Canada-U.S. scientists to hunt for genetic clues to help struggling North Atlantic right whales rebound

Are clues to improved conservation of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whales lurking in their genes?

Genome Atlantic and Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, together with the New England Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, Boston, are teaming up on a $6 million, four-year study to find out. The Large-Scale Applied Research Project, funded by Genome Canada and managed by Genome Atlantic, is expected to get under way between July and September this year. (read the press release here)

It is hoped the project’s findings will help conservation efforts become “more effective and efficient,” said Dr. Tim Frasier, one of the project’s two co-leads. A specialist in genetic analyses and marine mammal behaviour, he is an Associate Professor in the Department of Biology, Saint Mary’s University.

“Our work is focused on using genomic data to quantify the impact of inbreeding on reproductive success and species recovery, and to identify if there are long-term negative consequences of non-lethal entanglements in fishing gear,” he said. Genetic implications of non-deadly vessel strikes will also be investigated.

Given current failures to stop or reverse the right whale’s continuing decline, it is anticipated insights from the project could prove critical.

The North Atlantic right whale has been on endangered species’ lists in Canada and the United States for years. Yet today there are estimated to be less than 400 left, of which fewer than 100 are breeding females. In addition to having a high mortality rate from entanglement in fishing gear and vessel strikes, the species’ reproductive rate is also compromised. It is about three times lower than their known potential. A relatively high percentage of females have either never given birth or have had only one calf. Those females with multiple calves reproduce on average every six-to-10 years, as opposed to the expected three-year cycle.

With this low reproductive rate comes greater risk of the species’ extinction. Dr. Frasier’s project counterpart, Philip Hamilton, a leading expert on right whale biology and Senior Scientist at the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, wouldn’t hazard a guess at how long that scenario might take to play out on the current trajectory. However, he said, the North Atlantic right whale, though long-lived, could become “functionally extinct” sooner than later, “because reproductive females are killed at a faster rate.”

“The important point, is that this species can survive and potentially thrive again, if we stop wounding and killing them with ropes and vessels,” he said. Encounters with fishing gear and vessels, coupled with declining reproduction rates, constitute a triple threat to North Atlantic right whale survival.

The genomic probe into these phenomena will benefit from complementary databases. Dr. Frasier’s lab maintains the archival tissue and DNA bank for the species, while Mr. Hamilton curates a photo database that contains all data on right whale health and reproduction.

Philip Hamilton, the New England Aquarium’s Senior Scientist, Kraus Marine Mammal Conservation Program, Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, takes a quiet moment to watch an endangered North Atlantic right whale as it disappears beneath the ocean’s surface. (Photo: New England Aquarium)

Dr. Moira Brown, Senior Scientist at the Canadian Whale Institute, Welshpool, N.B., and a member of the project team, has noted big strides in molecular analysis of these mammals over her 40-year career. For her PhD thesis in 1988, she said, “I started the skin biopsy sampling program in the Bay of Fundy. Using a small stainless tip attached to a bolt launched from a crossbow, I sampled 25 whales that first year. The initial goal was to be able to identify males from females and to determine the sex ratio of the population using DNA analyses. Fast-forward three decades. Scientists have since learned a great deal about right whales from molecular analyses.”

Today, she said, 80 per cent of the whale population has been sampled, equipping researchers to address “the burning question: what, if any, is the impact of inbreeding on reproduction and how does that affect species recovery?” It is a question shipping and fishing industry representatives repeatedly ask her, and she hopes soon to have the answer.

The North Atlantic right whale research community is “extremely collaborative,” and has been so for decades, said Dr. Frasier. That factor made it easy, he said, to recruit researchers to this international project. He pointed out that the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium – a data- and research-sharing group dedicated to the recovery of the species – has been active, since 1986, bringing together Canadian and American researchers, policy makers, fishing and shipping industry representatives and educators in an effort to conserve the species.

On another level, though, Mr. Hamilton pointed out right whales’ international movements between American and Canadian waters have complicated their plight. “Ideally,” he said, “right whales would be equally protected in both countries–a goal that is complicated by the two countries’ very different regulatory frameworks.”

Consequently, the research team is hoping to produce persuasive, actionable, scientific data for the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in Canada and the National Marine Fisheries Service in the U.S. to better manage North Atlantic right whale conservation in their respective jurisdictions. Researchers also hope their study’s findings can promote changes in fishing and shipping industry perceptions and behaviours to help the struggling right whale population rebound.

To ensure the project’s conclusions resonate in those circles, Dr. Randle Hart, a specialist in the sociology of science and, more particularly, in the way scientific information is chosen for incorporation in policy development, has been recruited to the research team from Saint Mary’s University.

Dr. Frasier described Dr. Hart’s role as “key to the success of this project.” He explained, “understanding how best to use the data available to result in the most effective and efficient conservation actions is a social science, and this is the work that Randy will be conducting.”

At the data-gathering end, the scientific team will measure the impact of inbreeding on reproduction and species recovery and attempt to fill a major knowledge gap on the role of genetic factors in wildlife conservation. Also, on the agenda are assessment of the long-term genetic impacts on whales that have had non-lethal encounters with vessels and fishing gear, and an evaluation of the team’s findings for North Atlantic right whale conservation.

Apart from the multi-million-dollar whale watching industry that has grown around them, whales play a vital role in stabilizing marine ecosystems by helping to regulate a wide spectrum of marine organisms with their presence. Their nitrogen-laden fecal matter, released when they rise to the ocean’s surface to defecate, for instance, is known to stimulate plankton growth and other microorganisms that form the foundation of the oceanic food chain, critical to the existence of marine life and for the maintenance of the fishing industry.

For seasoned right whale researchers, such as Mr. Hamilton, with more than 30 years in the field, these gigantic creatures remain endlessly fascinating.

Having studied these animals so long, he says he knows “almost every individual” and he has followed some of them “consistently year-to-year and habitat-to-habitat,” and yet, he said, so many questions are unanswered: “How do they locate their patches of prey? What do the loud, percussive ‘gunshot’ sounds they make signify? And how do they produce the sounds? Why do some whales make such long-range explorations, like Mogul, and how do they decide where to go?”

He added, “this species has been the underdog for most of my career. For the first two decades, the general public didn’t even know the species existed. People thought I was saying ‘white whale’ not ‘right whale.’ They had heard of belugas. Fighting for the underdog feels instinctive to me.

“Finally, every birth, every death, every injury has a face and a story behind it. Many of the whales alive today, I saw as calves. To watch them weather the many hardships of living in an urban ocean is heartbreaking. They can’t advocate for themselves. It’s up to those of us who know and care about them to speak for them.”

Others on the Frasier-Hamilton team besides Dr. Brown, all keenly committed to right whale welfare, include Dr. Angelia Vanderlaan, Research Scientist, Bedford Institute of Oceanography, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Dartmouth, N.S.; Dr. Linda Rutledge, a bioinformatics expert and Assistant Professor in the Biology Department, Trent University, Peterborough, Ont.; Dr. Michael Asaro, Economist, NOAA (National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) Northeast Fisheries Science Center, Woods Hole, Mass; Dr. Robert Schick, Independent Research Scientist, Marine Geospatial Ecology Lab, Nicolas School of Environment, Duke University, Durham, S.C.; and R. Clay George, Senior Wildlife Biologist, Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Nongame Conservation Section, Brunswick, Ga.

Besides Genome Canada funding, the project is being supported by Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Research Nova Scotia in Canada, and by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the US National Marine Fisheries Service, and the New England Aquarium in the United States.

Canada-U.S. team looks to genomics to guide North Atlantic right whale conservation

For immediate release

Canada-U.S. team looks to genomics
to guide North Atlantic right whale conservation

July 22, 2021- Halifax, N.S.

The number of critically endangered North Atlantic right whales continues to be buffeted by high mortality rates from vessel strikes, fishing gear entanglements, and by a low rate of reproduction. There is now estimated to be fewer than 400 individuals left, including less than 100 breeding females. With inbreeding suspected as a major factor in the species’ low birth rate, a Canadian-U.S. team of scientists is launching a research project to assess how genetic factors are hampering the right whale’s recovery.

Conservation Genomics of the Endangered North Atlantic Right Whale is a $6 million, four-year international collaboration with Genome Atlantic and Saint Mary’s University, in Halifax, N.S., and with the New England Aquarium in Boston, Mass. Other collaborators include Fisheries and Oceans Canada and the Canadian Whale Institute in Canada, along with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, Duke University, and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, all in the United States.

This landmark project was one of eight announced today by the Honourable François-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry. The projects are the latest to attain funding through Genome Canada’s Large-Scale Applied Research Project (LSARP) Competition.

Managed by Genome Atlantic, the project is co-led by Dr. Timothy Frasier, Saint Mary’s University, who has been doing genetic analysis of the right whale for more than 20 years; and by Philip Hamilton, a leading expert on right whale biology and Senior Scientist at the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium in Boston.

The Genome Atlantic project will look at genetic factors that could explain why the reproductive rate of North Atlantic right whales is three times lower than their known potential. The team also plans to assess if, and to what degree, non-lethal encounters with vessels and fishing gear change the expression of genes in a manner that lowers the long-term health and reproduction of individuals, and to evaluate the ramifications for conservation of the species. The team will combine genomics– the study of genes and their functions–with long-term field data on North Atlantic right whales and their reproductive histories.

Recommendations, based on the project findings, will be made to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans in Canada and to the National Marine Fisheries Service (also known as NOAA Fisheries, an office of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) in the U.S. on right whale-related recovery expectations, goals and conservation priorities. The results could have implications for marine management policies, practices and conservation plans. The two government entities are charged with managing and conserving the North Atlantic right whale population within their respective jurisdictions. Seasonal migrations, which send a portion of the right whale population through Canadian and American waters, have made recovery of the species a joint concern.

Apart from the multi-million-dollar whale watching industry that has grown around them, whales play a vital role in stabilizing marine ecosystems by helping to regulate a wide spectrum of marine organisms with their presence. The nitrogen-laden fecal matter they release when they rise to the ocean’s surface to defecate, for instance, is known to stimulate plankton growth and other microorganisms that form the foundation of the oceanic food chain, critical to the existence of marine life and for the maintenance of the fishing industry.

Besides Genome Canada funding, the international research project will receive support from Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Research Nova Scotia in Canada, and from the Georgia Department of Natural Resources, the US National Marine Fisheries Service, and the New England Aquarium in the United States.

The project is expected to start between July and September this year.

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QUOTES:

The endangered North Atlantic right whale plays an important role in our marine ecosystem, and conserving this species is of vital importance and urgency. By identifying to what degree genetic factors are influencing the whales’ recovery, this project will aid conservation efforts and help us monitor their population. Conserving endangered marine wildlife benefits our environment, our economy and our communities.”

—Dr. Steve Armstrong, president, Genome Atlantic, the Canadian non-profit corporation managing the project.


“Although inbreeding has been an important topic in population biology for over a century, our understanding of its impact in the wild, and in endangered species in particular, is still in its infancy due to a lack of good case studies. This study, where we have the ability to combine 40 years of field data with genomic data for such a high percentage of individuals, will allow us to not only quantify the impacts of inbreeding on the recovery potential of this species, but will also greatly improve our understanding of the impacts of inbreeding on wildlife populations and the subsequent implications for conservation.”

—Dr. Timothy Frasier, project co-lead and Associate Professor, Department of Biology, Saint Mary’s University, Halifax, N.S.

“Since 2015, this species has experienced a precipitous decline that is unprecedented in 40 years of study. We know many are dying from vessel strikes and entanglements; We don’t know the impacts of non-lethal wounds caused by humans, or the impacts of their reduced breeding pool. We need to make bold changes to how we use the oceans and to do so, we need as much understanding of the problem and cultural support for those changes.”

—Philip Hamilton, project co-lead and Senior Scientist, Kraus Marine Mammal Conservation Program, Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium, Boston, Mass.

“We now have individual genetic profiles for over 80 per cent of the whale population that has enabled researchers to identify paternity and construct family trees. We can now address the burning question: what, if any, is the impact of inbreeding on reproduction and how does that affect species recovery? In my dealings with representatives of the shipping and fishing industries, I often get asked that very question. The results of the DNA analyses will be shared with mariners to help them understand the importance of measures to reduce entanglements and ship strikes, in order to avoid further narrowing the genetic diversity of the species. Additionally, this will enable researchers to identify paternity, and therefore help reveal the family tree of these incredible creatures.”

—Dr. Moira Brown, Senior Scientist, Canadian Whale Institute, Welshpool, N.B.

MEDIA:


Genome Atlantic is a not-for-profit corporation with a mission to help Atlantic Canada reap the economic and social benefits of genomics technologies. Since its inception in 2000, the corporation has worked with a range of private and public-sector partners to enable more than $125 million in new genomics R&D.

Saint Mary’s University is one of Canada’s top primary undergraduate universities–known for its international collaborations, leadership in entrepreneurship, and research that benefits local and global communities. Our programs in Arts, Science, Graduate Studies and the Sobey School of Business are among Canada’s best and feature professors who are committed to the success of their students. Saint Mary’s provides our 7,000 students with a place that fosters possibility, excellent research opportunities, and distinguished graduate and professional programs combined with a caring community. Nestled in the heart of Halifax, Nova Scotia, on Canada’s east coast, Saint Mary’s University is marked by iconic buildings, green spaces and fresh ocean air. The Saint Mary’s University community is committed to a prosperous future for the world—a world without limits.

The New England Aquarium is a global leader in marine science and conservation, working to safeguard ocean animals and habitats. With more than 1.3 million visitors a year, the Aquarium is one of the premier visitor attractions in Boston and a major public education resource for the region. The Aquarium’s research and rescue efforts build on the institution’s 50-year legacy of protecting the blue planet and advocating for vital and vibrant oceans. In the Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, scientists conduct applied marine research that informs ocean management, policy, and industry practices, and contributes to the innovation of new technologies. Through its Sea Turtle Rescue Program, the Aquarium helps protect critically endangered and threatened sea turtle populations through rescue, rehabilitation, and release efforts.

Conservation Genomics of the Endangered North Atlantic Right Whale

Media Note: Through any of the contact persons listed below, interviews are available with Britta Fiander, Director of Innovation Programs, Genome Atlantic; Dr. Tim Frasier, project co-lead and Associate Professor, Department of Biology, Saint Mary’s University and Philip Hamilton, project co-lead and Senior Scientist, Kraus Marine Mammal Conservation Program, Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life, New England Aquarium.

Contact:

Charmaine Gaudet, Director of External Relations
Genome Atlantic
Halifax, N.S.
Cell: 902-488-7837
Email: cgaudet@genomeatlantic.ca

Megan Harris, Communications
Genome Atlantic
Halifax, N.S.
Cell: 604-417-9020
Email: harrismeganc@gmail.com

Cale Loney, Communications Manager
Saint Mary’s University
Halifax, N.S.
Cell: 902-579-0967
Email: cale.loney@smu.ca

Danielle Boudreau, Communications Officer
Saint Mary’s University
Halifax, N.S.
Cell: 902-999-2744
Email: Danielle.Boudreau@smu.ca

Pam Bechtold Snyder, Director of Communications
New England Aquarium
Boston. Mass.
Cell: 617-686-5068
Email: psnyder@neaq.org

Diana Brown McCloy, Communications
For the New England Aquarium
Boston, Mass.
Cell: 978-697-9414
Email: diana@teakmedia.com

Hannah Miller, Communications
For the New England Aquarium
Boston, Mass.
Cell: 413-717-7759
Email: Hannah@teakmedia.com