Port authority celebrates industry participation in longest-running voluntary ship slowdown to protect endangered killer whales

Ship operators from more than 100 marine transportation organizations voluntarily slowed down or moved away from key areas of southern resident killer whale critical habitats, as part of the port authority-led Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation (ECHO) Program.

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority-led ECHO Program is celebrating the conclusion of its longest-running season of voluntary initiatives to reduce the impacts of commercial shipping on at-risk whales, such as the endangered southern resident killer whales.

From June 1 to November 30 — a total of 182 days — large commercial ship operators from more than 100 marine transportation organizations voluntarily slowed down or moved away from key areas of southern resident killer whale critical habitat off the coast of British Columbia and Washington State, helping to reduce underwater noise and the risk of whale strikes.

The measures were coordinated by the Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation (ECHO) Program, a collaborative regional initiative led by the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority in partnership with more than 100 partners, including government, the marine transportation industry, Indigenous groups, and environmental groups.

The ECHO Program’s measures have been shown to reduce the risk of whale strikes by up to
nearly 30% and lower underwater noise by approximately 50% — reducing the impact of two key threats to local at-risk whales. The measures have also been shown to help reduce air emissions within the slowdown areas by up to 25%.

“Our priority at the ECHO Program is to create a quieter and safer environment for at-risk whales whose critical habitats intersect with commercial shipping lanes off our coast,” said Melanie Knight, program manager at the ECHO Program.

This year, the ECHO Program’s measures covered nearly 80 nautical miles, or 148 kilometres, of southern resident killer whale critical habitat — including key hot spots for southern resident killer whale activity such as Haro Strait, Boundary Pass, Swiftsure Bank, and the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

“Coordinating these initiatives to help protect at-risk whales across such a large geographic
area outside of the port authority’s jurisdiction is no small task, and so we owe the success of these initiatives to the collaborative efforts of so many of our partners and advisors across the region,” added Knight.

Many organizations are involved in these efforts to reduce threats to whales, from the BC Coast Pilots, the Pacific Pilotage Authority, and the Canadian Coast Guard, who support the implementation of the slowdowns, to shipping associations like the Shipping Federation of Canada, the Chamber of Shipping BC, the Cruise Lines International Association, and the Council of Marine Carriers, who help raise awareness and promote participation among their membership. See a list of all participating organizations here.

While the ECHO Program’s voluntary initiatives have concluded for the 2023 season —
coinciding with the typical migration of southern resident killer whales down south into Puget Sound — the ECHO Program has inspired another initiative called the Quiet Sound Program, which is currently leading another voluntary ship slowdown in Washington State.

To learn more about the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority-led ECHO Program, and the
program’s voluntary efforts to reduce the impacts of commercial shipping on at-risk whales, visit PortVancouver.com/echo