e-4913 (Fisheries)

Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) understands the importance of the fishery resource to all who depend on it for their sustenance, livelihood, and recreation. We appreciate that the recreational fishery plays a key role for coastal communities, including Port Renfrew. Our departmental priorities and mandate commitments continue to prioritize and protect Canada’s fisheries, including work to support sustainable, prosperous fisheries and coastal communities. Our mandate also includes protecting and restoring our ocean and upholding legislation requirements, including the Species at Risk Act (SARA).

The Southern Resident Killer Whale (SRKW) population is listed as endangered under Canada’s SARA. The SRKW is considered at risk because of its small population size, low reproductive rate and the existence of a variety of anthropogenic threats that have the potential to prevent recovery or cause further declines to their population, including reduced prey availability and accessibility (primarily Chinook salmon), acoustic and physical disturbance caused by vessels, and high levels of contaminants. In 2018, it was determined that SRKW are facing imminent threats to their survival and recovery and enhanced measures are necessary to support the population’s recovery. Since then, DFO, Transport Canada (TC), Environment And Climate Change Canada And Parks Canada Agency have been working together to collaboratively implement annual management measures to address key threats affecting SRKW recovery. These measures have included, but  are not limited to, fishing closures, speed restricted zones, interim sanctuary zones (i.e., no go zones), increased avoidance or approach distances for vessels (i.e., an avoidance zone) and a number of voluntary measures. Canada also continues to address the threat of contaminants by strengthening regulations and enforcing them, developing guidelines, and increasing research and monitoring. DFO science branch works together with TC and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority to continue to monitor and assess ambient noise levels in the Salish sea. Additionally, the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation program coordinates underwater noise reduction initiatives which includes voluntary large commercial vessel slowdown measures in Swiftsure Bank as well as lateral displacement of vessels in the strait of Juan de Fuca.

As part of the Government of Canada’s commitment to develop longer-term actions for the recovery of SRKW, DFO is considering amendments to the marine mammal regulations that would implement increased approach distances for all pacific killer whales to continue to help reduce vessel disturbance.  DFO’S national online consultation survey launched on June 3, 2024 and feedback provided during the consultation process will inform potential amendments to the marine mammal regulations under the Fisheries Act.

DFO has implemented fishing closures in key foraging areas within SRKW critical habitat since 2018 to support abundance of and access to SRKW prey (primarily Chinook salmon). These closures aim to reduce prey competition and physical and acoustic disturbances from fishing activities in key locations that are important to SRKW foraging during critical times of the year. Chinook salmon is a key prey species for SRKW year round and is their predominant prey from May to August. These measures are in alignment with recovery measure 10 of the action plan for Northern and SRKW. While several southern British Columbia (B.C.) origin chinook stocks are either stable or increasing relative to earlier periods, many Chinook stocks continue to face significant threats.

The engagement and consultation process for the SRKW management measures for 2024 and 2025 was conducted as a whole of government approach, where DFO, TC, Environment And Climate Change Canada, and Parks Canada participated jointly based on First Nation and stakeholder interests. The Government of Canada began consultations in the Fall of 2023 on the proposed management measures for 2024 and 2025 in support of SRKW recovery, seeking feedback from First Nations, Indigenous organizations, local communities, industry groups, stakeholders, and the public. This feedback, including that received from members of Port Renfrew’s sport fishing community, is a critical component in the development of the 2024 management measures to protect SRKW. The measures focus on the key threats that SRKW face and were informed by new and historic information, the best available science, lessons learned from previous years, and feedback received through consultation. Canada is continuing commercial and recreational salmon fishing closures in key SRKW foraging areas for 2024 and 2025, including around Swiftsure Bank and near Port Renfrew (portions of subareas 20-1, 21-0, 121-1 and 121-2). The closures implemented in this area for 2024 are the same as what was in place for 2023. This prioritizes protection of the endangered SRKW population while mitigating socioeconomic impacts to harvesters and coastal communities where possible.

As the Government of Canada has heard concerns regarding the stability of annual measures, and as SRKW require longer-term protection to support recovery, to stabilize the management measure process going forward, the Government of Canada is moving from an annual management measure process cycle to the development of longer-term and permanent measures, and to integrate the annual measures into existing management processes, such as the Southern B.C. Salmon integrated fisheries management plan process. While our collective work on longer-term actions for SRKW protection is advancing, the Government of Canada is dedicated to implementing interim measures to maintain protections for the population. The Government of Canada will continue to collaborate with Indigenous groups, non-governmental organizations, fishery stakeholders and the public on protective measures to support the protection of SRKWs in the longer-term.

Indigenous groups and stakeholders such as fish harvesters, whale watching operators, recreational boaters and environmental organizations have provided feedback about the potential impacts and benefits of SRKW management measures through the consultation process. Socio-economic impacts are one of the evaluation criteria against which potential management measures are assessed, and feedback is carefully considered in decision making. The Government of Canada assesses all feedback received across six evaluation criteria (likelihood of benefit to SRKW; scientific justification and supported by Indigenous or local knowledge; Indigenous rights; socioeconomic impacts; ease of implementation; and monitoring and enforcement) to inform recommendations for the ministers of TC and DFO’s decision for the management measures to support SRKW recovery.

The development of these measures have been informed by peer-reviewed scientific information and discussed with experts, first nations and stakeholders. Key sources that have informed the measures and their implementation include, but are not limited to: the SARA recovery documents (Recovery Strategy for the Northern and Southern Resident Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) in Canada; Action Plan for the Northern and Southern Resident Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) in Canada); Southern Resident Killer Whale Symposium; Ford et al. (2017);Hilborn et al. (2012); Holt et al. (2021); Thornton et al. (2022) and Stredulinsky et al. (2023). This included information on the identification of areas with high relative SRKW occurrence and key foraging areas.

DFO is aware of concerns that pinnipeds are impacting fish stocks, such as salmon. There is a high degree of scientific uncertainty regarding the impacts of pinniped predation versus other predators or factors, which may also contribute to decline of various fish stocks including salmon. At present, DFO does not have direct evidence of pinniped predation being responsible for pacific salmon declines in B.C. DFO continues to conduct research that surveys pinniped population trends and  advances our understanding of pinniped predator-prey relationships.