From June to September 2019, a shore-based marine mammal and vessel survey was done in Boundary Pass, from an observation property on Cliffside Road. Species of interest include killer whales (residents and transients), humpback whales, gray whales, minke whales, porpoises, and dolphins.
Nicole LeBaron was the primary observer. She noted the presence of vessels in the vicinity of marine mammals, and conducted a small vessel survey to validate JASCO Applied Science’s acoustic boat detector. This project, funded by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s ECHO Program and Transport Canada, supported the expanded voluntary vessel slowdown to reduce noise exposure from large vessels to Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW).
Nicole LeBaron making whale, porpoise and boat observations over Boundary Pass, August 2019
Collaborators included Dr. Lauren McWhinnie from the University of Victoria Coastal and Ocean Resource Analysis Lab (CORAL), and SIMRES.
Learn more about JASCO Applied Science here & the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s ECHO Program here.