
RESEARCH & REPORTS
MARS is committed to unlocking the transformational power of scientific research. Our research aims to generate evidence that directly improves the heath of marine animals and ocean ecosystems, while also influencing policy and practice. The studies we lead and participate in give rise to solutions that are scalable and transferrable to settings where marine animals face challenges around the world.
FEATURED RESEARCH
INCIDENT REPORT: NORTH ATLANTIC RIGHT WHALE MORTALITY EVENT – Eastern Canada – 2019
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Sightings and identification of individual North Atlantic right whales (here after referred to as right whales) in the Gulf of St. Lawrence (GoSL) have been increasing. In 2017, an unprecedented right whale mortality event occurred in the GoSL where 12 right whales were found dead with the primary causes of death for seven whales determined to be due to vessel strike and entanglement in fishing gear. Another right whale mortality event occurred during the summer of 2019 where 9 right whales were found dead in and around the GoSL. The current incident report focuses on the necropsy results for the five right whales which received necropsy investigation in 2019, and also provides context on the other 2019 incidents, right whale conservation, mitigation efforts, and marine animal stranding networks in Canada.
Read the full report HERE.
RESEARCH COLLABORATIONS

MARS actively contributes and seeks to collaborate on ongoing research projects.
To request marine animal samples from ongoing response efforts:
DIVE DEEPER
PUBLICATIONS
2020. AG Henry, M Garron, D Morin, A Reid, W Ledwell, TVN Cole. US Dept Commer, Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc. 20-06; 53 p.
Incident Report: North Atlantic Right Whale Mortality Event in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, 2017
2017. Daoust, P.-Y., Couture, E.L., Wimmer, T., and Bourque, L. Collaborative Report Produced by: Canadian Wildlife Health Cooperative, Marine Animal Response Society, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 256 pp.
A timely opportunity to protect North Atlantic right whales in Canada
2017. Brillant, S.W., Wimmer, T., Rangeley, R.W. and Taggart, C.T. Marine Policy 81: 160-166.
2017. Henry, A.G., Cole, T.V.N., Garron, M., Ledwell, W., Morin, D., Reid, A. 2017. US Dept Commer, Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc. 17-19; 57p.
Serious injury and mortality determinations for baleen whale stocks along the Gulf of Mexico, United States East Coast and Atlantic Canadian Provinces, 2010-2014
2016. Henry, A.G., Cole, T.V.N., Hall, L., Ledwell, W., Morin, D., Reid, A. US Dept Commer, Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc. 16-10; 51 p.
2015. Henry, A.G., Cole, T.V.N., Hall, L., Ledwell, W., Morin, D., and Reid, A. US Dept Commer, Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc. 15-10; 45p.
Vessel strikes to large whales before and after the 2008 Ship Strike Rule
2014. van der Hoop, J. M., Vanderlaan, A. S. M. , Cole, T. V. N., Henry, A. G., Hall, L., Mase-Guthrie, B., Wimmer, T. and Moore, M.J. Conservation Letters. doi: 10.111/conl.12105.
Errata: Erratum to “Vessel Strikes to Large Whales Before and After the 2008 Ship Strike Rule”
Volume 9, Issue 3, 236, Article first published online: May 2016.
2014. Henry A.G., Cole, T.V.N., Hall, L., Ledwell, W., Morin, D., Reid, A. US Dept Commer, Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc. 14-10; 17 p.
2013. Henry, A.G., Cole, T.V.N., Hall, L., Ledwell, W., Morin, D. and Reid, A. US Dept Commer, Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc. 13-18; 15 p.
Assessment of management to mitigate anthropogenic effects on large whales. Conservation Biology
2012. van der Hoop, J., Moore, M.J., Barco. S.G., Cole, T., Daoust, P-Y, Henry, A., McAlpine, D.F., McLellan, W.A., Wimmer, T., Solow, A.R. doi:10.1111/j.1523-1739.2012.01934.
2012. AG Henry, TVN Cole, M Garron, L Hall, W Ledwell, and A Reid. US Dept Commer, Northeast Fish Sci Cent Ref Doc. 12-11; 24 p.
Cetacean strandings in the Canadian Maritime provinces, 1990–2008
2010. Nemiroff, L., Wimmer, T., Daoust, P-Y., McAlpine, D.F. Canadian Field-Naturalist. 124(1), pp32–44.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Mortality Event in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, 2017
2017. Right Whale Consortium. Daoust, P-Y., Couture, É.L., Wimmer, T., Bourque, L., Ratelle, S., Hardy, M. North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena glacialis) (do not cite without authors permission).
Strandings in the Canadian Maritime Provinces, 1990–2014
2015. 22nd Biennial Conference on the Biology of Marine Mammals. Wimmer, T., Reid, G.A., Daoust P-Y. and McAlpine, D. (Links to poster pdf – SMM 2015 Poster).
Response to dead and distressed North Atlantic right whales in Canada
2015. Right Whale Consortium. Wimmer, T. Reid, G.A., Brown, M. and Michaud, R.
DATA CONTRIBUTIONS
2015. by TVN Cole and AG Henry.
2013. TVN Cole and AG Henry.
2011. Allison G. Henry, Timothy VN Cole, Mendy Garron, and Lanni Hall.
2008. AH Glass, TVN Cole, and M Garron.
2008. AH Glass, TVN Cole, M Garron, RL Merrick, and RM Pace III.
2007. M Nelson, M Garron, RL Merrick, RM Pace III, and TVN Cole.
MEDIA RELEASES
2019 North Atlantic Right Whale Mortality Report Release
June 24, 2020
July 20, 2018