Tag «SRKW»

DFO Requests Feedback on 2020 Southern Resident Killer Whale Management Measures

Feliksas Markevicius, Recreational Fisheries Program Manager at DFO, has written to request feedback from recreational anglers regarding measures that DFO put in place to protect Southern Resident Killer Whales.

This information will help us to understand more about how the measures are working on the water and to help inform future management measures. Please note, the response to this survey will be collected anonymously and none of the information will be used to pursue enforcement action.

DFO email of August 26, 2020

This link (https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/XT6RXC3) takes you to a short survey regarding the 2020 suite of Southern Resident Killer Whale management measures.

You may read here about the Southern Resident Killer Whale management measures. Questions should be sent using email to the Marine Mammal Team – DFO.SRKW-ERS.MPO@dfo-mpo.gc.ca

Area 19/20 Spring SFAC Meeting March 16: Venue Change to Conference Call!

Due to the COVID-19 related health concerns, this meeting will now take place as a conference call. With no simultaneous online presentation, please ensure you have access to any documents relevant to the agenda, which is:

  • Fraser River Chinook 
  • Big Bar Slide
  • SRKW
  • Halibut hybrid model
  • Prawns
  • Best Practices 

Local chairs Ryan Chamberland and Chris Bos will update the public fishing community on the difficult issues at hand on March 16 at the Area 19 & 20 SFAC spring meeting.

DateMarch 16, 2020
Time7:00 pm
Dial-in InformationPhone: 1-877-413-4782

Select "1" for English.

Meeting ID: 1830175, followed by "#" (the "pound" or number-sign key)

Once connected, please mute your line until such time as the host invites callers to speak.


The DFO Fraser River management letter sent recently solicits feedback.

The Department is seeking feedback from First Nations and established advisory groups on potential adjustments to 2019 management measures or alternative approaches that should be considered for the period June 1, 2020 to May 31, 2021.

Your SFAC chairs will want your feedback and to document motions to carry forward to the South Coast Main board meeting, March 28-29 in Nanaimo. 

Ryan has been engaged in SRKW-related talks over the last month and a half, resulting in recommendations for DFO regarding

  • a science based approach to providing more access to fishing areas
  • a perspective regarding mobile avoidance zones/mobile sanctuaries
  • a 1 nautical mile corridor from Sheringham Point to East Point in Port Renfrew

which today gained much support within the technical working group. For reference, see the measures put in place by DFO for 2019.

Subsequent communications are expected to both inform and collect feedback on proposed and/or draft plans.

Survey on 2020 SRKW Management Measure Options

You have until March 23 to tell DFO how you feel about the Southern Resident Killer Whale management measures they are proposing for the 2020 season.

Southern Resident Killer Whales face three primary threats to recovery: reduced prey availability (primarily Chinook salmon), contaminants, and physical and acoustic disturbance.

In 2019, the Government of Canada implemented a suite of measures to help address these threats and further support the recovery of Southern Resident Killer Whales. The Government of Canada is expecting to take a similar approach to measures in 2020, with some modifications based on feedback received and lessons learned in 2019.

Email from Fisheries and Oceans Canada/ Pêches et Océans Canada Pacific Region/Région du Pacifique.

The survey and more information on this topic may be found here.

Image, with some mods, courtesy of https://www.pugetsoundexpress.com.

Transport Canada Survey re: Measures to Protect SRKW

Via the Vancouver Island Economic Alliance and our local Sports Fish Advisory Committee chair, we learned of a Transport Canada online survey.

Transport Canada is now seeking to assess the economic and social impacts of measures put in place to protect the Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW). This Transport Canada project introduction letter will provide some background information.

Transport Canada is seeking feedback from marine stakeholders on how these protection measures may have affected them, their businesses and their communities. VIEA is forwarding this letter and survey link to you in case you would like opportunity to share your thoughts by completing this online survey.

Your participation will help ensure that the magnitude of impacts of the protection measures are communicated to enable the consultants to make informed recommendations to Transport Canada. The survey is completely anonymous and takes about five minutes to complete. There may be opportunity to participate in more focused interviews, if you [are] interest[ed] in exploring economic and operational impacts further.

To be clear, this is Transport Canada, not DFO. The measures largely affect where and how marine vessels may operate, and are not restrictions on recreational fishing.

DFO: Consultation Regarding Recovery Actions for SRKW

DFO, Environment and Climate Change Canada, and Transport Canada invite you to participate in a Webinar/Teleconference to be held Thursday, April 18, 2019 from 9:30-11:30 am Pacific Time. The purpose of this Webinar is to present the proposed suite of measures for 2019.

A snapshot of Scenario A for Juan de Fuca Strait/Swiftsure Bank.
A snapshot of Scenario B for Juan de Fuca Strait/Swiftsure Bank.

Here are the details for the Webinar/Teleconference:

  • Meeting Number: 559 136 012
  • Meeting Password: MFRuX944

To join this meeting

  1. Go to https://gts-ee.webex.com/gts-ee/j.php?MTID=mb77121875ff462b810973e1059bf4ada
  2. If requested, enter your name and email address.
  3. If a password is required, enter the meeting password: MFRuX944
  4. Click “Join”.
  5. Follow the instructions that appear on your screen.

Teleconference information

Provide your phone number when you join the meeting to receive a call back. Alternatively, you can call:

  • Call-in toll-free number: 1-877-413-4792  (Canada)
  • Call-in number: 1-613-960-7516  (Canada)
  • Attendee access code: 444 668 0

For assistance

  1. Go to https://gts-ee.webex.com
  2. On the left navigation bar, click “Support”.
  3. Call 1-800-226-6338 or 613-941-9554

IMPORTANT NOTICE: This Webex service includes a feature that allows audio and any documents and other materials exchanged or viewed during the session to be recorded. By joining this session, you automatically consent to such recordings. If you do not consent to the recording, discuss your concerns with the meeting host prior to the start of the recording or do not join the session. Please note that any such recordings may be subject to discovery in the event of litigation.

SFAB Meeting

Ryan Chamberland, our Area 19/20 SFAB Chairperson, invites you to attend an SFAB meeting on Monday, March 04 at 7:00 pm at the Juan De Fuca Kinsmen Fieldhouse (Building by Golf Course/Tennis Facility, same room as Made In BC Wild Salmon meeting – see the red shape tagged with a 5, below).

Topics on the agenda are:

  1. 2019 Chinook Salmon Fisheries Management.
  2. New halibut regulations for 2019.
  3. Avid Anglers Update.
  4. Southern Resident Killer Whale Update.
  5. Prawn Reductions. DFO is recommending a 50% reduction in prawn limits. The Chair will be seeking input as what the SFAB should recommend to DFO as acceptable limit changes.  
  6. Update on previous motions from Fall meetings.
  7. Thompson/Chilcotin Steelhead update.

If you would like to receive emails regarding future Area 19/20 SFAB meetings, important notices and letters, please contact Ryan via this email. 

Noise and Vessel Traffic

Our ACS President, Tom Cole, retired from the Royal Canadian Navy where he served as an underwater acoustics expert, has offered insights and advice to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Honourable Jonathan Wilkinson. You can read Tom’s letter here, for which he awaits a response.

…new regulations will do absolutely nothing to change the noise levels in these waters and will not change the inland waterway noise.

time that Government and DFO finally realize that the Orcas NEED to have Large Salmon to eat. To do this they need to close all salmon fishing in the Fraser river as that is where all the damage is being done to the brood stock that carries the Gene pool for these large Chinook.

Notice of Victoria SFAB Evening Meeting Nov 6 at 7pm

WHAT Victoria and Area SFAB Committee Post-Season Meeting
WHEN Tuesday November 6th, 2018 (7:00 p.m.- 10:30 p.m.)
WHERE Sooke Community Hall,  2037 Shields Road, Sooke BC

This meeting is open to the angling community and the public – please feel free to broadcast this information so we consult with a greater audience.

Draft meeting minutes from Wed Oct 17th can be read here.

Draft Agenda for Tuesday Evening’s meeting:

  • Welcome and Introductions
  • Remembering Gary West
  • Shellfish Aquaculture Tenure Proposals – Possession Point, Sooke (Presentation)
  • Summary of last Victoria and Area SFAB Committee Meeting (Wed Oct 17th)
  • Adoption of the minutes from the last meeting
  • SC Regional Updates
  • 2018 Consultation Timing regarding Salmon Measures (SFAB, IHPC, 25-35% Reduction, SRKW)
  • Post-Season Chinook Salmon Fishing (Angler Observations)
  • 2018 and 2019 Halibut Seasons +  TAC Expectation and Committee Guidance on 2019 Season (partial)
  • Southern Resident Killer Whale Measures and JDF and Gulf Islands Closures
  • Commercial Crabbing Concerns
  • Shellfish Aquaculture Tenure Proposals – Salt Spring Island
  • Creel Verification Project – Trailer Counting 2018 + Camera Info + angler DNA Collection
  • Enhancement Update
  • SFAB Representative Elections

Upcoming Victoria SFAB Daytime Meeting Oct 17 10 am – 12:30 pm

Chris Bos, Victoria and Area Committee Chair, Sport Fishing Advisory Board (SFAB), extends an invite to

WHAT: Victoria and Area SFAB Committee Post-Season Meeting
WHEN: Wednesday October 17th – (10:00 AM –  12:30 PM)
WHERE: Esquimalt Anglers Lounge, 1101 Munro Street, Victoria

This meeting is open to the angling community and the public. Please feel free to broadcast this information so the SFAB consults with a wider audience.

Draft agenda for Wednesday’s meeting:

  • 2018 Consultation Timing regarding Salmon Measures (SFAB, IHPC, 25-35% Reduction, SRKW)
  • Post-Season Chinook Salmon Fishing (Angler Observations)
  • 2019 Halibut TAC Expectation and Committee Guidance on Season
  • Southern Resident Killer Whale Measures and JDF and Gulf Islands Closures
  • Commercial Crabbing Concerns
  • 2 x Shellfish Farming Tenure Proposals
  • Enhancement Updates

Proposed Expansion of Killer Whale “Critical Habitat”

Recent amendments to the Recovery Strategy for the Northern and Southern Resident Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) in Canada 2018 (proposed)  expand the area to be included as critical habitat. Under the recovery strategy action plan, this area will be subject to measures that respond to perceived threats to killer whale survival. The threat of “Reduced prey availability” identifies “Fishing for Chinook Salmon, Chum Salmon, and other important prey species” and “Other activities that are detrimental to habitat and survival of prey (e.g. fishing for forage fish species)” as activities likely to result in the destruction of critical habitat. The images here are from the above linked document, and show the areas proposed.

Proposed NRKW critical habitat:

Proposed NRKW critical habitat

Proposed SRKW critical habitat:

Proposed SRKW critical habitat

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