COVID-19 and the SRKWs: A New Suite of Problems Facing the Critically Endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales in the Salish…

Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW, Orcinus orca) may be found year-round in the Salish Sea. These killer whales comprise three matrilineal pods (J, K, and L) and were listed as Endangered under the Canadian Species at Risk Act in 2003 and under the United States Endangered Species Act in 2005 due to prey scarcity, vessel noise and disturbance, small population size, and exposure to toxins. Through federal, state and local regulations vessel disturbance has been mitigated by increased approach distances, reduced speeds, increased on-the-water enforcement, limitations of the number of commercial whale watching boats allowed to be with a group of whales at any one time, viewing time limits for commercial whale watching boats, and education. The ongoing COVID-19 (SARS-Cov-2) global pandemic impacting daily life for most people has raised the question whether vessel traffic and disturbance accompanying the SRKWs would be reduced, which has been noted in marine mammals by other major global events that disrupt normal vessel traffic. However, recreational boating, which accounts for a majority of the violations against vessel regulations, has been deemed an appropriate form of social distancing in accordance with current guidelines. In the Salish Sea region, recreational vessel sales have increased throughout the ongoing pandemic, while commercial whale watching tours suffered from the lack of tourists. Despite the shift in tourism activities, Soundwatch found a net gain of vessels within ½ mile of SRKWs as well as a shift in the daily peak times of vessel disturbance in 2020. Outreach opportunities were severely limited due to the COVID-19 pandemic, likely a largely contributing factor to the adverse effects of the pandemic on the SRKWs.