Engagement on the science-based whale review

A summary of what was heard
March 2018

Engagement on the Science-based Whale Review
A Summary of What was Heard

Prepared by the consortium of Nielsen, Delaney + Associates, PubliVate.
Contract #: FP918-17-0001

Ce document est également disponible en français.

Table of Contents

• Complete Text
• 1. Executive Summary
• 2. Project Background
• 3. Summary of Engagement Strategy
  • 3.1 Targeted Input
  • 3.2 Open Public Engagement
• 4. Summary of What We Heard
  • 4.1 Who Did We Hear From?
  • 4.2 Understanding the Findings
  • 4.3 How the Following Sections are Organized
• 5. Prey Availability
  • 5.1 Summary of Key Themes
  • 5.2 What Indigenous Groups Said
  • 5.3 What Governments and Other Stakeholders Said
  • 5.4 What the General Public Said
• 6. Entanglements
  • 6.1 Summary of Key Themes
  • 6.2 What Indigenous Groups Said
  • 6.3 What Governments and Other Stakeholders Said
  • 6.4 What the General Public Said
• 7. Acoustic Disturbance and Vessel Presence
  • 7.1 Summary of Key Themes
  • 7.2 What Indigenous Groups Said
  • 7.3 What Governments and Other Stakeholders Said
  • 7.4 What the General Public Said
• 8. Vessel Strikes
  • 8.1 Summary of Key Themes
  • 8.2 What Indigenous Groups Said
  • 8.3 What Governments and Other Stakeholders Said
  • 8.4 What the General Public Said
• 9. Contaminants
  • 9.1 Summary of Key Themes
  • 9.2 What Indigenous Groups Said
  • 9.3 What Governments and Other Stakeholders Said
  • 9.4 What the General Public Said
• 10. Conclusions - Readiness to Move Actions Forward
  • 10.1 Common Themes across All Threats
  • 10.2 Roles and Leadership
  • 10.3 Improved Coordination and Communication
  • 10.4 Future Engagement and Consultation
  • 10.5 Region-specific Actions
• 11. Appendices
  • Appendix A: Who We Heard From
  • Appendix B. Profile of Respondents – Let’s Talk Whales Online Engagement
  • Appendix C: Engagement Questions

11. Appendices

Appendix A: Who We Heard From

Appendix B. Profile of Respondents – Let’s Talk Whales Online Engagement

Registrations by Province

Registrations by Type of Participants (Self-identified)

Appendix C: Engagement Questions

In Person/Webinar Meetings

1. Do you have any further questions about the background information that was just presented or about the materials you were provided before the meeting that need to be answered before being able to participate in the workshop?
2. In reviewing the science review priorities, are there any that you believe you are already advancing? Those that could be initiated relatively easily? And which ones would be more difficult and not yet underway?
3. Based on the previous discussion, we identified science review priorities as having the potential to be relatively easy to implement. What do we need to do to implement these?
4. Some of the science review priorities will require long-term planning and commitment. In order to be successful, we will need to work together over the long-term. What are the initial steps that could be taken now to promote their successful implementation?
5. What role do you see for yourself or your organization in implementing each science review priority? [Leader – you can do a lot of the implementation of this priority; Helper – you can support some of this priority; Observer – you cannot directly support this priority, but are an observer.]
6. How do we best work together in the near future to continue with the actions required to address this threat to the species?  We would like to receive your input on your preferred format for ongoing engagement and collaboration.
7. Are there other stakeholders or partners that you believe we need to include in the process who are not around the table today?

Let's Talk Whales Online Public Engagement: Questionnaires

Food availability

Improving food availability could mean keeping vessels out of certain areas where prey is found, so there is less interference with whales and their prey species. It could also mean reducing the amount of fish that humans are allowed to catch per year, which could decrease supply and increase cost in the marketplace, and/or restricting the use of habitat for important whale prey species. This complex food web requires managing the ecosystem as a whole. Here are some actions identified by scientists (generalized and in no particular order). Please rank these actions in order of how important you feel these actions are to help the whales.

Option 1: Make it easier for certain types of whales to find and catch fish through quieter oceans.

Option 2: Reduce competition with commercial and recreational fisheries (for the prey species the whales rely on).

Option 3: Protect and preserve the habitat of important whale prey species.

Option 4: Ensure that the prey that the whales rely on have enough prey to eat themselves.

Underwater Noise

Here are some actions identified by scientists to help address the threat of underwater noise (generalized and in no particular order): Increase the minimum distance that is allowed between vessels and whales, modify vessels so that they emit less noise, change how and where vessel traffic moves (e.g. routes; speed) and create areas in important whale habitat where noise disturbance is restricted or excluded (sanctuaries). What are your thoughts on these actions?

Vessels

Here are some actions identified by scientists to help address the threat of vessel strikes and vessel presence (generalized and in no particular order): educate vessel operators on collision risks, change how and where vessel traffic moves (e.g. routes; speed), create areas in important whale habitat where vessel presence is restricted or excluded (sanctuaries) and increase the minimum distance that is allowed between vessels and whales. What are your thoughts on these actions?

Contaminants

Here are some actions identified by scientists to help address the threat of contaminants (generalized and in no particular order): Reduce the amount and number of contaminants entering whale habitat; raise awareness about what contaminants are harming whales and where they come from; cleanup sites that are already contaminated, on land and in water; take whales into account in chemical spill response and monitoring; and clean up wastewater effluent. What are your thoughts on these actions?

Entanglements (not identified as significant threat to Southern Resident Killer Whales)

Here are some actions identified by scientists to help address the threat of entanglements (generalized and in no particular order): remove fishing gear from areas highly used by whales when whales are present; modify fishing gear to reduce entanglement risk; and have an effective network of responders to disentangle whales. What are your thoughts on these actions?

Let's Talk Whales Online Public Engagement: Ideas Forum

How can we, as Canadians, take action now to reduce impacts on at-risk whales and help their recovery?