What we heard - Overview of the Government of Canada consultations on proposed Southern Resident Killer Whale recovery management measures for 2021

On this page

• Background
• Consultation process
• Consultation summary
  • Southern Resident Killer Whale consultation email inbox
  • Feedback themes from engagement and consultation
• Long-term actions in support of Southern Resident Killer Whale recovery

Background

Southern Resident Killer Whales were listed as Endangered under the Species at Risk Act (SARA) in 2003. Southern Resident Killer Whales are an iconic species and supporting their recovery is a key priority for the Government of Canada. In 2018, it was determined that Southern Resident Killer Whales are facing imminent threats to their survival and recovery. In support of their recovery, a number of management measures were implemented, beginning in 2018 and again in subsequent years, including fishery closures, interim sanctuary zones, increased vessel approach distances and voluntary measures for fish harvesters and vessels on the water in the presence of whales.

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), Transport Canada (TC), Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and Parks Canada Agency (PCA) worked with Indigenous groups, the Indigenous and Multi-Stakeholder Advisory Group (IMAG), the Southern Resident Killer Whale Technical Working Groups (TWGs), and stakeholders to inform the development of management measures that address the threats of reduced prey availability (primarily Chinook salmon),general vessel disturbance, contaminants, and the implementation of sanctuaries to mitigate disturbance to Southern Resident Killer Whales. As well, the Government of Canada continued partnering with the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation Program (ECHO) to inform on the develop of measures for Large Commercial Vessels. The advice received informed the development of the 2021 management measures for consultation with Indigenous groups and stakeholders. Additionally considered in the development of the 2021 measures were lessons learned from previous years’ measures, recovery efforts underway in the US, science information, and other Government of Canada processes such as the southern BC salmon Integrated Fisheries Management Plan process.

Consultations with Indigenous groups and stakeholders on Southern Resident Killer Whale recovery management measures for 2021 were conducted jointly by DFO, TC, ECCC and PCA. Here is a list of management measures announced for 2021.

Consultation process

A variety of formats were used to seek feedback on the proposed measures including bilateral and multilateral meetings; correspondence to Indigenous groups, local communities, sectors and other stakeholders; and a generic email to submit feedback on the proposed suite of 2021 management measures. Due to the ongoing impacts of COVID-19, all consultations and engagement took place virtually.

Targeted consultation was conducted from November 2020 to February 2021 with Indigenous groups and stakeholders potentially impacted by the recovery management measures. The first phase of consultations involved reviewing the 2020 management measures and receiving feedback on the potential management measures for 2021 with Indigenous groups, stakeholders and the Technical Working Groups. This was followed by the second phase of consultations to seek input and feedback on the proposed suite of 2021 management measures to provide information to the Ministers in making their decisions.

Consultation summary

Southern Resident Killer Whale email inbox

Input on the proposed management measures for 2021 was directed to one dedicated e-mail inbox DFO.SRKW-ERS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca. Additional feedback was collected through the other venues of the engagement and consultation process.

• Comments on proposed measures were received from January 4, 2021, to February 26, 2021, which was the deadline for consultation feedback to be submitted.
• Comments varied with some expressing concern regarding the lack of whale presence in areas of closure, and compliance and enforcement of mandatory and voluntary measures. Other comments supported including greater protection of Southern Resident Killer Whales and their key foraging areas, either through additional fixed closures, expansion of the geographic application of the approach distance or transitioning voluntary measures such as the fishing avoidance measures and 7 knot slowdown measure.
• See ‘Feedback Themes’ for more information

Feedback themes from engagement and consultation

The following is a snapshot of comments and recommendations generally received by Indigenous groups, industry, environmental non-governmental organizations, other governments and coastal communities that expressed support for the management measures as well as socio-economic concerns:

• Majority support to expand 400 metre vessel approach distance to include Barkley and Howe Sounds;
• Support for closures in Southern Resident Killer Whale key foraging areas to support prey availability and reduce physical and acoustic disturbance;
  • Some concern regarding the scientific evidence in support of the proposed closures in certain areas regarding Southern Resident Killer Whale habitat use and socioeconomic impacts due to the closures in the Strait of Juan de Fuca; Some support to expand closures to protect more Southern Resident foraging areas.
• Mixed support for the closure protocol for the triggered start date to implement the salmon fishing closure in the Gulf Islands based on first confirmed presence of Southern Resident Killer Whales.
  • Concern regarding the delay in the implementation based on presence and would not adequately protect Southern Resident Killer Whales;
  • Support to keep fixed closures in place until there is better compliance of voluntary measures
• Concern that voluntary measures are ineffective due to non-compliance – particularly the voluntary fishing avoidance zone – stop fishing within 1000m of killer whales;
• Majority support to transition the 7-knot vessel slowdown within 1000 metres of killer whales from a voluntary to mandatory measure in 2021 or future years;
• The position that more data and scientific evidence is needed to support management measures, especially for closures based on Southern Resident Killer Whale critical habitat;
• Request for increased compliance monitoring and enforcement of management measures;
  • Support to increase monitoring and outreach through non-Government partners such as First Nations Guardians;
• Support to expand AIS requirements to all motorized vessels and commercial whale watching vessels
• Request for enhanced stormwater management to reduce contaminants of concern entering Southern Resident Killer Whale habitat
• Support to develop measureable objectives to assess the effectiveness of management measures.

Long-term actions in support of Southern Resident Killer Whale recovery

While recent efforts have been largely focused on the development of immediate management measures, work is underway to address longer-term actions to protect and support the recovery of Southern Resident Killer Whales. The Government of Canada is continuing to advance long-term actions that address prey availability (such as salmon enhancement, predation considerations, forage fish management and salmon habitat restoration), physical and acoustic disturbance (such as protected areas, underwater noise reduction targets and echo sounder mitigation), and contaminants (such as development of environmental quality guidelines, increased research and monitoring and identification of contaminant sources).