Examining vessel traffic patterns and conformance to voluntary guidelines in the western Canadian Arctic Notice to Mariners
Halliday, W., Scharffenberg, K., Kortsalo, P., Dawson, J. & Insley, S.
Abstract
The Notice to Mariners (NOTMAR) in the Inuvialuit Settlement Region (ISR) was created in 2019 to reduce risk from vessel traffic to beluga and bowhead whales and reduce the environmental impacts of vessel traffic in marine protected areas (MPAs). The specific guidelines are to avoid the MPAs if possible, and if not possible, to travel at speeds less than 10 knots. Beyond the MPAs, vessels in areas important for whales are also asked to travel at speeds less than 10 knots.
In this report, we assess the conformance of vessel traffic to the voluntary guidelines in the NOTMAR to provide a benchmark of vessel activity in the ISR under the current management system.
Conformance to the NOTMAR was strong in the Tarium Niryutait MPA (TNMPA), with only essential vessels travelling through the area and most vessels travelling at speeds less than 10 knots (74% ± 33% of distance travelled per year at speeds less than 10 knots).
Two classes of vessels in the Anguniaqvia Niqiqyuam MPA (ANMPA) conformed with the NOTMAR guidelines (cruise ships and coast guard/research vessels), by avoiding the MPA entirely or travelling at slow speeds when carrying out objectives within the ANMPA. However, tugboats, cargo ships, tankers, and pleasure craft all continued travelling through the ANMPA, and all tankers and cargo ships travelled at speeds greater than 10 knots.
No vessel classes seemed to alter routes or rate of travel in the areas important for whales, and vessels that travelled at speeds greater than 10 knots before the NOTMAR continued to do so after it was instated.
Recommended citation
Halliday, W., Scharffenberg, K., Kortsalo, P., Dawson, J. & Insley, S. (2025). Examining vessel traffic patterns and conformance to voluntary guidelines in the western Canadian Arctic Notice to Mariners. DFO. https://doi.org/10.60825/a4ec-0644
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Metadata
- Title
- Examining vessel traffic patterns and conformance to voluntary guidelines in the western Canadian Arctic Notice to Mariners
- URL
- https://doi.org/10.60825/a4ec-0644
- Published
- 2025-07-28
- Author(s)
- Halliday, W., Scharffenberg, K., Kortsalo, P., Dawson, J. & Insley, S.
- Publisher
- DFO
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