THE BLUE AND WHITE

Photo courtesy of NOAA Fisheries.

Abstract

The conservation of southern resident killer whales (SRKW) in Canada is urgent because it is not just about ecology and culture. Still, it goes down to a level where thousands of generations survive. This paper aims to outline a wide array of methods currently applied to protect SRKW stocks in Canadian waters. The principal focus here is identifying potential problems and opportunities in this sphere.The key results emerging from a science-based literature review and statistical analysis are that although regulatory measures and strategic actions have been developed, the challenges still need to be addressed. These struggles include the under-provision of legal bases and shared resources and the effects of human activities such as vessel traffic, prey depletion, pollution, and climate change.Disregarding these problems, ways exist to assist the SRKW conservation effort through the collaboration of various parties, scientifically-based management, and public participation. Creating cooperation between governments, indigenous communities, academia, industry, and non-governmental agencies enables the stakeholders to take advantage of the resources, knowledge, and expertise needed to develop strategies for conservation.

Finally, this study reinforces the idea that such conservation initiatives and programs should be focused on SRKW populations in Canadian waters, which would go a long way. By resolving the current problems and finding the opportunities at hand, we will ensure the survival of marine mammals, iconic creatures, for generations to come.           

Introduction

The endangered species (SRKW) are acclaimed for being a locally superb group of orca whales observed in the Pacific Ocean’s coastal waters that reach British Columbia (B.C.), Canada. They have reached a specific community that distinguishes them as a distinctive whale population from the other killer whales worldwide. Written records before the last two centuries hold evidence that these whales were widely distributed over the Straits of Georgia and Juan de Fuca, the central and outer coast of Vancouver Island, and the adjacent shorelines (Le Clercq et al., 2023). Indigenous oral stories and European explorers’ accounts are tracked back to when there were plenty of Southern Resident Killer Whale Pods, especially notable in the waters of Canada (Jolly & Phillips, 2021). The natives mostly encountered them along the coastline. They carried deep and spiritual bonds with the mammals, passing down these relations from one generation to another through aboriginal tales and myths. They were worshipped and artistically expressed.

However, whale hunting, overfishing of sea mammals such as salmon, seals, and other predators, coastal pollution, declining habitat quality, and rising marine traffic levels have reduced their population in Canadian waters, according to the available archival data, audio recordings, and photo I.D. data. The diminished areas of habitat, alongside the shrinking supply of prey, caused Sully the Sea Killer Whale to have a shelter in spaces of confined distance with the distribution of the Salish position in the interior water of the Pacific North Coast area of North America (Jolly & Phillips, 2021).

Having a critical understanding of the essential SRKW values for ecological balance and cultural preservation, various projects are being implemented to protect and recover their populations in Canadian waters. This research will ultimately address issues related to the overall schema of conservation strategies, challenges, and opportunities in the case of SRKW conservation in Canada.

To Be Continued