Very good question. I can't speak for what will eventually come from the WG that Transport Canada is leading on this very issue you raised regarding Ferries and other large commercial vessel traffic transiting forage areas - but the 400m Avoidance Zone bubble was never intended as a solution for large over 60 GT vessels. Clearly vessels of that size are not as manoeuvrable as smaller vessels, thus require a practical solution(s) tailored for them...speaking of "making sense."
So to be clear, there are 5 Technical Working Groups - each dealing with specific issues. I think that is a reasonable approach, for precisely the reasons you mention. Hopefully this helps folks understand the process moving forward.
Here's a summary to help illustrate:
Technical Working Groups
The following TWGs will be established, based on key threats, announced measures, and potential future measures. All TWGs will consider Canada-U.S. collaboration in support of their proposals, with an immediate focus on the Washington State Task Force process, given the shared critical habitat of SRKW; however, TWGs should not limit their proposals to those made by the Task Force.
ISSUE
1. Prey availability and accessibility
- Review measures implemented in 2018 (e.g., whether fisheries reductions were achieved) and identify potential measures for 2019 season
- Contribute to identifying measures to rebuild wild Chinook stocks, prioritizing those of greatest importance to SRKW, in line with the objectives of Canada’s Wild Salmon Policy
Lead - Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) – Andrew Thomson, Whale (SRKW) Chinook Regional Director, Fisheries Committee Management
Southern Resident Killer
2. Identification and development of proposed SRKW sanctuaries
Advance feasibility work on one or more SRKW sanctuaries,
Lead - DFO – Brigid Payne, A/Regional Director, Oceans and Salmonid Enhancement
ISSUE
including consideration of potential boundaries and permitted or restricted activities, within sub-areas of critical habitat
Vessel Noise TWG 1:
3. Commercial vessel noise measures (slowdown / lateral displacement)
- Review effectiveness of 2018 measures and identify potential measures for 2019 season, including but not limited to an extension of the slowdown to include Boundary Pass
- Identify the infrastructure e.g. monitoring and compliance promotion needed to support measures
Lead - Transport Canada (TC) – Yvette Myers, Executive Director, Oceans Protection Plan (Alternate – Michelle Sanders, Director, Clean Water Policy)
Group, with the ECHO Vessel Operators Committee (VOC)
ECHO Advisory Working
Vessel Noise TWG 2:
4. General vessel noise measures
- Identify noise reduction targets, and options for quiet-vessel design and other actions for noise reduction, including for Underwater Noise Management Plans (e.g. commercial vessels and ferries)
- Identify additional measures to reduce noise impacts of commercial whale watching vessels and recreational vessels
Lead - TC – Megan Nichols, Director General, Environmental Policy (Alternate – Michelle Sanders, Director, Clean Water Policy)
5. Contaminants
- Develop a framework to assess the effectiveness of existing controls on contaminants that affect the SRKW.
- Identify key contaminants of emerging concern.
- Identify and evaluate the contribution of point and non- point sources to contaminant loadings to the SRKW, their habitat and their prey.
- Develop recommendations for additional measures to address contaminants affecting the
Environment and Climate
Lead - Change Canada (ECCC) – Gwen Goodier, Director General, Industrial Sectors, Chemicals and Waste Directorate
The agenda for the first meeting of each TWG would include:
o Identification of options to include technical Indigenous Traditional Knowledge (ITK) expertise for each TWG
o Discussion of the Washington State Task Force Report and relevant recommendations for each TWG
o Development of a workplan for immediate actions (Jan-March 2019)
o Identification of long-term work items (Starting April 2019)