Strategy for the Northern and Southern Resident Killer Whales

[DC Reid]

And they all failed to listen to Dr. Trites who long ago raised the question of why are the NRKW doing so well in contrast to their SRKW cousins....same food source, but perhaps the NRKW are out-competing their cousins and now new research proves him right...and all this spin doctoring is just that. All the advice their "experts" provided to put in place sanctuaries that SRKW hardly ever utilized and all the economic chaos they created....and for what benefit to SRKW when the answers rest elsewhere.

My take on solving the wild salmon issue is here, and deals with DFO: https://fishfarmnews.blogspot.com/2019/05/dfo-srkws-and-funding-yet-again-yes-yet.html. And my letter on the issue, to Raincoast is here: https://fishfarmnews.blogspot.com/2019/11/salmon-habitat-restoration-raincoast.html.

So everyone might consider sending a similar letter to other ENGOs in BC. My cut to the chase solution for wild salmon is here: http://fishfarmnews.blogspot.com/2018/05/dfo-salmon-and-killer-whales.html.

Here is a long term plan for John Horgan - we need to get DFO out of the way, fish farms on land and move forward with the Wild Salmon Advisory Committee: https://fishfarmnews.blogspot.com/2018/02/wild-bc-salmon-plan-contact-your-mla.html.

And, something you need to know: while the BC Stats Report puts sport revenue at $1B, I went back and recalculated it, and came up with a hugely higher revenue: $2.52B. This document was published in the PSF magazine, so they accepted the method I used to calculate this. Point out to DFO that sport is way bigger for the economy than commercial, processing and fish farms: https://fishfarmnews.blogspot.com/2015/05/salmonfishing-revenue-towers-over.html. This one will give you lots of figures to add to your letters.

 

[searun]

Can't say that I concur with your assessment of DFO. I think they were caught between a political rock and a hard place, largely manufactured by the ENGO's. Once that train started rolling down the track, no amount of science and reasonable thinking could stop it. The politicians were falling all over themselves wanting to be seen to be taking "strong action" to earn political brownie points. The so called ENGO experts all used this as a glorious opportunity to pursue their pet theories, which are really no more than informed guess work.

So far all their solutions have done is ruin local economies creating unemployment, and not really accomplished anything of substance (supported by objective science). So I lay blame at the feet of the ENGO groups and their supporters who masterfully spin doctored this into a marvellous fund raising scheme. Once this issue fizzles, they will be off to the next great campaign.

I just hope we (I include recreational fishers in that) can learn to leave the whales alone, give them room and allow them to forage in peace. They will need it, because their northern cousins are putting the squeeze on their food. The good thing is SRKW appear to have learned to move where there is food, spending a lot more time off the Sacramento where there we good returns of Chinook and also where they didn't have to compete with NRKW.

 

[wildmanyeah]

The science from Trites from the beginning was there is nothing new about the SRKW, They have for the last 100+ years been in the 60-100 individual level. The whole crisis was manufactured because of the pipeline and for donations.

Those are decent ideas DC reid but you should no anything to do with hatcheries is shunned by the big ENGO's. They will say even stirile fish will compete with wild fish for food and that we are increasing hatchery production id for fishermen not whales.

Not only that all the Big ENGO's are against ocean fisheries, Raincoast, wild fish conservancy and even watershed watch all have on their websites mix stock ocean fisheries are bad and hatcheries are not the answer.

We needed a change in federal government, now we will continue on the close down everything path that This liberal government is going down.

 

[terrin]

Can't say that I concur with your assessment of DFO. I think they were caught between a political rock and a hard place, largely manufactured by the ENGO's. Once that train started rolling down the track, no amount of science and reasonable thinking could stop it. The politicians were falling all over themselves wanting to be seen to be taking "strong action" to earn political brownie points. The so called ENGO experts all used this as a glorious opportunity to pursue their pet theories, which are really no more than informed guess work.

So far all their solutions have done is ruin local economies creating unemployment, and not really accomplished anything of substance (supported by objective science). So I lay blame at the feet of the ENGO groups and their supporters who masterfully spin doctored this into a marvellous fund raising scheme. Once this issue fizzles, they will be off to the next great campaign.

I just hope we (I include recreational fishers in that) can learn to leave the whales alone, give them room and allow them to forage in peace. They will need it, because their northern cousins are putting the squeeze on their food. The good thing is SRKW appear to have learned to move where there is food, spending a lot more time off the Sacramento where there we good returns of Chinook and also where they didn't have to compete with NRKW.

Might also be that the NRKW sent a scout down and found nobody home so some decided to come down for a spell. Next year the scout might find them up further in the SOG and the NRKW will stay up North. In this way the NRKW can flush out some seals that compete with the SRKW diet and everyone wins. I'm pretty sure the SRKW have not just recently learned to find and follow the food.

 

[wildmanyeah]

NRKW eat fish

 

[Rain City]

NRKW eat fish

Lots and lots and lots of hatchery fish.

 

[SpringVelocity]

And wild

 

[SpringVelocity]

The science from Trites from the beginning was there is nothing new about the SRKW, They have for the last 100+ years been in the 60-100 individual level. The whole crisis was manufactured because of the pipeline and for donations.

Those are decent ideas DC reid but you should no anything to do with hatcheries is shunned by the big ENGO's. They will say even stirile fish will compete with wild fish for food and that we are increasing hatchery production id for fishermen not whales.

Not only that all the Big ENGO's are against ocean fisheries, Raincoast, wild fish conservancy and even watershed watch all have on their websites mix stock ocean fisheries are bad and hatcheries are not the answer.

We needed a change in federal government, now we will continue on the close down everything path that This liberal government is going down.

X2

 

[kallitype]

I would like to see some more complete DNA analysis on the stocks caught at each location.

The data sets they are basing their stock composition on (observed kills by RKW) is very very small and (likely) over several years.

Having fished up at Langara in the past, the guides have said the residents will take a halibut off a line...so it seems the Northern Residents aren’t as picky when it comes to Chinook like their southern cousins.

They also are not experiencing the population decline of the SRKW (quite the opposite).


View attachment 40056

Nice post! Wish we could get some sea/sea lion eaters down here in Puget SOund...

 

[pescador]

Record numbers of orcas, humpbacks spotted in Salish Sea in 2021

It was a record year for orca and humpback whale sightings — and their newborns — in the Salish Sea in 2021.

www.timescolonist.com

Well it looks like many of the whale populations are flourishing in Juan de Fuca.

 

[Rain City]

Record numbers of orcas, humpbacks spotted in Salish Sea in 2021

It was a record year for orca and humpback whale sightings — and their newborns — in the Salish Sea in 2021.

www.timescolonist.com

Well it looks like many of the whale populations are flourishing in Juan de Fuca.

All because of the restrictions. Good job government!

 

[wildmanyeah]

Record numbers of orcas, humpbacks spotted in Salish Sea in 2021

It was a record year for orca and humpback whale sightings — and their newborns — in the Salish Sea in 2021.

www.timescolonist.com

Well it looks like many of the whale populations are flourishing in Juan de Fuca.

don’t they know theres nothing to eat in the Salish sea

 

[scott craven]

I would like to think because the whales are doing well that restrictions may be eased ?

 

[Clint r]

I hope so too but think they’re going to run with this as a sign that restrictions work.

 

[scott craven]

Global News reports only 74 southern residents.
Geez , that number hasn't changed in 20 years

 

[SpringVelocity]

Restrictions will stay. If anything you will see an expansion this year of other no go zones.

As said before environmental groups don't want recreational boats in area with whales present. It's painfully obvious.

 

[SpringVelocity]

don’t they know theres nothing to eat in the Salish sea

That should be the slogan of Watershed Watch.

 

[pescador]

Once Government takes something away, rarely do they give it back. Hope I’m wrong.

 

[walleyes]

Once Government takes something away, rarely do they give it back. Hope I’m wrong.

Certainly not the same government, sometimes if there’s a change of government it can happen. But what are the chances of that happening.

 

[searun]

Certainly not the same government, sometimes if there’s a change of government it can happen. But what are the chances of that happening.

There's much more coming....just wait for it.