Between Vancouver and Victoria lie the emerald waters of the Southern Strait of Georgia, home to most endangered marine mammals in Canada– the Southern Resident killer whales. Southern Resident orca critical habitat has been identified in the area, where they feed on extreme dwindling numbers of their favored chinook salmon.
The legacy of thriving orca echoes through stories told across the surrounding Salish Sea where, in 2023 only 75 remain. Precariously low numbers of their favoured Chinook salmon and noise from marine transportation affect their hunting. While interim and seasonal measures have been put in place to increase food availability and decrease human disturbance, they need permanent protections if there is to be any chance of their survival.
The planned NMCAR would include critical feeding habitat for endangered Southern Resident killer whales.
HOME OF THE ORCAS
Between Vancouver and Victoria lie the emerald waters of the Southern Strait of Georgia, home to most endangered marine mammals in Canada– the Southern Resident killer whales. Southern Resident orca critical habitat has been identified in the area, where they feed on extreme dwindling numbers of their favored chinook salmon.
The legacy of thriving orca echoes through stories told across the surrounding Salish Sea where now a mere 75 remain. Precariously low numbers of their favoured Chinook salmon and noise from marine transportation affect their hunting. While interim and seasonal measures have been put in place to increase food availability and decrease human disturbance, they need permanent protections if there is to be any chance of their survival.
The planned NMCAR would include critical feeding habitat for endangered Southern Resident killer whales.
BIODIVERSITRY HOTSPOTS
The Southern Strait of Georgia is more than just the home of the Southern Resident orcas. More than 3,000 species can be found here seasonally and year-round. These include the Bigg’s transient killer whales, the Pacific giant octopus — the world’s largest, 100-year-old rockfish, schools of herring and salmon, millions of birds, as well as seals and sea lions, dolphins and whales. The region also contains climate change fighting, biodiverse habitats like seagrass beds and glass sponge reefs.
The shores of the Salish Sea and the many islands within it have sustained Indigenous Peoples for generations. The incredible natural beauty and abundance of life led scientists, including world-renowned ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, to call for its protection back in 1970.
In 2003, Parks Canada and the provincial government began working to establish the Southern Strait of Georgia National Marine Conservation Area Reserve (NMCAR), but two decades later, the area is still not protected.
BIODIVERSITY HOTSPOTS
The Southern Strait of Georgia is more than just the home of the Southern Resident orcas. More than 3,000 species can be found here seasonally and year-round. These include the Bigg’s transient killer whales, the Pacific giant octopus — the world’s largest, 100-year-old rockfish, schools of herring and salmon, millions of birds, as well as seals and sea lions, dolphins and whales. The region also contains climate change fighting, biodiverse habitats like seagrass beds and glass sponge reefs.
The shores of the Salish sea and the many islands within it have sustained Indigenous Peoples for generations. The incredible natural beauty and abundance of life led scientists, including world-renowned ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau, to call for its protection back in 1970.
In 2003, Parks Canada and the provincial government began working to establish the Southern Strait of Georgia National Marine Conservation Area Reserve (NMCAR), but two decades later, the area is still not protected.
THESE WATERS ARE OVERDUE FOR PROTECTION
Right now local First Nations are working with Parks Canada on the feasibility of an NMCAR to protect these waters. Co-development and co-management will ensure that the vision and stewardship values of the 11 First Nations who share these waters are at the heart of plans to protect these waters. We expect updates this summer on the status of the process and how you can share your support for protecting the home of the orcas.
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THESE WATERS ARE OVERDUE FOR PROTECTION
Right now local First Nations are working with Parks Canada on the feasibility of an NMCAR to protect these waters. Co-development and co-management will ensure that the vision and stewardship values of the 11 First Nations who share these waters are at the heart of plans to protect these waters. We expect updates this summer on the status of the process and how you can share your support for protecting the home of the orcas.
A NATIONAL MARINE CONSERVATION AREA RESERVE
NMCARs are a type of federal marine protected area created by Parks Canada. They focus on ecologically sustainable use — harmonizing conservation with human activities. This involves working closely with those who use the coastal land and the water to create a healthy marine ecosystem.
Human uses such as fishing and shipping, for example, are allowed in national marine conservation areas. But they would be limited or even eliminated from zones protecting sensitive features such as nesting areas, spawning beds, and cultural sites.
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MP Alistair Macgregor Introduces Bill To Address Freighter Anchorages In The Salish Sea
October 29, 2020
Unceded Coast Salish Territory/Vancouver, BC – This week, NDP MP for Cowichan-Malahat-Langford Alistair MacGregor introduced a Private Member’s Bill to prohibit the anchoring of freighters in the Southern Strait of Georgia. The Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society – British Columbia (CPAWS-BC) is supporting this amendment to the Canada Shipping Act, along with partners including First Nations, local government, and community activist groups.
For years, Southern Strait of Georgia residents have been sounding the alarm over the damage anchored ships do to coastal waters in BC. This overflow parking lot for the Port of Vancouver scars the seafloor habitat of clams, oysters and prawns. Noise, light and chemical pollution from these ships damages the critical habitat of the endangered Southern Resident killer whales.
Transport Canada’s 2018 Interim Protocol for the Use of Southern B.C. Anchorages did not adequately address this problem. These measures were voluntary and not enforced. The citizens and wildlife of the region deserve stronger protections.
World-renowned ocean explorer Jacques Cousteau called for the Southern Strait of Georgia’s protection in 1970. Parks Canada has been working on creating a National Marine Conservation Area Reserve (NMCAR) for the area since 2003. Almost two decades later, these waters are still not protected.
“An NMCAR would not only protect these waters from anchorages, but will manage commercial and recreational fishing and other human activities with a conservation-first approach,” says Ross Jameson, Ocean Conservation Manager for CPAWS-BC. An NMCAR will ensure that this natural jewel remains healthy and prosperous for generations to come.
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For interviews, please contact:
Ross Jameson, Ocean Conservation Manager ross@cpawsbc.org 778-953-2372
Resources:
Alistair MacGregor, NDP. [October 26, 2020]. MP Alistair MacGregor Introduces Bill to Address Freighter Anchorages in the Salish Sea. Retrieved from https://alistairmacgregor.ndp.ca/news
