Compliance to the Voluntary No-Go Zones Off Lime Kiln Point State Park: Efficacy of a Southern Resident Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) Conservation Strategy

Abstract

Southern Resident killer whales (SRKWs) (Orcinus orca) are a piscivorous ecotype of killer whale comprised of 75 individuals found in the Salish Sea from April to October. Following a 20% decline in population size from 1996 to 2001, SRKWs were given endangered species status in the United States and Canada. The three primary threats to SRKWs are toxic contamination, decline in prey availability, and vessel noise and disturbance. While all three threats need to be addressed for the long-term survival of the population, targeting vessel-related stressors can provide immediate relief. Vessel noise can reduce SRKWs ability to communicate, navigate their environment, and forage for prey. The primary management strategies to reduce underwater noise pollution from vessels, targets the speed, through vessel slow-down programs and the proximity of the vessel to SRKWs, through vessel exclusionary zones. In my study, I examined the compliance of vessels to the voluntary no-go zone in place 0.5 miles off the shore of Lime Kiln Point State Park. My study aimed to quantify the vessel compliance to the voluntary no-go zone. I found high levels of noncompliance by recreational vessels, while high levels of compliance were observed by commercial vessels.