Aligning Science and Policy for North Atlantic Right Whale (Eubalaena glacialis) Recovery: An Analysis of Presentations at the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium and Canada-US Legislative Frameworks

Abstract

The recovery of the critically endangered North Atlantic right whale (NARW) is governed by separate legislative frameworks in Canada and the United States. Two of the main legislations include the Canadian Species at Risk Act (SARA) and the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA). This paper analyzes the effectiveness of the North Atlantic Right Whale Consortium (NARWC) as a mechanism for science-policy integration across the transboundary range, evaluating its performance based on its ‘fit for purpose’: rebuilding of the endangered NARW population. An in-depth systematic analysis was conducted on 227 NARWC presentations from 2017-2023, examining the components of fit for purpose including credibility, relevancy and legitimacy, alongside the core analysis of legislative alignment between recommendations made by presenters at the NARWC and policy objectives. This analysis reveals that the system operates as a single loop knowledge system. It was found that science presented at the consortium is highly aligned with existing policy objectives, however, the system suffers from institutional and governance gaps, specifically concerning the inclusion of diverse knowledge and addressing emerging threats. The NARWC mandate and current function is as an effective information sharing venue but lacks the dedicated structure for effective knowledge brokerage necessary to challenge the foundations of SARA and ESA. Structural and institutional recommendations are provided to enhance synthesis and introduce brokerage roles to integrate diverse knowledge within the system and consider a move toward a double loop system.