Vancouver Port to lead study to probe effects of ship noise on killer whales
VANCOUVER — A program led by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority will examine how endangered southern resident killer whales respond to slower vessel speeds and reduced underwater noise in a key summer feeding area off southern British Columbia.
The port authority says 54 marine shipping companies have signed up to take part in the voluntary study between August and October in Haro Strait, the channel separating Vancouver Island from the San Juan Islands in Washington state.
The authority says in a news release that the ships represent a significant proportion of the large commercial vessels moving through Haro Strait.
During the research trial, vessel operators will be asked to travel over underwater listening stations at a speed of 11 knots, slower than the typical operating speeds, while the stations also monitor for the presence of whales.