COSEWIC Assessment and Update Status Report on the Beluga Whale Delphinapterus leucas in Canada Eastern Hudson Bay Population Ungava Bay Population Cumberland Sound Population St. Lawrence Estuary Population Eastern High Arctic/Baffin Bay Population Western Hudson Bay Population Eastern Beaufort Sea Population EASTERN HUDSON BAY POPULATION – ENDANGERED UNGAVA BAY POPULATION – ENDANGERED CUMBERLAND SOUND POPULATION – THREATENED ST. LAWRENCE ESTUARY POPULATION –- THREATENED EASTERN HIGH ARCTIC/BAFFIN BAY POPULATION – SPECIAL CONCERN WESTERN HUDSON BAY POPULATION – SPECIAL CONCERN EASTERN BEAUFORT SEA POPULATION – NOT AT RISK 2004 COSEWIC COSEPAC COMMITTEE ON THE STATUS OF COMITÉ SUR LA SITUATION ENDANGERED WILDLIFE DES ESPÈCES EN PÉRIL IN CANADA AU CANADA COSEWIC status reports are working documents used in assigning the status of wildlife species suspected of being at risk. This report may be cited as follows: COSEWIC 2004. COSEWIC assessment and update status report on the beluga whale Delphinapterus leucas in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada. Ottawa. ix + 70 pp. (www.sararegistry.gc.ca/status/status_e.cfm). Previous report(s): Pippard, L. 1983. COSEWIC status report on the beluga whale Delphinapterus leucas (St. Lawrence River population) in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Widlife in Canada. Ottawa. 46 pp. Finley, K.J., J.P. Hickie and R.A. Davis. 1985. COSEWIC status report on the beluga whale Delphinapterus leucas (Beaufort Sea/Arctic Ocean population) in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Widlife in Canada. Ottawa. 24 pp. Reeves, R.R. and E. Mitchell. 1988. COSEWIC status report on the beluga whale Delphinapterus leucas (Eastern Hudson Bay population) in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Widlife in Canada. Ottawa. 60 pp. Reeves, R.R. and E. Mitchell. 1988. COSEWIC status report on the beluga whale Delphinapterus leucas (Ungava Bay population) in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Widlife in Canada. Ottawa. 60 pp. Richard, P.R. 1990. COSEWIC status report on the beluga whale Delphinapterus leucas (Southeast Baffin Island/Cumberland Sound population) in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Widlife in Canada. Ottawa. 29 pp. Doidge, D.W. and K.J. Finley. 1992. COSEWIC status report on the beluga whale Delphinapterus leucas (Eastern High Arctic/Baffin Bay population) in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Widlife in Canada. Ottawa. 45 pp. Richard, P. 1993. COSEWIC status report on the beluga whale Delphinapterus leucas (Western Hudson Bay population) in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Widlife in Canada. Ottawa. 27 pp. Lesage, V. and M.C.S. Kingsley. 1997. Update COSEWIC status report on the beluga whale Delphinapterus leucas (St. Lawrence River population) in Canada. Committee on the Status of Endangered Widlife in Canada. Ottawa. 31 pp. Production notes: COSEWIC acknowledges Thomas G. Smith for writing the update status report on the beluga whale Delphinapterus leucas in Canada. The report was overseen and edited by Hal Whitehead, COSEWIC Marine Mammals Species Specialist Subcommittee Co-chair. The Beluga Whale (Cumberland Sound population) was formerly designated by COSEWIC as Beluga Whale (Southeast Baffin Island/Cumberland Sound population). The Beluga Whale (St. Lawrence Estuary population) was formerly designated by COSEWIC as Beluga Whale (St. Lawrence River population). The structure of the southeast Baffin Island/Cumberland Sound population has been redefined and named Cumberland Sound population. The southeast Baffin Island population has been included as part of the western Hudson Bay population. For additional copies contact: COSEWIC Secretariat c/o Canadian Wildlife Service Environment Canada Ottawa, ON K1A 0H3 Tel.: (819) 997-4991 / (819) 953-3215 Fax: (819) 994-3684 E-mail: COSEWIC/[email protected] http://www.cosewic.gc.ca Ếgalement disponible en français sous le titre Ếvaluation et Rapport de situation du COSEPAC sur la Béluga (Delphinaptenus leucas) au Canada – Mise à jour. Cover illustration: Beluga whale — D. Codère, E.M.C. Marine Corporation. Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada 2004 Catalogue No. CW69-14/380-2004E-PDF ISBN 0-662-37300-6 HTML: CW69-14/380-2004E-HTML 0-662-37301-4 Recycled paper COSEWIC Assessment Summary Assessment Summary – May 2004 Common name Beluga whale (Eastern Hudson Bay population) Scientific name Delphinapterus leucas Status Endangered Reason for designation The population was reduced by at least 50% and continues to decline. Overhunting continues throughout its summer and migratory range. Mathematical models predict that it will likely disappear under present hunting levels in less than 10 to 15 years. Concerns have been expressed about habitat degradation of estuaries by hydroelectric projects, and by small vessel traffic disturbance. Occurrence Nunavut, Quebec, Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean Status history Designated Threatened in April 1988. Status re-examined and designated as Endangered in May 2004. Last assessment based on an update status report. Assessment Summary – May 2004 Common name Beluga whale (Ungava Bay population) Scientific name Delphinapterus leucas Status Endangered Reason for designation All signs indicate that the population residing in Ungava Bay is very low and may be extirpated. However, it is difficult to definitely conclude that they have been extirpated because beluga from other populations may visit Ungava Bay. Hunting caused the population decline and continues in Ungava Bay, posing a threat to any remaining beluga. Occurrence Quebec, Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean Status history Designated Endangered in April 1988. Status re-examined and confirmed in May 2004. Last assessment based on an update status report. iii Assessment Summary – May 2004 Common name Beluga whale (Cumberland Sound population) Scientific name Delphinapterus leucas Status Threatened Reason for designation Numbers of belugas using Cumberland sound have declined by about 1500 individuals between the 1920s and the present. The population decline is believed to have been caused by hunting by the Hudson Bay Company into the 1940s and by the Inuit until 1979. Hunting has been regulated since the 1980s. Current quotas (41 in 2003) appear to be sustainable. Concerns have been raised about increased small vessel traffic and the associated noise of outboard motors, as well as fishery removals of Greenland halibut, a food of belugas. Occurrence Nunavut, Arctic Ocean Status history The Southeast Baffin Island-Cumberland Sound population was designated Endangered in April 1990. In May 2004, the structure of the population was redefined and named “Cumberland Sound population”, and the Southeast Baffin Island animals were included as part of the Western Hudson Bay population. Status re-examined and designated as Threatened in May 2004. Last assessment based on an update status report. Assessment Summary – May 2004 Common name Beluga whale (St. Lawrence Estuary population) Scientific name Delphinapterus leucas Status Threatened Reason for designation The population was severely reduced by hunting, which continued until 1979. High contaminant loads may have also contributed to the population decline. Aerial surveys since 1973 suggest that the decline has ceased, but do not provide clear evidence of a significant increase in numbers. Levels of many contaminants remain high in beluga tissues. The whales and their habitat are threatened by contaminants, vessel traffic, and industrialization of the St. Lawrence watershed. Occurrence Quebec, Atlantic Ocean Status history Designated Endangered in April 1983 and in April 1997. Status re-examined and designated as Threatened in May 2004. Last assessment based on an update status report. iv Assessment Summary – May 2004 Common name Beluga whale (Eastern High Arctic/Baffin Bay population) Scientific name Delphinapterus leucas Status Special Concern Reason for designation The population overwinters in Baffin Bay and west Greenland and may consist of two distinct populations. It is heavily hunted in west Greenland. However, most of the population winters in Baffin Bay and the High Arctic where it is not hunted. Hunting pressure in Canadian waters is low in summer. Occurrence Nunavut, Arctic Ocean Status history Designated Special Concern in April 1992 and May 2004. Last assessment based on an update status report. Assessment Summary – May 2004 Common name Beluga whale (Western Hudson Bay population) Scientific name Delphinapterus leucas Status Special Concern Reason for designation The population appears to be relatively abundant, although it has not been surveyed for 15 years and may consist of more than one population. The population is subject to substantial removals by hunting in parts of its range, and is potentially threatened by shipping and hydroelectric dams. Occurrence Manitoba, Nunavut, Ontario, Arctic Ocean, Atlantic Ocean Status history Designated Not at Risk in April 1993. The population was redefined in May 2004 to include those Southeast Baffin Island animals outside Cumberland Sound, previously considered part of the “Southeast Baffin Island-Cumberland Sound population,” which is now called “Cumberland Sound population”. Status re-examined and designated as Special Concern in May 2004. Last assessment based on an update status report. Assessment Summary – May 2004 Common name Beluga whale (Eastern Beaufort Sea population) Scientific name Delphinapterus leucas Status Not at Risk Reason for designation This population is currently