Fishery Notice

Commercial Groundfish Harvesters,

Whale Depredation (the removal of fish from fishing gear) by killer whales and sperm whales has been reported in the groundfish longline fishery in British Columbia. Recently, there have been increased reports this year of depredation by killer whales on groundfish longline fisheries in Washington State waters; yet, no current increase of reporting in BC waters at this time. Depredation is a learned behavior that can spread throughout whale social groups and once established is impossible to eliminate. As whale populations transverse national boundaries (Canada and US), it is important to monitor these events.

DFO would like to ensure monitoring of this issue and asks fishers to ensure depredation events are reported. It is critical to not inadvertently encourage this learning by allowing whales to associate obtaining fish with fishing activity as it can lead to a loss of catch, damage to gear and increased likelihood of entanglement or injury to the whales. The most important approach to prevent this from spreading is by not feeding whales directly or indirectly and not hauling gear in the vicinity of killer whales and sperm whales. Typically killer whales pass quickly through an area allowing fishing to resume. It is also recommended that you advise other fish harvesters in the area if you encounter depredation. Additional tips on avoiding depredation events can be found in the DFO Marine Mammal Bulletin #2: Depredation by whales (dfo-mpo.gc.ca). A useful depredation handout can be found at the BC Cetacean Sightings Network website: https://wildwhales.org/threats/depredation/ 
 
If you experience depredation by whales, please report the incident by email (MarineMammals@pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca) or by calling 1-800-465-4336. Alternatively, reports can be sent using marine mammal interaction forms which help capture useful information regarding the incident, including photographic evidence. Clear side-view photographs of the dorsal fin are required for the identification of specific whales. Reporting all incidents will assist DFO mangers and fishers in understanding this problem and help in developing strategies to avoid it.

Rob Tadey
A/Regional Manager, Groundfish
Groundfish Management Unit,
Pacific Region

Fisheries & Oceans Operations Center - FN0623
Sent June 17, 2022 at 1617

Return to Main Menu

Visit Fisheries and Oceans Canada on the Web at http://www.pac.dfo-mpo.gc.ca
Printed from the Pacific Region web site on May 16, 2024 at 2016