Coast guard ship fined for violating speed limits Gulf of St. Lawrence

A Canadian Coast Guard vessel has been fined $6,000 for speeding in violation of measures aimed at protecting North Atlantic right whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. (Photo by Merivartiomuseo Kotka/Flickr, CC BY 2.0)

OTTAWA — A Canadian Coast Guard vessel has been fined $6,000 for speeding in violation of measures aimed at protecting North Atlantic right whales in the Gulf of St. Lawrence.

Transport Canada says the coast guard ship breached the 10-knot speed limit in the western gulf, which applies to vessels of more than 20 metres.

The penalty is the third of its kind since the speed restrictions were announced in August as part of an effort to prevent further right whale deaths in the gulf.

In each case, vessel owners have been asked to either pay the fine or ask for a review within 30 days.

Eleven right whales have died in the Gulf of St. Lawrence since June, an unprecedented number of deaths for the endangered marine mammal.

Fisheries officials say the most recent carcass was located off the coast of New Brunswick on Friday morning.