Consultation summary – Southern Resident Killer Whale recovery management measures for 2025

Consultation meetings

The Government of Canada met bilaterally and multilaterally a total of 19 times with Indigenous communities and organizations and stakeholders between September 2024 and February 2025 to discuss and seek feedback on the proposed management measures for 2025 and 2026. This also included meeting through established Southern Resident Killer Whale advisory and technical working groups.

Public survey

A consultation website was available from January 10 to February 26, 2025, for a period of 45 days, and included an online survey to provide written feedback on the proposed management measures for 2025 and 2026. The survey questions sought any comments and considerations on the proposed measures relating to acoustic and physical disturbance for 2025 and 2026. A total of 146 online survey responses were received.

Email inbox

Input on the proposed general vessel management measures for 2025 and 2026 was directed to a single dedicated e-mail inbox (TC.SRKW-ERS.TC@tc.gc.ca). Approximately 13 written responses were received between October 2024 and February 2025, providing comments on both current and proposed measures to address physical and acoustic disturbance. Additionally, the inbox DFO.SRKW-ERS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca continued to serve as a point of contact for questions and feedback related to the suite of management measures to protect Southern Resident Killer Whales; however, fewer inquiries were received through this platform.

Physical and acoustic disturbance

Overview

Transport Canada received feedback from various Indigenous communities and organizations, stakeholders and the public that offered differing views on the various existing and proposed vessel measures to protect Southern Resident Killer Whales from acoustic and physical disturbance. While there was general support for the management measures that aid in Southern Resident Killer Whale recovery, there were some concerns regarding the timing, geographic scope and rigidity of some measures, particularly the Interim Sanctuary Zones, now called Vessel Restricted Zones, and Speed Restricted Zones. Some advocated for larger zones and year-round prohibitions, while others were uncertain of the benefits the zones are providing to address the threat of physical and acoustic disturbance to Southern Resident Killer Whales when the whales are not present in them. Shared concerns included socio-economic impacts as well as compliance and safety issues, particularly in Swiftsure Bank. Feedback was also received on the 400 metre approach/avoidance distance measure, and the prohibition on impeding the path measure, with varying degrees of support.

DFO communicated during the consultation period that longer-term efforts for the approach distance measure would be undertaken by the Department, through their Marine Mammal Regulations amendment process. All groups shared their support for the continued protection of the species and encouraged longer-term and more permanent actions.

Indigenous communities and organizations

Feedback received from Indigenous communities and organizations suggests overall support for the status quo approach for the 2025 and 2026 vessel measures. Specific views were raised relating to:

• the lack of clear quantitative targets and performance indicators of success for the measures
• the need for increased transparency in decision-making and reporting of how monitoring and enforcement are carried out
• the importance of encouraging further research and monitoring of the acoustic soundscape
• interest in additional or year-round protection for other marine mammal species beyond Southern Resident Killer Whales

Many Indigenous communities and organizations do not agree with the authorization for commercial ecotourism and whale watching vessels to view non-Southern Resident Killer Whales at 200 metres, as it could put undue pressure on Transient Killer Whales. Feedback also included clarity on potential impacts these measures could have on section 35 rights, interest in continuing and increasing collaborative opportunities for monitoring and joint outreach, and requests for increased protection and enforcement of Southern Resident Killer Whale measures.

Stakeholders

The majority of public feedback supported the continuation of the two Interim Sanctuary Zones (now Vessel Restricted Zones) in the Gulf Islands, the two Speed Restricted Zones at Swiftsure Bank, the 400 metre approach distance and prohibition on impeding the path of a Killer Whale, and the voluntary slowdown in Tumbo Channel. Key suggestions included increased education, outreach and communication on the Interim Sanctuary Zones and Speed Restricted Zones, and developing visual markers for the zones’ boundaries. However, a portion of respondents expressed disagreement with the static no-go and speed zones, with some recommendations that they all be in effect only when Southern Resident Killer Whales are present. Some respondents did raise concerns regarding the voluntary slowdown at Tumbo Channel and encouraged the area be converted to a fishery closure rather than a voluntary slowdown.

With respect to the 400 metre approach distance and prohibition on impeding the path measures, many respondents were highly supportive of continuing these as status quo. Many were supportive of the current distance, but were in disagreement with the provision for authorized commercial ecotourism and whale watching vessels to view non-Southern Resident Killer Whales at a distance of 200 metres. The breadth of recommendations indicated that further work needs to be done by the Government of Canada to better inform and educate the general public about the intent of the measures, and further clarify what is exempted and allowable for safety reasons.

Prey availability

As the measures for the 2024 and 2025 seasons were consulted on and announced in 2024, no additional formal consultation on prey availability measures occurred in 2025. However, throughout 2025, DFO continued to engage with Indigenous communities and organizations, stakeholders, and held a Prey Technical Working Group meeting in November 2024 to continue broader conversations on Southern Resident Killer Whale prey availability.

Feedback received during these general engagement opportunities captured interests in strengthened monitoring and enforcement to support salmon management and the protection of Southern Resident Killer Whales. There was also interest in clearer guidance on monitoring approaches and greater transparency around enforcement processes, including how incidents are reported and addressed. There were also suggestions on enhancing outreach and education efforts to further support compliance and understanding of who is restricted and where. Support and interest were expressed for potential adjustments to the prey measures in 2026. This included suggestions for expanding the closures spatially and/or temporally. There was also an interest in exploring adaptive, in-season management tied to metrics such as whale body condition and Chinook abundance to trigger timely protective measures, alongside calls for early public notification to improve compliance. Additional recommendations also emphasized the importance of precise spatial management approaches that align with key foraging habitat, balancing recovery with fisheries’ socio-economic needs.

Regarding salmon more broadly, concerns were raised regarding the critical status of some Fraser River Chinook stocks and a need for further integration with the BC Government on a Chinook recovery program, particularly regarding habitat restoration and broader salmon rebuilding efforts. Gaps in salmon recovery planning were identified regarding herring stock health, habitat protection for forage species, and the need for greater integration of ecosystem and food web interactions. Additional ecosystem concerns related to Southern Resident Killer Whale recovery included pinniped predation impacts on Chinook stocks, and potential negative effects of open net-pen aquaculture, including sea lice and disease, on wild salmon health.

Feedback received in 2025 is being used to inform science, management, and outreach activities throughout the year and will be considered in future adjustments to measures for 2026 and beyond.

Contaminants

ECCC continues to lead the Southern Resident Killer Whale Contaminants Technical Working Group (TWG), with its most recent meeting held in October 2024. ECCC heard from Indigenous communities and organizations, and stakeholders that there is interest in continuing to improve the knowledge of contaminants entering the environment and their impact to whales and prey.

ECCC continues to update and share information regarding the actions taken by the Government of Canada and other jurisdictions to reduce the threat of contaminants, such as implementing actions to mitigate risk posed by substances deemed toxic to humans and/or the environment, and enforcement of environmental legislation and work under the Chemicals Management Plan. ECCC intends to continue sharing information and knowledge with federal and provincial departments, Indigenous Communities and organizations and other stakeholder partners as it continues to address contaminants in the environment through a variety of initiatives that will support the recovery of Southern Resident Killer Whales. As part of ECCC’s effort to share information and data, data is available on the Open Government Portal and the Pollutants Affecting Whales and their Prey Inventory Tool (PAWPIT). PAWPIT is an interactive pollutant mapping tool which shows estimates of pollutant releases by all identified sources within a spatial extent that includes the habitats of Northern and Southern Resident Killer Whales and freshwater areas important for Chinook salmon. The tool also displays estimated ambient contaminant loads in the Fraser River Basin and indicates where environmental quality guidelines were exceeded. See Reducing the threat of contaminants to Southern Resident Killer Whales, and Whales and contaminants for more information.