NAVWARN details

Effective 092000 UTC Sep 2024, in order to promote navigation safety and protection of the marine environment due to an increased presence of North Atlantic right whales, a speed restriction area has been established and applies to all vessels that are more than 13m in length overall:

Northern Static Zone: Vessels are instructed to proceed at a speed not exceeding 10.0kts over the ground.

Southern Static Zone: Vessels are instructed to proceed at a speed not exceeding 10.0kts over the ground.

Dynamic Shipping Zone A: Vessels are instructed to proceed at a speed not exceeding 10.0kts over the ground.

Dynamic Shipping Zone B: Vessels are instructed to proceed at a speed not exceeding 10.0kts over the ground.

Dynamic Shipping Zone C: Vessels are instructed to proceed at a speed not exceeding 10.0kts over the ground.

Dynamic Shipping Zone D: There are no speed restrictions in effect.

Dynamic Shipping Zone E: There are no speed restrictions in effect.

Seasonal Management Area 1: There are no speed restrictions in effect.

Seasonal Management Area 2: There are no speed restrictions in effect.

Restricted Area: Vessels are prohibited from transiting through the area unless they are included in the exception list under Transport Canada's Interim Order for the Protection of North Atlantic Right Whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, 2024. The excepted vessels are instructed to proceed at a speed not exceeding 8.0kts over the ground.

Voluntary Seasonal Slowdown Zone: There is no voluntary slow down in effect.

Details, including all geographical coordinates, are available in Notice to Mariners 401/24 and are available upon request from a Marine Communications and Traffic Services Centre. Failure to comply with this speed restriction could lead to enforcement action by Transport Canada.

Mariners are requested to report all whale sightings and observations of entangled, dead, or injured whales to the nearest Marine Communication and Traffic Services Centre.