Strategy for the Northern and Southern Resident Killer Whales

[banger17]

Guessing many of you have seen this...
Disturbing one-sided journalism

https://www.cheknews.ca/whale-watch...0-southern-resident-now-presumed-dead-490050/

 

[searun]

Reading Richards data more closely, the Cowichan Chinook really are home bodies throughout the full year. A lot of them were caught near Texada which presumably makes those fish more widely available for SRKW. Some of the SRKW pods spend the winter months inside SOG, making those chinook that tend to range around VI an important food source with the exception of L Pod (L Pod over-winters in US waters traditionally).

So a useful strategy might be to focus enhancement and habitat work on ECVI and Lower Fraser a top priority for Canada, whereas Puget Sound stocks should be a priority for our partners in the US. Canada's problem has been finding the political capital necessary to inspire them to strategically invest long term in ongoing chinook enhancement.

Similarly, it is very important to note that even if we are able to ramp up chinook abundance that will not recover SRKW unless they are able to acquire prey successfully. One of the main roadblocks is still physical and acoustic disturbances which impede prey acquisition. To that end, we need to implement a 400m spatial exclusion zone strategy that provides mobile protection. Whales range very widely, and are very difficult to provide adequate protective measures when we pick spots on a map where there appears to be concentrations of whale activity. The problem with area closures for example, is SRKW range widely. Often they are not in areas we select for applying an Area strategy. I feel the Area strategy has been largely ineffective when compared to what can be accomplished through a 400m protective bubble no matter where whales roam.

 

[Charter Tofino]

It’s quite interesting to watch the NRKWs regularly utilize the Robson Bight closure. They spend a huge portion of their time in it. I can only imagine it’s a nice break from the 50+ whale watching boats sitting over top of them.

I can only imagine a similar closure for SRKW that is also patrolled and enforced would be beneficial. They’ve already done it to sport fisherman, im sure some of that closed area could be designated.

 

[wildmanyeah]

I can only imagine a similar closure for SRKW that is also patrolled and enforced would be beneficial. They’ve already done it to sport fisherman, im sure some of that closed area could be designated.

Like a mpa for the SRKW managed by parks Canada

Say off Pender Island? The engo dream

Gotta imagine that thif ENGO will be
Pushing for some sort of marine sanctuary

 

[uclueletcharters]

Like in an earlier post your lucky to see killers whales a couple times a season if you even do in our area. I commercial fished for sockeye in the Robsonbite area ( inside of the island ) and everyday between 2-3pm each day the orcas would come through and kill the activity on our troller for the day chasing salmon in the afternoon. That type of feeding in the Ucluelet area doesn't happen at all. Further proposed closures will do absolutely nothing to help save the whales. It's not providing a big enough buffer zone between spectators and the whales for one, imagine sitting behind your blind getting set up and a boat load of people come flying up. Ambush failed! Everyone who fishes knows when orcas show up it kills the fishing. Sport Anglers pull there gear and take off as far away as possible to the next good spot and don't stick around. Rec anglers would never fish areas orcas hang out on a regular basis as it would be a waist of time. The other issue as stated is pollution I believe it's screwing up the reproduction of these orcas and that needs a very close looking at, I don't know this to be fact but am under the impression Vic pumps untreated sewage in the ocean? Wouldn't that be a starting point? The feds need to better fund our hatcheries many are self funded hatcheries that with some extra dollars could really pump the stocks up. They make a ton of tax dollars off the fishing sector I'm sure they could allocate some extra dollars. The two major factors that stick out to me as the main problem is pollution and boat traffic/watchers. Take a look at the marine traffic site, there constant freighters passing right through the orcas most frequented areas. I hope who ever makes the decision takes into account reports by these groups are bias one sided reports that don't take into account real information from the folks that are out almost everyday on the water and know what's going on in each of our zones. No one wants to see the orcas go extinct I'm sure everyone agrees on that but lets be realistic as to what's going to work and not cause a ton of casualties in discovering a few years later nothing has improved by shutting the coast down bit by bit.

 

[ericl]

Guessing many of you have seen this...
Disturbing one-sided journalism

OK what's the other side to this story?

 

[Fishalot]

OK what's the other side to this story?

You didn’t find it ironic that a large whale watching company who derives their income from chasing whales and disturbing their feeding with acoustic interference etc is providing commentary?

 

[ericl]

Sorry Eric **** poor answer to my question

It's **** poor because it's not the answer you wanna hear bud.

 

[uclueletcharters]

As for a buffer there should be two buffer categories one for Orcas which should be way out as they seem to be the effected by getting to close and the usual one for Gray Whales and Humpbacks as they don't seem to care. That's for spectators and whale watchers.

 

[ericl]

You didn’t find it ironic that a large whale watching company who derives their income from chasing whales and disturbing their feeding with acoustic interference etc is providing commentary?

Yes I do & I agree with your accurate assessment of their activity. That is not what I had in mind when I asked the OP what they meant by "what's the other side of the story". Please don't assume that because I defend selected biologists/scientists on this issue that I am taking sides - I may appear to you to be taking sides but that is just a false assumption on your (not you specifically blindmonkey) part.

As for a buffer there should be two buffer categories one for Orcas which should be way out as they seem to be the effected by getting to close and the usual one for Gray Whales and Humpbacks as they don't seem to care. That's for spectators and whale watchers.

I have had all 3 species come closer than I wished; closest was a young Orca who swam under my 14' foot from stern to bow at 25MPH then flip their tail 6 inches from the bow putting about 15 or so gallons of water in my face.

On a serious note I have seen data saying our fish finder pings are at sound levels over 100 Db under water; makes me wonder if the proposed 400M is far enough.
As to us voluntarily switching the FF to a different frequency, I expect compliance to be somewhere near that with the posted speed limits.

 

[ericl]

I honestly did not expect the SOG stocks to be that important to SRKW given the limited time the SRKW are actually in the SOG. I would of thought that chinook abundance in the JDF would of been more important.

The J pod (from latest info that is) winters in the SOG

I thought I read in one of the reports that the chinook abundance in april, may and july was the issue for the SRKW

I read the same thing. I would not doubt that there is competition amongst the biologists/scientists to be the one that discovers "THE ISSUE".

 

[ziggy]

FYI; in an earlier post you asked what the US is doing? Here is a link to a lawsuit filed recently to get the area off San Juan Island as SRKW protected habitat:

https://www.biologicaldiversity.org.../pdfs/SRKW-CH-Delay-Complaint-8-16-18-ECF.pdf
Thanks for the link Eric.
So what exactly does declaring an area as Critical Habitat actually entail and has it been done? Clearly it is very different from a refuge otherwise there would be no fishing on the American side of Juan de Fuca, Haro Strait and Puget Sound? According to the map provided in the link, this is a done deal and as I understand it the law suit is to expand the coverage ( whatever it entails) to the coasts of Oregon,Washington and Northern California? As an aside it’s interesting to see the winter foraging areas.

So Eric, I looked up Critical Habitat on the US government site and it seems to be more about your government not granting licenses and curtailing development etc. It also stated it specifically doesn’t create refuges! So back to my original question are you aware of any move to create sanctuaries in the San Juan’s or Puget Sound or any other initiative other than litigation by a smAll group hoping for some sort of action.Just curious as to if there is any initiatives coming from your government. Not sure if I’m missing something.

 

[cohochinook]

Dear Sir / Madam,


On Friday, September 14th, Fisheries and Oceans Canada provided information regarding upcoming webinars on the Proposed Amended Recovery Strategy for Northern and Southern Resident Killer Whales in Canada. We would like to clarify that the September 25 webinar is being held for Indigenous groups only. Please find below the public webinar schedule.


Please RSVP via email to SARA.XPAC@dfo-mpo.gc.cato attend either the webinar or the in-person information sessions with your name, organization, email address, phone number, and number of participants.


CORRECTION NOTICE


Public webinar: Proposed Amended Recovery Strategy for Northern and Southern Resident Killer Whales in Canada


Webinar

o Webinar (Public): Wednesday, September 26th, 2018, 10 am – 12 pm

WebEx Information: to be provided to registered participants on Friday, September 21.


Regional in-person meetings:

· Port Alberni (Best Western Barclay Hotel, 4277 Stamp Ave.): Wednesday, October 3rd 2018, 6-9 pm

• Ucluelet (Black Rock Oceanfront Resort, Ballroom, 596 Marine Drive): Thursday, October 4th 2018, 6-9 pm

Species at Risk Program

Pacific Region

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

200-401 Burrard Street, Vancouver BC V6C 3S4

Telephone: 604-666-7907

Facsimile: 604-666-0417

 

[fish brain]

Dear Sir / Madam,


On Friday, September 14th, Fisheries and Oceans Canada provided information regarding upcoming webinars on the Proposed Amended Recovery Strategy for Northern and Southern Resident Killer Whales in Canada. We would like to clarify that the September 25 webinar is being held for Indigenous groups only. Please find below the public webinar schedule.


Please RSVP via email to SARA.XPAC@dfo-mpo.gc.cato attend either the webinar or the in-person information sessions with your name, organization, email address, phone number, and number of participants.


CORRECTION NOTICE


Public webinar: Proposed Amended Recovery Strategy for Northern and Southern Resident Killer Whales in Canada


Webinar

o Webinar (Public): Wednesday, September 26th, 2018, 10 am – 12 pm

WebEx Information: to be provided to registered participants on Friday, September 21.


Regional in-person meetings:

· Port Alberni (Best Western Barclay Hotel, 4277 Stamp Ave.): Wednesday, October 3rd 2018, 6-9 pm

• Ucluelet (Black Rock Oceanfront Resort, Ballroom, 596 Marine Drive): Thursday, October 4th 2018, 6-9 pm

Species at Risk Program

Pacific Region

Fisheries and Oceans Canada

200-401 Burrard Street, Vancouver BC V6C 3S4

Telephone: 604-666-7907

Facsimile: 604-666-0417

The new access to the webinar is way more restrictive than when they first posted this.
Why?

 

[OldBlackDog]

Control.

The new access to the webinar is way more restrictive than when they first posted this.
Why?

 

[fish brain]

Control.

Then they should schedule more meetings. This is not meaningful consultation.

 

[searun]

The SARA process does not ordinarily allow for any public meetings. The defined process under the act is to offer a write in only consultation offered Canada wide. The SARA team has offered public meetings at the insistence of several groups who offered advice that prior decisions regarding management options and how they were employed when other areas were designated at Critical Habitat has left a considerable level of dis-trust. Many insisted that to build trust, the SARA team needed to offer some open public meetings to at minimum share their information regarding how the proposed area was selected for inclusion as CH. So we are at least fortunate there will be public meetings of any kind as it is not required under the SARA Act.

BTW, do not expect that attending the WebX or Public meetings is considered as providing official input per SARA process - this is still a Write In Only process. These meetings are informational only.

 

[The Jackel]

It's **** poor because it's not the answer you wanna hear bud.

No not at all, if the noise from the vessels and the sonar are so detrimental to the whales fishing why the hell are they jammed right in there with the boats fishing Sooke, and please get off your high horse and don't tell other people what they want. I asked a simple question and you my friend do not have the answer, carry on

 

[california]

No not at all, if the noise from the vessels and the sonar are so detrimental to the whales fishing why the hell are they jammed right in there with the boats fishing Sooke, and please get off your high horse and don't tell other people what they want. I asked a simple question and you my friend do not have the answer, carry on

Once again we see a misinterpretation of the information in the scientific consensus. Most like you, have interpreted the panel conclusions to mean SRKW are AFRAID of boats. You then can self justify that the panel recommendations are incorrect if you see whales near sport fishing vessels, as clearly in your mind they are not afraid and the panel conclusions are invalid. This is not the panels conclusions. From the study "Action would specifically minimize acoustic interference with echolocation during hunting and communication between pod members, and would minimize physical interference from vessels that may disrupt surface chases, preclude prey sharing, or cause animals to cease foraging and move out of an area".

Only one part of it is animals avoiding the boats and the area. The fact they are in the Sooke area close to the boats indicates there are salmon there. The study isn't saying they will necessarily not come there or leave prematurely (which is possible, how do you know if they wouldn't be there longer ). but that while they are there their success rate is likely lower. Its hard not to imagine large numbers of sport boats, creating a moving maze of of lines with cannon balls on the end extending 50-200 feet down, with flashers trailing 20 feet behind, each with fish finders sending acoustic signals out, and kicker or main engines going might reduce the whales success in catching salmon. Add in the commercial and other recreational traffic in the area and its even more plausible.

 

[ericl]

I pretty much stated I don't know the answer & don't believe you know it either. From your observations there is no way to determine just how detrimental vessel & sonar noise is to Orca's feeding. How much of an impact does the noise have to be before it cause slow starvation. Your behavior is just another way of saying most fishermen are only interested in how many Salmon they can bonk.

Clearly science/analytical thinking is not your thing, so maybe you should just carry on yourself.