Science advice to address four recovery potential assessment terms of reference elements for Sei Whale ‪(Atlantic population)‬

Abstract

In May 2019 the Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) assessed the Atlantic Population of Sei Whale (hereafter simply referred to as “Sei Whale” in this document) as Endangered, primarily due to a possible population decline of greater than fifty percent over the past three generations from past whaling and, more recently, due to other threats. The Species at Risk Program in Newfoundland and Labrador Region requested that DFO Science provide Science Advice, via a Canadian Science Advisory Secretariat (CSAS) process, regarding the following four elements of a Recovery Potential Assessment (RPA) for the Sei Whale to help inform the listing decision for the species: 1. Element 8: Assess and prioritize the threats to the survival and recovery of the Sei Whale. 2. Element 12: Propose candidate abundance and distribution target(s) for recovery. 3. Element 16: Develop an inventory of feasible mitigation measures and reasonable alternatives to the activities that are threats to the species and its habitat. 4. Element 22: Evaluate maximum human-induced mortality and habitat destruction that the species can sustain without jeopardizing its survival or recovery. This Science Response Report results from the National Science Response Process ending February 23, 2022, on the Recovery Potential Assessment – Sei Whale (Balaenoptera borealis), Atlantic population.