Strategy for the Northern and Southern Resident Killer Whales

What is California and Oregon doing in regards to the SRKW issues? They are involved in this as well. This is not just a B.C. and Washington problem and from the information I have been told any malnutrition issues are occurring when the whales are in CA and OR not WA or BC.
 
What is California and Oregon doing in regards to the SRKW issues? They are involved in this as well. This is not just a B.C. and Washington problem and from the information I have been told any malnutrition issues are occurring when the whales are in CA and OR not WA or BC.
100% agree - this is NOT a made in BC problem. If you look at the population, the 2 SRKW pods that spend winters south of BC return each summer in what appears to be a nutritionally stressed state. Further, these 2 pods are the one's that have shown more population fluctuation - and recent reducing trend. Whereas, the single SRKW pod that remains in BC 12 months of the year is stable. Hmmm
 
Just was watching a Washington news channel and sounds like some groups down there are trying to stop whale watching by boat all together saying people can view from shore. They said a new study just came out saying whale watchers disrupt an average of 5 hours of valuable foraging time each day. Saw this on K5 I think, about 10 minutes ago. The other issue they raised is all the damns on the Columbia River which have really hurt salmon stocks.
 
Well the Greens will be happy....one down one more to go.
 
Just was watching a Washington news channel and sounds like some groups down there are trying to stop whale watching by boat all together saying people can view from shore. They said a new study just came out saying whale watchers disrupt an average of 5 hours of valuable foraging time each day. Saw this on K5 I think, about 10 minutes ago. The other issue they raised is all the damns on the Columbia River which have really hurt salmon stocks.

Link to King 5 article in this thread:

https://www.sportfishingbc.com/foru...3-5-year-commercial-whale-watching-ban.72393/
 
Well the Greens will be happy....one down one more to go.
I think this is a bad thing. While I agree the current WW practices are crowding too closely to feeding orca (200m isn't scientifically supported), I don't believe in excluding WW activities that are practiced in a responsible and scientifically supported way.

For example, the SFAB, SFI, WCFGA have all endorsed use of a 400m bubble zone, which was supported at the Prey Acquisition Science Workshop by key science experts. Every vessel operator should be able to practice the 400m bubble, with the exception of large commercial vessels over 60 gross tonnes. The large vessels over 60 gross tonnes can be dealt with by re-routing, and slowing down movements in key approach areas.

Some access to Critical Habitat areas by practicing responsible ways to avoid physical and acoustic disturbance is better than what DFO implemented strictly for the recreational community (no one else) - Area Closures and fin fish closures are not protecting both whales and the social/economic values that accrue to small coastal communities from recreational, commerical and FN fisheries.

In short, the Washington State approach for WW is no better than what DFO did with the BC Rec Fishery. We need balanced, fair-minded approaches that achieve both protection objectives.
 
I think this is a bad thing. While I agree the current WW practices are crowding too closely to feeding orca (200m isn't scientifically supported), I don't believe in excluding WW activities that are practiced in a responsible and scientifically supported way.

For example, the SFAB, SFI, WCFGA have all endorsed use of a 400m bubble zone, which was supported at the Prey Acquisition Science Workshop by key science experts. Every vessel operator should be able to practice the 400m bubble, with the exception of large commercial vessels over 60 gross tonnes. The large vessels over 60 gross tonnes can be dealt with by re-routing, and slowing down movements in key approach areas.

Some access to Critical Habitat areas by practicing responsible ways to avoid physical and acoustic disturbance is better than what DFO implemented strictly for the recreational community (no one else) - Area Closures and fin fish closures are not protecting both whales and the social/economic values that accrue to small coastal communities from recreational, commerical and FN fisheries.

In short, the Washington State approach for WW is no better than what DFO did with the BC Rec Fishery. We need balanced, fair-minded approaches that achieve both protection objectives.


This story was on the front page of the Vancouver Province yesterday on the whale watching:

https://theprovince.com/news/local-...rcas/wcm/494296ee-fe10-4e27-8569-eebad3489921
 
Useful insight but at what cost. K25 the Orca tagged in this survey is the same one that is now unusually thin. Another case of pathogens introduced by dirty tags?????.
https://vancouversun.com/news/local...ther-southern-resident-killer-whale-is-ailing
And the other ones:
https://vancouversun.com/news/local...ntributed-to-orcas-death-off-vancouver-island
Wild things and humans don,t mix. We frack it up every time.
 
Which one of these Pods is stable? Which pods travel south to US waters in the winter, and which stay here in BC all year? This isn't a Made In BC Problem if you carefully compare how each of the pods is actually doing...

Ø The only SRKW pod that spends the entire year in BC is “J” pod – population trends clearly indicate this pod has been stable and increasing since 1975 (Fig. 4)

Ø SRKW pods “K” and “L” – particularly “L” pod are fluctuating, having shown a reduced trend pattern in the case of “L” pod since the 1990’s

Ø “K” and “L” pods spend their winters in US waters, returning to BC in the abundant summer months

Ø Science observers report that whales returning from US waters after the winter show signs of nutritional stress – the origin of which is not in BC

Ø Science Advice contained in CSAS 2017/035 inaccurately assumes that a large origin of the limiting factors on SRKW recovery are in BC – Chinook abundance in BC may not be the key limiting factor, rather the ability for SRKW to ACCESS prey all along their range

Ø Nutritional stressor solutions are not all on the backs of BC, especially for “K” and “L” pods



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Useful insight but at what cost. K25 the Orca tagged in this survey is the same one that is now unusually thin. Another case of pathogens introduced by dirty tags?????.
https://vancouversun.com/news/local...ther-southern-resident-killer-whale-is-ailing
And the other ones:
https://vancouversun.com/news/local...ntributed-to-orcas-death-off-vancouver-island
Wild things and humans don,t mix. We frack it up every time.
OMG, classic case of "Loving Whales To Death" - unintended consequences of a do gooder approach. Let's study them from afar.
 
Will DFO follow Washington State's proposals?
They have addressed Fish Farms by not renewing their leases and now some very strong moves regarding Orca's.
The part I especially like is the Seal and Sea Lion cull.

“Whale-watch limits, seal kills, other bold steps needed to save orcas, panel tells Inslee”
“A task force created to save Puget Sound's endangered southern resident orcas from extinction presented its final report to Gov. Jay Inslee on Friday, recommending 36 specific goals including a temporary ban on whale-watching, reducing the sea lion population, increasing the whales' food supply, protecting habitat and preventing exposure to contaminants.”


https://komonews.com/news/local/wha...steps-needed-to-save-orcas-panel-tells-inslee
 
I wish we could adopt their government... they’re getting it done!!
 
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