Backgrounder: The Government of Canada outlines 2021 measures to protect Southern Resident killer whales

The Government of Canada recognizes that Southern Resident killer whales face imminent threats to their survival, and that saving these iconic marine mammals requires comprehensive and immediate action. The focus is on addressing the primary threats to Southern Resident killer whales: prey availability and accessibility, acoustic and physical disturbance, and contaminants.

Prey Availability

Chinook salmon are an essential part of the Southern Resident killer whale diet. To address the limited availability of this prey, Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) is putting in place a combination of fishing restrictions and voluntary measures in key foraging areas within their critical habitat. These measures will reduce competition for Chinook salmon between fish harvesters and killer whales, while still providing opportunities for non-salmon recreational and commercial fisheries and food, social and ceremonial harvest and aboriginal domestic treaty fishing access. Measures include:

  • Area-based closures will be in place in Southern Resident killer whale key foraging areas for recreational and commercial salmon fisheries. These measures are similar to 2020.
  • Recreational and commercial salmon fishery closures include:
    • Swiftsure Bank (portion of Subarea 121-1) in effect July 16 – October 31, 2021
    • The Strait of Juan de Fuca (Subareas 20-3 and 20-4) in effect August 1 – October 31, 2021
    • Gulf Islands (Subarea 18-9 and portions of 18-4, 18-5 and18-2) potentially in effect from June 1 until October 31, 2021, based on the first confirmed Southern Resident killer whale presence.
  • New: DFO will pilot a new closure protocol for the southern Gulf Islands recreational and commercial salmon fisheries, whereby fishery closures are triggered by the first confirmed presence of Southern Resident killer whales in the area. The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority Enhancing Cetacean and Observation (ECHO) Program, working closely with its local partners, and the DFO Whale Tracking Network, will begin monitoring the area starting June 1, 2021, and once a Southern Resident killer whale is confirmed, fishery closures will be triggered and will remain in place until October 31, 2021.
  • All fishers are encouraged to temporarily cease fishing activities (do not haul in gear) when killer whales are within 1,000 metres. This voluntary measure is in place year-round throughout Canadian Pacific waters.
  • For the second consecutive year, DFO is also planning to release one million Chilliwack River Chinook Hatchery salmon to support the availability of prey within the habitat of Southern Resident killer whales.

Acoustic and physical disturbances from vessels

All vessels, including recreational boats and whale watching vessels, have an important role to play in reducing acoustic and physical disturbance. For a third consecutive year, Transport Canada is implementing expanded measures for vessel operators:

  • Vessels are prohibited from approaching any killer whale within 400 metres in southern British Columbia coastal waters between Campbell River to just north of Ucluelet. This year Barkley Sound and Howe Sound have been added to the approach distance requirements as it is within the geographic range that has been previously identified.
    • Whale watching and ecotourism companies that receive an authorization from the Minister of Transport will be able to view all killer whales other than the Southern Resident killer whales from 200 metres, given their expertise in identifying different types of killer whales.
  • Vessels are asked to turn off fish finders and echo sounders when safe to do so. Place engine in neutral and allow animals to pass if you find yourself within 400 m of a killer whale.
  • All vessels are asked to reduce their speed to less than 7 knots when safe to do so if they are within 1,000 metres of killer whales, to reduce engine noise and vessel wake.

Interim sanctuary zones

Interim sanctuary zones create spaces of refuge for the whales on a temporary basis, pending further research into a longer-term approach. The location of these zones is based on scientific knowledge of historically important foraging areas for Southern Resident killer whales.

  • From June 1 until November 30, 2021, no vessel traffic or fishing activity is allowed in interim sanctuary zones off the southwest coast of Pender Island, southeast end of Saturna Island and at Swiftsure Bank. Exceptions will be allowed for emergency situations and vessels engaged in Indigenous food, social and ceremonial fisheries. Vessel restrictions in the interim sanctuary zones will be put in place using the Interim Order power of the Minister of Transport under the Canada Shipping Act.
  • To ensure the safety of those operating human-powered vessels, a 20-metre corridor next to shore will allow kayakers and other paddlers to transit through these zones. If a killer whale is in the sanctuary at the time, paddlers must remain 400 metres away from the whales.

Contaminants

The Government of Canada leads a technical working group on contaminants in the environment comprised of key partners from other orders of government, academia and non-governmental organizations. Over the past two years, this group has identified key contaminants of concern and continued important monitoring and research. In addition, 59 guidelines were recommended, based on a scientific decision-making framework, to protect Southern Resident killer whales and their prey.

Reflecting on the nature of contaminants’ persistence in the environment, the Government of Canada and its partners have identified long-term actions to support Southern Resident killer whale recovery in the following areas:

  • Develop and implement further controls such as regulations or guidelines to reduce the threat of contaminants;
  • Conduct research and monitoring to further our understanding of contaminants in the environment and their impacts;
  • Share data, information, and knowledge among partners to inform decision-making; and
  • Undertake outreach, education and engagement to inform the public and involve them in solutions.

Compliance with management measures depends on public awareness. The Government of Canada continues to collaborate with educational organizations, environmental groups, and government bodies in Canada and the United States to raise awareness of the Southern Resident killer whale protection measures through public education and outreach efforts.