New Orca Protections in Canada Include Fishing Reductions and Sanctuaries Closed to Vessel Traffic

Canada has adopted a suite of measures intended to improve orcas’ access to food by reducing commercial and recreational fishing for chinook salmon and quieting vessel noise and disturbance that can interfere with orcas’ foraging.

Some of the policies go further than laws just adopted by the Washington State Legislature.

The measures, announced Friday by Canadian agencies, create new sanctuaries for endangered southern resident killer whales in the Salish Sea that will be closed to vessel traffic. Washington has no such sanctuaries today.

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