photo: Marlene Cummings. 

PROJECT

The Southern Gulf Islands Whale Sighting Network

The Southern Gulf Islands Whale Sighting Network is a volunteer citizen-led organization for monitoring and gathering field data on whale movements around Saturna, Pender and Mayne Islands. This data is used to better understand the Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW), Bigg’s (Transient) killer whales, humpbacks, minke and other cetacean species, and support them in their natural habitat in the Salish Sea. Go to Spyhopper.ca to see our data.

Our sighters observe, record, and identify all cetaceans from land, with particular interest in the new travel patterns of the endangered Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW), the increasing population of Bigg’s (Transient) killer whales, and the humpback whale return. We do this through direct observation and data collection, including visual reports, photos, distances verified with range finders, and professional quality hydrophone recordings. We identify the pods and individuals when we have adequate information. This data is collected and published in an annual report that is shared with various governmental organizations who make decisions about human activity in the Salish Sea.

We encourage viewing whales from shore. Our eyes-on-the-water methods discourage commercial and pleasure boat disturbance to whales. We support efforts to reduce human-caused underwater noise which has been proven to disturb feeding activity and the health of whales.

Through this growing citizen effort, we can support the endangered SRKWs, and the return of Bigg’s killer whales, humpbacks and other cetacean species into their historic ancestral waters. 
Susie Washington-Smyth, SGIWSN Coordinator

go to SPYHOPPER 

Whale Sightings Data

THE PILOT PROJECT

The Saturna Island community has a long-standing commitment to protect marine mammals. In 2020, citizen scientist volunteers started a pilot program to monitor the abundance, frequency, distribution, and species of whales around East Point on Saturna Island. We began from the premise that there is considerable local knowledge about our marine environment and that by structuring a monitoring program we could, over time, record the social associations, travelling and feeding habits of cetaceans in the area and collect useful data for whale research.

The catalyst for this project was the implementation of the Canadian Government’s Interim Sanctuary Zones (ISZ) in 2019. Our community, while supporting protection of the endangered Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW), questioned federal government decisions about the size, location, duration, and enforcement of these zones. Moreover, we were particularly concerned about the lack of baseline data regarding the SRKW and other cetaceans at the eastern end of Boundary Pass.

We collaborated with the BC Cetacean Sighting Network, using a designated portal in their Wild Whales app to collect whale sighting reports. Our research team developed a systematic protocol and trained each volunteer to report consistently to ensure accurate and robust data. The pilot was highly successful, with strong citizen engagement, and the data gathered in our first year influenced government policy in this region.

We were supported in our data collection by the Port of Vancouver ECHO program, which has a mandate to reduce negative impact to whales from commercial vessel disturbance, ship strikes and excessive underwater noise.

Contrary to previous beliefs, our data has demonstrated that there are whales in our waters year-round and efforts to protect them should not be limited to one period in the year. Today, we work collaboratively with Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Parks Canada and Transport Canada, and use our observational data to help affect change in vessels traffic in this whale habitat.

A WIDER NETWORK

We have expanded this network to include Pender Island in 2021 and Mayne Island in 2022. With many more participants, we get a larger view of the whales in the Southern Gulf Islands and collect more complete data on their movements.

We continue to adapt our program as needed. We use social media tools to help us organize and communicate. However, technology doesn’t build a citizen science research program, our dedicated people do and that’s why citizen science can have powerful effects

photo: Marlene Cummings

PROVIDING SAFE PASSAGE FOR WHALES

Because the ISZ’s are created to reduce noise and physical disturbances for the SRKW, we see the importance of compliance and enforcement as critical to success. We document and secure reliable and verifiable data on vessel infractions and have found that there are significant discrepancies between our data and federal data which is sourced from tech solutions and remote observation.

Our volunteer citizen scientists, with eyes-on-the-water, record all vessels which are out of compliance with ISZ regulations and cause disturbance to the whales. In addition, as soon as a whale sighting report is made, through the WRAS program, a notice is issued to ocean freighter traffic around whale activity, so they can slow down and avoid collision with the whales.

We have a collaborative working relationship with the Fisheries and Oceans Compliance and Enforcement Division and the Parks Canada Warden Service. They help us map the ISZs and have developed a protocol for documenting vessel infractions so they can follow up with vessel owners.

RELIABLE DATA

These are the steps we take to ensure the reliability of our data:

1. We have built in redundancy to ensure our data reporting is consistent among the group.

2. We individually trained all sighters how to use the BC Cetacean Sightings Network Wild Whale

app to ensure consistency of data reports.

3. We confirm sightings and ID’s with a whale research scientist who works closely with our

group, and we consult with researchers and data scientists, who interpret our findings.

4. We take photos and used range finders to establish whale ID’s and distances, when possible,

and document vessel violations in the ISZ.

ARE YOU A WHALE SIGHTER?

If you spend a lot of time in a place where you can see whales from land, please contact us for more information.

BOATING AROUND WHALES

Be Whale Wise

This organization informs you on the laws pertaining to marine mammals, as well as provides additional guidelines that will make you a safer boater and a steward of our natural resources. Learn more


Interim Sanctuary Zones (ISZ’s)

The Government of Canada has created Interim Sanctuary Zones (ISZ) off the coasts of Pender

and Saturna Islands to support Southern Resident Killer Whales. Vessels and fishing are NOT permitted inside these zones. It’s the law – penalties for violations may apply. Click here to see and learn more about the zones.


Gulf Island National Park Reserve

The Southern Resident Killer Whale population is endangered under Canada’s Species at Risk Act,

with only 73 individuals remaining (as of September 2021). Parks Canada is working in collaboration

with Indigenous partners, other federal departments and non-government organizations to

gain a better understanding of the distribution and presence of Southern Resident Killer Whales in

and around Gulf Islands National Park Reserve. This work supports species at risk recovery. Learn more