How Effective are SKRW Sanctuaries...Really?

[kronic_fisherguy]

I agree, there is good scientific evidence to support vessel noise and physical disturbance does indeed impact forage behaviour. We all know SRKW by virtue of their entire range being within waters choked with vessel traffic are not really boat shy in general terms, but when it comes to forage events vessel traffic does have an impact. As others stated, we are all (rec, whale watchers, commercial etc) responsible, and all need to learn to turn away and slowly leave areas where SRKW are present. I witnessed both WW and Rec boats getting within the 400m/200m avoidance zones last summer...we all have a long way to go in terms of learning to avoid whales and let them forage without us being too close.

I would also suggest in light of the recent NOAA and U of WA research, prey availability concerns have a lot more to do with NRKW and Alaskan cousins getting the bigger chinook long before they migrate into the range of SRKW...so those spatial closures or sanctuaries are nothing more than politically motivated feel good actions than actually accomplishing anything that could be scientifically verified.

Also noted, the data clearly demonstrated SRKW were rarely in the actual sanctuaries, so explain this one to me...how can a sanctuary be a sanctuary if it isn't where the whales go?

NOAA paper:
https://www.pnas.org/content/pnas/116/52/26682.full.pdf

Hmmmmm Back in the 80s I was a power skiff operator for a west coast seine boat. There had to be a minimum of at least 100 seine boats lined up and actively full contact seine fishing from the blue line back to Sheringham. Many times I witnessed pods of killer whales swimming between seine sets and poaching salmon right out of the nets while I was towing the net. These times offered me my closest encounters of Orcas almost eyeball to eyeball. The vessel noise and physical disturbance must have been off the chart but the Orcas seemed to not mind at all and appeared to use the opportunity to feed on the easy prey. Just my personal observation.

Kronic

 

[profisher]

They would obviously spend more time up north where salmon migrate and feed during the winter months. But the NRKW have the no tresspassing signs up and they only intrude into those waters when they are fairly sure they can get away with it.

 

[Original]

Is the WRAS (whale report alert system) up and working ? I tried to set myself up but I kept getting denied. Is it just for freighters? Surely something like that could help prevent getting in the whales way. I know I’m always trying to avoid them while others are trying to find them. I’m still pretty uninformed but trying. I can remember years back going through Active pass at the same time as another ferry and a pod of Orcas, everyone on one side of the ferry and it felt like it was listing.

 

[RiverBoy]

They would obviously spend more time up north where salmon migrate and feed during the winter months. But the NRKW have the no tresspassing signs up and they only intrude into those waters when they are fairly sure they can get away with it.

The NRKW are a highly developed species.thriving nicely. no peanut head to be found among the lot and they respect their SRKW no fly zones to the south. they know their limits and play within it.

 

[PenderBluffsFisher]

Lets not forget the waterfront residents of Pender and Saturna. The largest number of complaints fielded by DFO regarding whalewatching activities were from this group.
Whalewatching needs to be regulated like any other fishery. DFO needs to create a "Pay to Play" system based on area and seat capacity.

beemer

I'm one of those waterfront Pender residents, overlooking the "Sanctuary." I watched DFO chase a sailboat under sail out of the "sanctuary" forcing it to fire up its motor. There were no whales in attendance. Talk about a complete waste of taxpayer resources.

I could count on one hand the number of SRKW sightings in the sanctuary zone during the summer I observed. I wouldn't even need all my fingers. Obviously it's not a 24/7 watch, but the point being, most of the whale activity of any type was on the other side of the channel opposite the "sanctuary." The whales boycotted the sanctuary.

Most Pender residents want real solutions not pointless sanctuary zones. I attended the "residents meeting" DFO held on Pender and the message was loud and clear, the measures don't work and we don't support them. I do like the google AI that can use the hydrophone data to real-time detect the orcas and bring in a bubble closure, I see that as being the best overall solution.

 

[High Time]

Once more I have written a submission to DFO regarding the ridiculous closure of Pender Bluffs, and once more I expect to be ignored and written off. But at least I tried... Still a couple days left to add your rant... Deadline is Feb. 28