NR-MAR-03-17E

DFO INVESTIGATES WHALE DEATHS ON GEORGES BANK

August 1, 2003

DARTMOUTH, NS- Fishery Officers on board the Canadian Coast Guard vessel Sir William Alexander searched the waters of Georges Bank this week for several whales reported dead in the area. A number of whales were found including humpbacks and one finback. There were no obvious signs of trauma on the carcasses suggesting the deaths were due to natural causes. Samples were taken from the animals for analysis by researchers in Canada and the United States. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) conducted vessel and aircraft patrols in order to locate additional animals in cooperation with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA), the federal agency in the United States charged with large whale protection and recovery.

"I am pleased that my department has been able to cooperate with US officials," stated the Honourable Robert G. Thibault, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans. "This is an example of the collaboration between the United States and Canada that has been on-going in respect to our joint concern of marine mammals."

A similar mass mortality of humpbacks that occurred in waters near Cape Cod in 1987-88 was traced to naturally occurring biotoxins in the food chain. These toxins concentrate in the digestive tract of fish such as herring, mackerel, capelin and sand lance that are consumed by the whales. The muscle tissue and flesh of the animals are typically unaffected and can be consumed by whales or humans.

The Canadian Food Inspection Agency is working in collaboration with DFO by providing their laboratory expertise to test samples.

Canadian Fishery Officers take samples from a humpback whale on Georges Bank.

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