The Government of Canada has announced the second year of enhanced measures to protect Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW). This year’s measures include:
• Protecting access to Chinook salmon with minimal disturbance in key foraging areas through area-based closures in the Juan de Fuca Strait and Southern Gulf Islands for recreational and commercial salmon fisheries. Specific dates will be announced in June. This year, all fish harvesters will also be asked to voluntarily stop fishing within 1000 metres of killer whales throughout B.C. waters.
• Creating interim sanctuary zones off Pender Island, Saturna Island and at Swiftsure Bank, which are in effect from June 1 to November 30, 2020.
• Prohibiting vessels from approaching any killer whale within a 400-metre distance, effective June 1, 2020.
• Asking all vessels to reduce speed to less than seven knots when within 1000 metres of a whale, turn off echo sounders and fish finders when not needed, and turn engines to neutral idle if a whale is within 400 metres.
