Know before you go — Vessel flags

This flag is used by authorized commercial whale watching and ecotourism companies to view non-Southern Resident killer whales up to 200 metres. If you see a commercial whale watching vessel flying this purple AV Flag, it signals that they have the expertise to identify different populations of killer whales and are authorized to be closer than other vessels to non-Southern Resident killer whales. All other vessels must maintain a distance of 400 metres from all killer whales in southern B.C. coastal waters between Campbell River and just north of Ucluelet as per the Interim Order enacted under the Canada Shipping Act.

The Whale Warning Flag is raised by vessels when whales are within 1 km. By raising the flag, transiting vessels are alerted to the presence of whales and should adjust their vessel’s course and speed in accordance with the Marine Mammal Regulations and best practices as laid out in the Be Whale Wise guidelines. For the flag to be effective, it is important to lower it when whales are not present.

Photo credit: Marine Education and Research Society

This flag indicates that research is being conducted under a Marine Mammal License (MML) approved by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). There are specific conditions, responsibilities and reporting requirements associated with each license. If a vessel has this flag please stay away, as the research may involve approaching marine mammals closer than the minimum approach distance.