The Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation (ECHO) Program, led by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority has reached a significant milestone, marking five years of collaboration and research to better understand the effects of marine shipping on at-risk whales. The ECHO Program uses underwater microphones to measure noise levels, including the sound of more than 10,000 ship movements in the Salish Sea. Over 5,000 large ships have voluntarily slowed down in, or moved away from, important southern resident killer whale feeding areas to reduce underwater noise in those areas. The ECHO Program also provides resources to help mariners build awareness of local whale species and the effects ships may have on them, as well as best practices for navigating in the presence of whales.
