 2005 and 2008 (Forney 2007; Barlow 2010). No Right Whales were sighted during dedicated shipboard cetacean surveys off Canada's Pacific coast undertaken by DFO during 2002–2012, which involved over 35,000 km of transect survey effort (Ford et al. 2010; Cetacean Research Program, Pacific Biological Station, DFO Pacific, unpubl. data).

In 2013, observations of two different North Pacific Right Whales were made off the coast of British Columbia during DFO cetacean surveys (Cetacean Research Program, Pacific Biological Station, DFO Pacific, unpubl. data). An adult animal was observed on three days during 9-12 June 2013 off the northwest coast of Haida Gwaii (53° 37.5'N, 133° 17.2'W). It was seen to be feeding at the surface on copepods. A skin sample collected for genetic analysis indicated that this animal was a female and confirmed that it was a North Pacific Right Whale (i.e., not an extralimital occurrence of a North Atlantic Right Whale or Southern Right Whale). Photo-identification indicated that it was not in the catalogue of known individuals maintained by the National Marine Mammal Laboratory (NOAA, Seattle, WA). The second sighting involved a different animal that was seen on Swiftsure Bank off southwestern Vancouver Island on 25 October 2013 (48° 31.04' N, 124° 52.3' W). It was a large adult and had distinctive scars on its rostrum that were likely the result of entanglement injuries. As with the June sighting, this individual did not match to any animals in the NMML photo-identification catalogue. No skin sample was collected and therefore sex and population identity could not be determined genetically. Photographs of this animal were compared to the North Atlantic photo-identification catalogue and no match was found (Brown pers. comm. 2014).

• Change in nature and/or severity of threats:
  • Unknown

Explanation

Anthropogenic threats identified in the 2004 status report include those facing most baleen whales: ship strikes, fisheries interactions, acoustic disturbance, habitat degradation, and pollution. The nature and severity of these threats in the Canadian Pacific are unlikely to have diminished and in some cases may be increasing. Shipping traffic from ports along the west coast of North America is increasing (Government of British Columbia 2005) and associated underwater noise has increased significantly in recent decades (Hildebrand 2009). Increased volumes of shipping traffic by large ships are anticipated if proposed liquid natural gas or bitumen ports are built on the B.C. coast. Like the North Atlantic Right Whale, the North Pacific Right Whale may be vulnerable to ship strikes and entanglement in fishing gear. Although no cases of either potential source of injury or mortality have been reported for this species, in Canada or Alaska, the whale sighted off the coast of southern British Columbia in October 2013 had scars on its rostrum consistent with a past entanglement.

• Change in effective protection:
  • No

Explanation

The North Pacific Right Whale was listed as Endangered under SARA in 2004 but this has not led to a change in effective protection. Critical habitat for the species, which would be protected under the Species at Risk Act, has not yet been identified (Fisheries and Oceans Canada 2011).

• Change in evidence of rescue effect:
  • No

Explanation:

There have been only two confirmed sightings of this species in Canadian waters since 1951, and these two animals could not be matched with any individuals in the very small catalogue of photo-identified North Pacific Right Whales. These two individuals cannot be credibly interpreted as signifying a ‘rescue effect’.

Not undertaken because of lack of population data.

• Change in estimated probability of extirpation:
  • Unknown

Details:

No quantitative analysis has been conducted.

A Recovery Strategy for the North Pacific Right Whale in Canada was finalized and published in August 2011 (Fisheries and Oceans Canada 2011). The recovery goal is to “increase the probability of survival, and attain long-term viability, of the North Pacific Right Whale in Canadian waters.” Its first, short-term objective is to “confirm the presence of North Pacific Right Whales in Pacific Canadian waters”. Once presence has been confirmed (as it was in 2013), five additional long-term objectives are proposed: to improve understanding of the population structure, population size, and seasonal distribution, to promote recovery by identifying critical habitat, and to mitigate anthropogenic threats. An Action Plan to implement the Recovery Strategy is currently being finalized by DFO.

A final Recovery Plan for the North Pacific Right Whale was published in 2013 by the US National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS 2013). Areas of regular sightings of North Pacific Right Whales in the southeastern Bering Sea and south of Kodiak Island, Alaska, were designated as critical habitat under the US Endangered Species Act in 2006.

Moira Brown, Senior Scientist, John H. Prescott Marine Laboratory, New England Aquarium, Central Wharf, Boston, MA 02110

Phil Clapham, Program Leader, Cetacean Assessment and Ecology Program, National Marine Mammal Laboratory, Alaska Fisheries Science Center/NOAA 7600 Sand Point Way N.E. Seattle, WA

Randall Reeves, Okapi Wildlife Associates, 27 Chandler Lane, Hudson, Quebec, J0P 1H0, Canada

Allen, B.M., and R.P. Angliss. 2013. Alaska marine mammal stock assessments, 2012. U.S. Dept. Commerce, NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS- AFSC-245, 282 pp.

Barlow, J. 2010. Cetacean abundance in the California Current from a 2008 ship-based line-transect survey. NOAA Technical Memorandum, NMFS, NOAA-TM-NMFS-SWFSC-456. 19 pp.

Brown, M., pers. comm. 2014. Email correspondence to J. Ford. 23 June 2014. Senior Scientist, John H. Prescott Marine Laboratory, New England Aquarium.

British Columbia Government (Ministry of Small Business and Economic Development and the Ministry of Transportation). (2005). British Columbia Port Strategy. PDF

Brownell R.L., P.J. Clapham, T. Miyashita, and T. Kasuya. 2001. Conservation status of North Pacific right whales. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management (special issue) 2:269-286.

Clapham, P.J., C. Good, S.E. Quinn, R.R. Reeves, J.E. Scarff, and R.L. Brownell, Jr. 2004. Distribution of North Pacific right whales (Eubalaena japonica) as shown by 19th and 20th century whaling catch and sighting records. Journal of Cetacean Research and Management 6:1-6.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 2011. Recovery Strategy for the North Pacific Right Whale (Eubalaena japonica) in Pacific Canadian Waters [Final]. Species at Risk Act Recovery Strategy Series. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ottawa. vii + 51 pp.

Forney, K.A. 2007. Preliminary estimates of cetacean abundance along the U.S. west coast and within four National Marine Sanctuaries during 2005. U.S. Department of Commerce NOAA Technical Memorandum, NOAA-TM-NMFS-SWFSC-406. 27 pp.

Gregr, E.J. 2011. Insights into North Pacific right whale Eubalaena japonica habitat from historic whaling records. Endangered Species Research 15:223-239.

Hildebrand, J.A. 2009. Anthropogenic and natural sources of ambient noise in the ocean. Marine Ecology Progress Series 395:5-20.

Ivashchenko, Y.V., and P.J. Clapham. 2012. Soviet catches of Bowhead (Balaena mysticetus) and Right Whales (Eubalaena japonica) in the North Pacific and Okhotsk Sea. Endangered Species Research 18:201-217.

Josephson, E., T.D. Smith, and R.R. Reeves. 2008. Historical distribution of right whales in the North Pacific. Fish and Fisheries 9:155-168.

LeDuc, R.G., B.L. Taylor, K.K. Martien, K.M. Robertson, R.L. Pitman, J.C. Salinas, A.M. Burdin, A.S. Kennedy, P.R. Wade, P.J. Clapham, and R.L. Brownell Jr. 2012. Genetic analysis of right whales in the eastern North Pacific confirms severe extirpation risk. Endangered Species Research 18:163–167.

Mellinger, D.K., K.M. Stafford, S.E. Moore, L. Munger, and C.G. Fox. 2004. Detection of North Pacific right whale (Eubalaena japonica) calls in the Gulf of Alaska. Marine Mammal Science 20:872-879.

NMFS (National Marine Fisheries Service). 2013. Final Recovery Plan for the North Pacific Right Whale (Eubalaena japonica). National Marine Fisheries Service, Office of Protected Resources, Silver Spring, MD.

Reilly, S.B., J.L. Bannister, P.B. Best, M. Brown, R.L. Brownell Jr., D.S. Butterworth, P.J. Clapham, J. Cooke, G.P. Donovan, J. Urbán, and A.N. Zerbini. 2008. Eubalaena japonica. The IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. Version 2014.3. Website: http://www.iucnredlist.org [accessed February 21, 2015]

Shelden, K.E. W., S.E. Moore, J.M. Waite, P.R. Wade, and D.J. Rugh. 2005. Historic and current habitat use by North Pacific right whales Eubalaena japonica in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska. Mammal Review 35:129-155.

Taylor, B.L., S.J. Chivers, J. Larese, and W.F. Perrin. 2007. Generation length and percent mature estimates for IUCN assessments of cetaceans. Southwest Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Fisheries Service, La Jolla Laboratory, Administrative Report LJ-07-01. 24 pp.

Wade, P.R., M.P. Heide-Jorgensen, K. Shelden, J. Barlow, J. Carretta, J. Durban, R. LeDuc, L. Munger, S. Rankin, A. Sauter, and C. Stinchcomb. 2006. Acoustic detection and satellite-tracking leads to discovery of rare concentration of endangered North Pacific right whales. Biology Letters. 2(3):417-419.

Wade, P A. Kennedy, R. LeDuc, J. Barlow, J. Carretta, K. Shelden, W. Perryman, R. Pitman, K. Robertson, B. Rone, J. Carlos Salinas, A. Zerbini, R.L. Brownell, Jr., and P. Clapham. 2011a. The world's smallest whale population. Biology Letters 7:83-85.

Wade, P.R., A. De Robertis, K. Hough, R. Booth, A. Kennedy, R. LeDuc, L. Munger, J. Napp, K.E.W. Shelden, S. Rankin, O. Vasquez, and C. Wilson. 2011b. Rare detections of North Pacific right whales in the Gulf of Alaska, with observations of their potential prey. Endangered Species Research 13:99-109.

Waite, J.M., K. Wynne, and D.K. Mellinger. 2003. Documented sighting of a North Pacific right whale in the Gulf of Alaska and post-sighting acoustic monitoring. Northwestern Naturalist 84:38-43.

Author of SAS: John K.B. Ford

COSEWIC: The Right Whale was considered a single species and designated Endangered in 1980. Status re-examined and confirmed in April 1985 and in April 1990. Split into two species in May 2003. North Pacific Right Whale was not re-evaluated in May 2003; it retained the Endangered status of the original Right Whale. Status re-examined and confirmed Endangered in November 2004 and May 2015.

The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) was created in 1977 as a result of a recommendation at the Federal-Provincial Wildlife Conference held in 1976. It arose from the need for a single, official, scientifically sound, national listing of wildlife species at risk. In 1978, COSEWIC designated its first species and produced its first list of Canadian species at risk. Species designated at meetings of the full committee are added to the list. On June 5, 2003, the Species at Risk Act (SARA) was proclaimed. SARA establishes COSEWIC as an advisory body ensuring that species will continue to be assessed under a rigorous and independent scientific process.

The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) assesses the national status of wild species, subspecies, varieties, or other designatable units that are considered to be at risk in Canada. Designations are made on native species for the following taxonomic groups: mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, arthropods, molluscs, vascular plants, mosses, and lichens.

COSEWIC comprises members from each provincial and territorial government wildlife agency, four federal entities (Canadian Wildlife Service, Parks Canada Agency, Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and the Federal Biodiversity Information Partnership, chaired by the Canadian Museum of Nature), three non-government science members and the co-chairs of the species specialist subcommittees and the Aboriginal Traditional Knowledge subcommittee. The Committee meets to consider status reports on candidate species.

The Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada, provides full administrative and financial support to the COSEWIC Secretariat.