The federal government has announced further restrictions on salmon fishing and whale-watching vessels around southern Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands as part of enhanced measures aimed at protecting endangered southern resident killer whales.
Fisheries Minister Jonathan Wilkinson also announced three interim whale sanctuaries in key foraging areas — one at Swiftsure Bank and two off Saturna and Pender Islands.
The measures build on ongoing efforts by the federal government to protect and rebuild the southern resident population, which has dwindled to 75 whales in three pods.
Wilkinson said the whales face ongoing threats to their survival from vessel noise, pollution and a shortage of their preferred prey — namely chinook salmon.
“The measures being announced today have been designed to ensure that the southern resident killer whales have areas of low-disturbance and lower competition for chinook salmon, while concurrently providing ongoing opportunities for recreational fisheries,” Wilkinson said.
Among the measures announced yesterday:
• Recreational and commercial salmon fishing closures in specific areas that will take effect after current catch-and-release restrictions on chinook salmon expire July 31. The restrictions will remain in effect until Oct. 31.
In the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the closures will apply in two fisheries management areas from Port Renfrew to Sheringham Point. In the Gulf Islands, the restrictions will apply in areas near Mayne, Pender and Saturna Islands.
• Voluntary "fishery avoidance" zones in enhanced management areas that include portions of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, portions of the Gulf Islands and the mouth of the Fraser River. Recreational and commercial fishers in these zones will be asked to temporarily stop fishing and cut their speed to less than seven knots if they find themselves within 1,000 metres of killer whales.
• Doubling the mandatory no-go zone around whales to 400 metres from 200 metres for all vessels in critical habitat areas, which extend along southern Vancouver Island through the Gulf Islands to the mouth of the Fraser River. Government increased the distance from 100 to 200 metres last year.
There will be exceptions. Wilkinson said some whale-watching companies, including members of the Pacific Whale Watch Association, have agreed to stop offering tours of southern residents. In exchange, they will be allowed to approach within 200 metres of transient killer whales.
• New voluntary measures that ask boaters to turn off echo sounders or fish finders when not in use and when it's safe to do so while in the whales’ critical habitat areas. As well, boaters are asked to voluntarily to turn their engines to neutral/idle if killer whales enter the 400-metre approach distance.
• A ban on general vessel traffic in the new whale sanctuaries from June 1 to Oct. 31
– Lindsay Kines, Times Colonist
