Southern Resident Killer Whale 2024 Management Measure Approach

[wildmanyeah]

see attached

 

[Whole in the Water]

DFO's misguided and ineffective approach to protecting SRKW is nothing less then useless public relations BS! It is not backed by current research on SRKW, but older data on past whale sightings. It does little to protect SRKW while does great harm to commercial and recreational fisheries, other marine based industries and the communities that depend on them.

Closing down large areas to boat traffic and fishing activities are ineffective in protecting SRKW when their is data to show that the SRKW are in these areas less than 10% of the time. WA state has listened to the current science and has much more effective 'bubble zones' that surround and protect the whales as they move, not just when they occasionally happen to swim through a protected area. The moving bubble that means you cannot approach them within approx. 1km. If they approach your boat, you stop fishing. If they pass by you can resume fishing. If they hang around then you slowly and safely exit the area. This makes much more sense for all involved.

Not only that but there is growing evidence that the SRKW's are changing their feeding times, areas and reducing the time they are spending on the Salish Sea so how do these goofy protection zones benefit them? - they don't!

DFO uses the harmful no fishing & boating zones for political, not scientific reasons. Closing areas to fishing appeases ENGO's and some FN's that simply do not like the idea of recreational/public fishing

 

[Derby]

You would not be suggesting that DFO only brings forward the science that best fits there narrative by chance... So Ottawa Looks to being saving the whales

 

[High Time]

DFO's misguided and ineffective approach to protecting SRKW is nothing less then useless public relations BS! It is not backed by current research on SRKW, but older data on past whale sightings. It does little to protect SRKW while does great harm to commercial and recreational fisheries, other marine based industries and the communities that depend on them.

Closing down large areas to boat traffic and fishing activities are ineffective in protecting SRKW when their is data to show that the SRKW are in these areas less than 10% of the time. WA state has listened to the current science and has much more effective 'bubble zones' that surround and protect the whales as they move, not just when they occasionally happen to swim through a protected area. The moving bubble that means you cannot approach them within approx. 1km. If they approach your boat, you stop fishing. If they pass by you can resume fishing. If they hang around then you slowly and safely exit the area. This makes much more sense for all involved.

Not only that but there is growing evidence that the SRKW's are changing their feeding times, areas and reducing the time they are spending on the Salish Sea so how do these goofy protection zones benefit them? - they don't!

DFO uses the harmful no fishing & boating zones for political, not scientific reasons. Closing areas to fishing appeases ENGO's and some FN's that simply do not like the idea of recreational/public fishing

Whole in the Water, your description of the ridiculous and useless Interim SRKW sanctuary areas, particularly Pender Bluffs, is spot on. We spend most of the summer at our place on Pender Bluffs,observing the farce that this thing is. The SRKW made a five day apperance at the end of June in the area of Victoria and ajacent San Jaun Islands and then went back out Jaun De Fuca to the West Coast and were non existent for the months of July and August on the inside waters. We observed literally thousands of vessels transiting through the so called sanctuary in June, July, August and September with virtually no enforcement. Obviously the Dept. knows that it would be a ridiculous waste of time and resources and accomplish nothing to protect SRKW, but they still continue to market their unscientific bull for the reasons you stated above. Is there no one in the various advisory positions that can call their bluff on this facade. The word "Interim" suggests that the value of this scheme would be reviewed and only maintained if it was actually contributing something to the health of SRKW. My observations would suggest that it is accomplishing nothing other than destroying a small local fishery and disrupting the passage of vessels when there are no whales in the area.

 

[ship happens]

Notice how the 2 areas along Pender and south Saturna, that are the SRKW no go zones have unreal houses looking over the bluffs. Pretty sure the reason is staring you in the face everytime you travel past. How it got to be well that's another question. Goes pretty well with all the other corruption around here.

 

[onefish]

You would not be suggesting that DFO only brings forward the science that best fits there narrative

They use science when it fits their narrative and ignore science when it doesn't fit their narrative. The only thing you can trust about DFO is they cannot be trusted, EVER!

 

[searun]

Whole in the Water, your description of the ridiculous and useless Interim SRKW sanctuary areas, particularly Pender Bluffs, is spot on. We spend most of the summer at our place on Pender Bluffs,observing the farce that this thing is. The SRKW made a five day apperance at the end of June in the area of Victoria and ajacent San Jaun Islands and then went back out Jaun De Fuca to the West Coast and were non existent for the months of July and August on the inside waters. We observed literally thousands of vessels transiting through the so called sanctuary in June, July, August and September with virtually no enforcement. Obviously the Dept. knows that it would be a ridiculous waste of time and resources and accomplish nothing to protect SRKW, but they still continue to market their unscientific bull for the reasons you stated above. Is there no one in the various advisory positions that can call their bluff on this facade. The word "Interim" suggests that the value of this scheme would be reviewed and only maintained if it was actually contributing something to the health of SRKW. My observations would suggest that it is accomplishing nothing other than destroying a small local fishery and disrupting the passage of vessels when there are no whales in the area.

All this is about to become embedded into long-term regulations - despite no scientific evidence these sanctuaries even produce one measurable recovery benefit for SRKW that rarely use these particular "sanctuaries." This is all about fire for effect and to be seen doing something, rather than being guided by real science.

 

[Derby]

The Province: West Coast toxic hot spots threaten endangered salmon and killer whales





https://theprovince.com/news/local-...-threaten-endangered-salmon-and-killer-whales