BC Ferries aims to cut underwater noise by 50% to help protect whales | Daily Hive

BC Ferries vessel maneuvering around a pod of orca whales. (AnnaC17/Shutterstock)

BC Ferries is aiming to cut the underwater noise its vessels produce in key Southern Resident orca whale habitat by 50 per cent by 2036, under a new conservation agreement with the Government of Canada.

This week, the ferry company’s partnership with the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and Transport Canada also includes work to reduce the risk of ferries hitting whales and limit other disturbances caused by ferry operations.

The noise target uses 2019 as the starting point for comparison and applies to the fleet’s overall underwater noise within designated critical habitat for Southern Resident orca whales.

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BC Ferries intends to work toward the reduction through replacement vessels, modifications to existing ferries, and changes to maintenance and operating practices.

For example, the incoming new Summit Class vessels — BC Ferries’ future largest ships, operating on the major routes liking Metro Vancouver with Vancouver Island and the Sunshine Coast — will have azimuth propulsors and smaller diesel engines, which will significantly reduce underwater radiated noise. As well, BC Ferries is increasingly adopting vessels with battery-electric capabilities, which are generally quieter than conventional combustion-engine vessels.

For the whales, a quieter environment can make a difference in their ability to find food and communicate. DFO identifies noise disturbance as a threat that can interfere with feeding, resting, and social interactions among Southern Resident orca whales.

“BC Ferries has a responsibility to connect customers and coastal communities while protecting the marine environment we all value,” said Brian Anderson, the interim president and CEO of BC Ferries, in a statement.

“We have taken meaningful steps to reduce the impact of our operations on marine mammals and this agreement builds on that work. By collaborating with Transport Canada and Fisheries and Oceans Canada, we can continue advancing quieter vessels, improved operational practices and measures to further reduce the risk of vessel strikes.”

The agreement calls for BC Ferries to develop and maintain an underwater noise management plan. That plan is to establish how the company will measure its starting noise levels, set out timelines, and track implementation.

Transport Canada will contribute research and technical advice on measuring noise and making vessels quieter, including through their design, upkeep, and operation. DFO will advise on how underwater noise and collisions affect at-risk whales and what measures could help reduce those impacts.

BC Ferries also plans to monitor collision risks and adjust its prevention measures as more information becomes available, while sharing findings with other marine operators and conducting public education.

The announcement comes shortly after a whale collision involving the Queen of Surrey in Howe Sound.

On Oct. 18, the ferry struck a humpback whale near the Grace Islands while operating between Langdale and Horseshoe Bay. BC Ferries said initial reports indicated the whale surfaced immediately ahead of the vessel, giving the crew little time to respond.

A dead humpback was subsequently spotted near the Grace Islands on Oct. 26. Researchers identified it as Notcho, also known as BCX1700, using photographs showing distinctive features of its right pectoral flipper. The Marine Education and Research Society said the whale’s tail fluke was missing.

In an Oct. 30 update, it was determined that Notcho had died after being struck by a BC Ferries vessel.

Although the conservation partnership was announced after the collision, the agreement was already in progress and was not a direct response to that incident.

The partnership also builds on existing work to reduce shipping impacts on whales, including the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s ECHO program and a separate conservation agreement involving federal agencies and marine industry partners.

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