ECHO Program 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial at Swiftsure Bank - July 01, 2021 - 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial at ...
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ECHO Program 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial at Swiftsure Bank July 01, 2021
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
ECHO Program | 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial at Swiftsure Bank
Contents
Acknowledgements ....................................................................................................................................... 1
Executive summary ....................................................................................................................................... 2
1. Background............................................................................................................................................. 3
The ECHO Program ............................................................................................................................ 3
Context for the voluntary vessel slowdown trial .................................................................................. 3
Development of the slowdown parameters ......................................................................................... 4
Slowdown trial area ........................................................................................................................ 4
Slowdown speeds........................................................................................................................... 5
Start and end dates ........................................................................................................................ 6
2. Implementation ....................................................................................................................................... 6
Engagement and communications ...................................................................................................... 6
Monitoring ............................................................................................................................................ 7
3. Evaluation and results: industry participation ......................................................................................... 7
Company intent to participate ............................................................................................................. 8
Intent to participate .............................................................................................................................. 9
Calculated vessel speeds and participation rates ............................................................................... 9
Speed reduction compared to baseline............................................................................................. 11
4. Evaluation and results: acoustics ......................................................................................................... 11
Differences in underwater sound levels due to the Swiftsure Bank slowdown trial .......................... 11
5. Evaluation and results: Marine mammals presence............................................................................. 12
6. Key findings and conclusions ............................................................................................................... 13
7. References ........................................................................................................................................... 15
Appendix 1: Marine Mammal Survey 2020 at Swiftsure Bank and Strait of Juan de Fuca,
Seaview Marine Sciences, SMRU Consulting NA and Pacheedaht First Nation ................................. 17
Table 1: Predicted average increases in transit time during 2020 slowdown ............................................... 6
Table 2: Intention to participate responses of matched MCTS and AIS transits in 2020 by vessel type ..... 9
Table 3: Calculated speed through water participation rates by vessel type .............................................. 10
Table 4: Change in mean speed through water by vessel type .................................................................. 11
Table 5: Ambient underwater noise differences (dB) at Swiftsure Bank .................................................... 12
Figure 1: 2020 Swiftsure Bank voluntary vessel slowdown trial area ........................................................... 5
Figure 2: Calculated participation in the Swiftsure slowdown trial by week................................................ 10
Figure 3: 2020 Marine Mammal Survey – Cetaceans (all on-effort sightings) ............................................ 13
2021-07-01 i
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority ECHO Program | 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial at Swiftsure Bank Acknowledgements The ECHO Program would like to thank the many national and international partners involved in this trial. Special thanks to Transport Canada, Canadian Coast Guard and US Coast Guard who helped coordinate the implementation of the initiative; to BC Coast Pilots and Puget Sound Pilots for the distribution of materials; to Fisheries and Oceans Canada for their acoustic analysis incorporated in this report; to Pacheedaht First Nations for their input before, during and after the initiative; to the Seafoam Spirit crew, Seaview Marine Sciences and SMRU Consulting Ltd. for marine mammal observations and analysis; the ECHO Program’s vessel operators committee and advisory working group members for their valuable input, advice and support throughout the development, implementation and evaluation of the initiative; and to the Canadian and U.S. marine transportation organizations that supported and participated in the initiative. 2021-07-01 | Page 1
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority ECHO Program | 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial at Swiftsure Bank Executive summary This report summarizes the development, implementation and results of the 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown at Swiftsure Bank. The slowdown was coordinated and implemented by the Vancouver Port Authority-led Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation (ECHO) Program, with the ECHO Program’s vessel operators committee and advisory working group members providing valuable input and advice throughout the development, implementation and evaluation of the slowdown. Swiftsure Bank is critical habitat for endangered southern resident killer whale (SRKW) and overlaps with the commercial shipping lanes in both Canadian and US waters. Historical data indicates that SKRWs are most frequently detected at Swiftsure Bank between June and October. The ECHO Program voluntary slowdowns which took place in Haro Strait and Boundary Pass between 2017 and 2019 demonstrated that reducing the speeds of vessels can be effective in reducing the underwater noise generated at the vessel source and total underwater noise in nearby habitats, which may benefit the behaviour and feeding success of the southern resident killer whales. As new Fisheries and Oceans Canada research became available indicating the importance of Swiftsure Bank as a key SRKW foraging habitat, a new voluntary slowdown in Swiftsure Bank was proposed to evaluate the level of transboundary voluntary participation that could be achieved by slowing down in non-piloted waters, and to reduce underwater noise in this important SRKW feeding area. As an initial step, the slowdown trial was focused on outbound transits only in 2020. When safe and operationally feasible to do so, outbound vessels were encouraged to voluntarily slowdown from JA buoy to the end of the traffic separation scheme between August 1 and October 31, 2020. Vehicle carrier ships, passenger ships and container ships were encouraged to transit at 14.5 knots or less speed through water while bulk cargo vessels, tankers and government vessel operators were asked to transit at 11.5 knots or less speed through water. Eight-two percent of outbound ship transits (861 of 1,044 transits) participated in the slowdown trial by achieving their respective target speeds within one knot. Of the total number of outbound transits during the slowdown trial, 59% originated from Canadian ports and 41% originated from US ports. Evaluation of the total ambient noise levels indicated a median reduction in underwater broadband received sound pressure level (SPL) of 2 dB (a 40% reduction in sound intensity) during the slowdown at the DFO hydrophone located under the outbound shipping lane at Swiftsure Bank, when compared to the pre-slowdown baseline period. Marine mammal observations were conducted by Pacheedaht First Nation’s vessel and trained crew who undertook 26 marine mammal observation field excursions totaling 33.5 hours of survey transects between August and November 2020. The observers recorded 128 sightings of an estimated 303 animals, 17 of which were killer whales that were observed on four separate occasions. The results of the 2020 vessel slowdown trial further demonstrate that voluntary measures are an effective way of managing threats to at-risk whales. High transboundary voluntary participation rates were achieved in non-piloted waters and slower ship speeds reduced the underwater noise generated at the vessel source as well as total underwater noise in nearby habitats, improving foraging conditions for the SRKW. Despite longer transit times, the vessel speeds and participation rates achieved during the 2020 slowdown trial indicated a quantifiable reduction in underwater noise when compared to baseline conditions. Future vessel slowdowns in this area will build on the learnings of this trial and other ECHO Program slowdown initiatives to date. 2021-07-01 | Page 2
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
ECHO Program | 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial at Swiftsure Bank
1. Background
The voluntary vessel slowdown trial at Swiftsure Bank (Figure 1) was coordinated and implemented by
the Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation (ECHO) Program, with input from the program’s vessel
operators committee and advisory working group members, and Pacheedaht First Nation providing
valuable input and advice throughout the development, implementation and evaluation of the slowdown.
The purpose of the slowdown was to help reduce underwater vessel noise impacts in the vicinity of
Swiftsure Bank, a known foraging area of importance to the southern resident killer whale (SRKW). Data
collection and analysis was undertaken to help measure the level of voluntary vessel participation and
speeds achieved, as well as the level of underwater noise reduction achieved by slowing vessels.
The slowdown trial took place between August 1 and October 31, 2020, and involved voluntary speed
reductions for large commercial vessels transiting the outbound shipping lane in the Swiftsure Bank area.
The ECHO Program
The ECHO Program is a Vancouver Fraser Port Authority-led initiative aimed at better understanding and
managing the effects of large commercial vessel-related activities on at-risk whales throughout the
southern coast of British Columbia (B.C.).
The geographic scope of the port authority’s jurisdiction is limited; therefore, in order to adequately
understand and address the cumulative effects of commercial ship activity on whales regionally, a
collaborative approach is required. To this end, since 2014 the port authority has been collaborating with
an advisory working group and technical committees made up of Canadian and U.S government
agencies, marine transportation industries, Indigenous communities, conservation and environmental
groups, and scientists to advance ECHO Program projects within the Salish Sea. The long-term goal of
the program is to quantifiably reduce threats to at-risk whales as a result of large commercial vessel-
related activities.
Context for the voluntary vessel slowdown trial
A number of at-risk species of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) inhabit the Pacific waters of
southern B.C. and northern Washington State. Key among these species is the endangered southern
resident killer whale, with a population of 74 individuals as of December 31, 2020 (Center for Whale
Research, 2021). The key threats to SRKW and other at-risk whales in this region include acoustic
disturbance (underwater noise), physical disturbance (presence and proximity of vessels), environmental
contaminants and availability of prey. Acoustic disturbance related to shipping traffic is a priority focus
area for the ECHO Program.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada’s recovery strategy (Fisheries and Oceans Canada 2011; 2016; 2017)
designates much of the Salish Sea as SRKW critical habitat—the habitat necessary for the survival or
recovery of the species. Under the Endangered Species Act, critical habitat has also been designated in
much of the U.S. waters of the Salish Sea. Killer whales use sound to navigate, communicate and locate
prey via echolocation, and underwater noise generated by vessels can impede these functions.
In May 2019, the Government of Canada entered into a first-of-its-kind Species at Risk Act, Section 11
conservation agreement with Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, Pacific Pilotage Authority and five marine
transportation industry partners to support the recovery of the SRKW. The agreement formalizes the role
of the ECHO Program and the participation of the marine industry and government to continue working
collaboratively over a five-year term, with a focus on reducing acoustic and physical disturbance of large
commercial vessels operating in southern resident killer whale critical habitat.
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Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
ECHO Program | 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial at Swiftsure Bank
Since 2018, scientists from the Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) have been conducting
extensive studies on the habitat use and behavior of SRKW at key locations throughout SRKW critical
habitat, including Swiftsure Bank. Preliminary study results highlighting Swiftsure Bank as an important
SRKW foraging area were presented to the ECHO Program advisory working group in late 2019,
prompting a decision to investigate potential underwater noise reduction efforts in this area. The role and
composition of the advisory working group and the vessel operators committee is described in section 2.1
Results from previous voluntary vessel slowdowns in Haro Strait and Boundary Pass demonstrated that
reducing ship speeds is an effective way of reducing both the underwater noise generated at the ship
source (MacGillivray et al, 2018a) and total underwater noise in nearby habitats, which is in turn predicted
to benefit the behaviour and feeding success of the southern resident killer whale (SMRU, 2018b, 2019a,
2019b). Therefore, in an effort to provide additional benefits to the behaviour and foraging of the SRKW, a
voluntary vessel slowdown trial over Swiftsure Bank was proposed for 2020.
Throughout this report, vessel types are grouped together based on business sector, cargo type and
vessel size and shape. Bulker refers to bulk carriers and general cargo vessels carrying bulk, breakbulk
and project cargo. Tanker refers to tanker vessels carrying liquid bulk cargo. Other includes yachts, tugs,
government vessels and heavy lift vessels. Due to COVID-19, all cruise ship transits were cancelled and
therefore are not discussed in this report.
Development of the slowdown parameters
Slowdown trial area
Preliminary results of a study undertaken by Fisheries and Oceans Canada identified the bathymetric
feature of Swiftsure Bank, where the Pacific ocean floor rises quickly at the mouth of the Strait of Juan de
Fuca, as an important foraging habitat for SRKW. The international shipping lanes for vessels entering
and exiting the Salish Sea from ports in British Columbia and Washington State directly overlaps the
Swiftsure Bank area. The outbound shipping lane is located in Canadian waters, whereas the inbound
shipping lane is located in U.S. waters. Pilotage is mandatory in the interior coastal waters, however, in
the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Swiftsure Bank area, pilotage is not required.
The ECHO Program advisory working group and vessel operators committee advised that the initial
Swiftsure Bank slowdown should be trialed in the outbound shipping lane only. This would allow for the
BC Coast Pilots and the Puget Sound Pilots to explain the slowdown to the international ship captains as
they depart the interior coastal waters, thus increasing the likelihood of successful participation in the
voluntary slowdown trial. In these unpiloted waters of Swiftsure Bank and the Strait of Juan de Fuca,
vessels are in contact with both Canadian and U.S. Coast Guard, who jointly share in the management of
vessel traffic, and were integral to the communication of the slowdown initiative.
The Swiftsure Bank slowdown trial area was located between JA buoy and the end of the traffic
separation scheme - shown in Figure 1. The distance of the slowdown area was 17 nautical miles via the
west exit, or 20 nautical miles via the southern exit. A transition zone was defined before the slowdown
area to encourage vessel operators to slow down to the appropriate target speed prior to entering the
slowdown area.
The Swiftsure Bank slowdown trial was advanced within the traditional marine territory of the Pacheedaht
First Nation. Pacheedaht First Nation participates as a member of the ECHO Program advisory working
group and was engaged throughout the process of setting the parameters for the slowdown trial.
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Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
ECHO Program | 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial at Swiftsure Bank
2020 Swiftsure Bank voluntary vessel slowdown trial area
Figure 1: 2020 Swiftsure Bank voluntary vessel
slowdown trial area
Source: Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
Slowdown speeds
For simplicity of communications, the 2020 Swiftsure Bank slowdown trial target speeds were set to be
consistent with the Haro Strait and Boundary Pass slowdown target speeds. When it was safe and
operationally feasible to do so, vehicle carriers and container vessel operators were encouraged to transit
the slowdown area at 14.5 knots or less speed through water. Bulkers, tankers and government vessel
operators were asked to transit at 11.5 knots or less speed through water.
Table 1 shows the average predicted increase in transit time for vessels transiting the slowdown area,
relative to typical vessel speeds in this area. Transiting at the target speeds of 14.5 and 11.5 knots was
estimated to add between 5 and 18 minutes to the total transit time, depending on the vessel type. These
calculations are based on vessels using the longer route (20 nautical miles) via the southern exit and
represent worst case delays.
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Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
ECHO Program | 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial at Swiftsure Bank
Predicted average increases in transit time during 2020 slowdown
Vessel type Target speed through Average speed through Average increase
water (knots) water (knots) in transit time
(minutes)
Vehicle carrier 14.5 16.7 13
Container 14.5 16.6 13
Bulker 11.5 12.0 5
Tanker 11.5 13.5 18
Table 1: Predicted average increases in transit
time during 2020 slowdown
Start and end dates
The Swiftsure Bank slowdown trial began on August 1 and continued until October 31, 2020.
The start and end of the slowdown was communicated to mariners through a Navigational Warning
(NAVWARN) from Canadian Coast Guard and a Marine Safety Information Bulletin and Notice to
Mariners from the US Coast Guard. Key partners and aCanadian and US shipping associations and
agents, Canadian and US pilots were informed via the ECHO Program newsletter distribution list, and
posted to the ECHO Program webpage.
2. Implementation
The implementation of the voluntary vessel slowdown trial required the preparation of materials,
communication and engagement with stakeholders, and technical aspects of evaluating the success of
the slowdown through vessel participation and underwater noise monitoring. The following section
provides further details on the implementation of the 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial.
Engagement and communications
The ECHO Program advisory working group convened six times in 2020 to share input and advice during
the development, implementation and evaluation phases of the slowdown trial. The advisory working
group includes the following members:
BC Coast Pilots National Oceanic and Atmospheric
BC Ferries Administration (NOAA)
Canadian Coast Guard Natural Resources Defense Council
Chamber of Shipping Ocean Wise
Council of Marine Carriers Pacific Pilotage Authority
Cruise Lines International Association –North Shipping Federation of Canada
West & Canada Transport Canada
Department of National Defence and the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
Canadian Armed Forces Washington State Ferries
Fisheries and Oceans Canada WWF-Canada
Indigenous individuals
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Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
ECHO Program | 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial at Swiftsure Bank
The ECHO Program vessel operators committee convened seven times throughout the year to assist in
the development of parameters for the 2020 slowdown trial and to support monitoring of participation and
results. The vessel operators committee includes members from the following organizations:
BC Coast Pilots Marine Exchange of Puget Sound
BC Ferries Pacific Merchant Shipping Association
Canadian Coast Guard Pacific Northwest Ship & Cargo Services
Chamber of Shipping Pacific Pilotage Authority
Council of Marine Carriers Royal Canadian Navy
Cruise Lines International Association – North Shipping Federation of Canada
West and Canada Transport Canada
Hapag-Lloyd U.S. Coast Guard
Holland America Group Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
International Ship-Owners Alliance of Canada Washington State Ferries
(ISAC)
A number of communication tools including backgrounders, maps, presentations and a webpage were
developed and made available to raise awareness about the 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial. An
instructional handout was also prepared for ship crew. The handout described the slowdown trial
instructions in English on the front and translated instructions in eight languages on the back, including
Chinese (simplified and traditional), French, Greek, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Tagalog. Email
newsletters from the ECHO Program were sent bi-weekly throughout the slowdown and included start
and end dates of initiatives, as well as updates on whale presence and participation rates.
A virtual recognition event was held on December 1, 2020 with zoologist and marine mammal scientist Dr.
Anna Hall as a guest speaker. In addition, certificates of appreciation, letters of thanks and a small gift
were mailed to each organization that supported, or participated in, the 2020 ECHO Program initiatives.
Monitoring
Automated identification system (AIS) data provided by Canadian Coast Guard includes information such
as vessel type, name, and speed over ground and draught on each AIS-enabled vessel transiting the
slowdown area. These data, corrected to speed through water using a tidal current model, were used by
JASCO Applied Sciences to calculate speed through water for each vessel pass. These speed through
water values were used to evaluate participation in the Swiftsure Bank voluntary vessel slowdown trial.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada has maintained autonomous hydrophones at Swiftsure Bank since 2018,
which are typically retrieved and redeployed approximately every three months (with some deviation in
timelines due to COVID-19). The DFO hydrophone used to monitor ambient noise before and during the
slowdown trial was located below the outbound shipping lane at an approximate depth of 75 metres as
shown on Figure 1.
In an effort to better understand the presence and behavior of whale species in both Swiftsure Bank and
the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the ECHO Program supported Pacheedaht First Nation to undertake marine
mammal observations in both regions between August and November 2020. The results of these
monitoring activities are described in the sections below.
3. Evaluation and results: industry participation
The Swiftsure Bank slowdown trial evaluated both intent to participate, as well as the achievement of
speed through water (STW) targets by outbound vessels.
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Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
ECHO Program | 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial at Swiftsure Bank
Company intent to participate
Prior to and during the slowdown period, shipping associations and shipping agents supported
communications about the slowdown trial to their members, explaining rationale and disseminating
communication materials with their members at regular meetings. Canadian and U.S. ship owners and
operators were asked to confirm their intent to participate in the Swiftsure Bank slowdown trial. In 2020,
more than 80 organizations indicated their support of the ECHO Program’s underwater noise reduction
initiatives and intent to participate, when safe and operationally feasible:
ACGI Shipping Inc. Navitrans Shipping Agencies West
American Waterways Operators Norton Lilly International
BC Coast Pilots NYK Bulk & Projects Carriers Ltd.
Canadian Coast Guard Oak Maritime
Canadian Hydrographic Service Ocean Network Express Inc.
Canpotex Shipping Service Oldendorff Carriers
Canship Ugland Ltd. OOCL (Canada)
Chamber of Shipping Pacific Basin Shipping
China Navigation Co. Pte. Ltd. Pacific Industrial & Marine Ltd.
CMA CGM Pacific Merchant Shipping Association
Colley West Shipping Ltd. Pacific Northwest Ship & Cargo Services
COSCO Shipping Canada Inc. Pacific Pilotage Authority
Council of Marine Carriers Puget Sound Partnership
Cruise Lines International Association – North Puget Sound Pilots
West & Canada Ravensdown Shipping Services Pty Ltd.
CSL Americas Robert Reford
Evergreen Shipping Agency (America) Royal Canadian Navy
Corporation Saga Welco AS
Fairmont Shipping (Canada) Ltd. Seaspan
Fednav Limited Shipping Federation of Canada
G2 Ocean Shipping Canada Ltd. Sinotrans Canada Inc.
Global Marine Systems Ltd. SM Line Corporation
Gowlland Towing Swire / CNC Shipping
Hapag-Lloyd Teekay Shipping
HMM Tormar Shipping Agency
Hudson Shipping Lines, Inc. Trans Mountain
Inchcape Shipping Services Inc. Trans-Oceanic Shipping
International Ship-owners Alliance of Canada Transport Canada
Island Tug and Barge Ltd. U.S. Coast Guard
‘K’ Line America, Inc. Valles Steamship (Canada) Ltd.
LBH Canada Vancouver Island Agencies
Ledcor Resources and Transportation Varamar Shipping & Trading
Maersk Line Washington State Ferries
Marine Exchange of Puget Sound Waterfront Shipping Company Ltd.
Mason Agency Ltd. Westward Shipping Ltd.
McLean Kennedy Westwood Shipping Lines
MOL (Americas) LLC Wheelhouse Shipping Agency
Montship Inc. Wilhelmsen Ships Service
MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company Yang Ming Shipping (Canada) Ltd.
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ECHO Program | 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial at Swiftsure Bank
Intent to participate
The area of the Swiftsure Bank slowdown is located in non-piloted waters. Learnings from the Haro Strait
and Boundary Pass slowdown indicate that the pilot is extremely valuable in supporting clear
communications with international masters and crew.
Prior to the pilots disembarking the outbound vessel, both the BC Coast Pilots and Puget Sound Pilots
described the Swiftsure Bank slowdown to the master and crew, distributed the slowdown instructional
handout, and confirmed the vessel’s intention to participate.
The BC Coast Pilots and Puget Sound Pilots then communicated the vessel’s intent to participate with
their respective Coast Guard. Canadian and US Coast Guard share vessel traffic management in the
Strait of Juan de Fuca and Swiftsure Bank area. Upon leaving the slowdown area a final check-in with
each vessel was conducted by Canadian Coast Guard, Prince Rupert Marine Communications and
Traffic Systems (MCTS), who collated and relayed the following information to the ECHO Program:
Vessel name
Date and time of transit
Was the vessel aware of the slowdown?
Did the vessel intend to participate in the slowdown?
Based on a high level review of AIS and radar data, did it appear as though the vessel participated?
Prince Rupert MCTS captured 755 vessel transit entries which matched with AIS data. Of these, 652
(86%) vessel transits expressed their intent to participate in the slowdown trial.
Intention to participate responses of matched MCTS and AIS transits in 2020 by vessel type
Vessel Type Expressed an intention to slowdown
Bulker 92% 325 of 355
Car Carrier 86% 69 of 80
Container 76% 145 of 191
Tanker 85% 75 of 88
Other 93% 38 of 41
All Vessels 86% 652 of 755
Table 2: Intention to participate responses of
matched MCTS and AIS transits in 2020 by
vessel type
Calculated vessel speeds and participation rates
Understanding each vessel’s actual speed through water (STW) is an important factor in evaluating the
slowdown participation. Owing to the considerable momentum of the vessel combined with tidal currents
and wind, the actual speed through water can vary throughout the slowdown zone while the vessel
engine speed may be constant. As such, participation is calculated based on a vessel transit achieving
the speed through water target within 1 knot.
Canadian Coast Guard provided AIS data which included vessel position and speed over ground for each
AIS-enabled vessel transiting the slowdown area. Using several locations from the DFO WebTide
current/tidal prediction model over the slowdown area, AIS speed over ground data points were corrected
for current speed and direction to calculate a STW value. A mean STW value was then calculated on a
per-transit basis over the entire slowdown area.
For each transit, mean STW values were compared to the speed targets for each vessel category. Based
on the mean STW values, 82% (635 of 1044) of all vessels were able to achieve their respective target
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ECHO Program | 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial at Swiftsure Bank
speeds within one knot. These numbers are comparable to the 86% that had expressed an intent to
slowdown. 61% of vessels were able to transit at or below the target speed for their vessel type.
Participation of vessel transits originating from a Canadian and US ports that were able to achieve their
respective target speeds within one knot was 88% and 77% respectively.
Table 3 provides details of the STW achievement rates by vessel type. Figure 2 provides an overview of
how the calculated participation rates varied by week.
Calculated speed through water participation rates by vessel type
Vessel Type Swiftsure Bank slowdown trial participation
Within 1kt of STW Target At or below STW Target
Bulker 421 of 468 (90%) 291 of 468 (62%)
Vehicle Carrier 81 of 106 (76%) 64 of 106 (60%)
Container 178 of 245 (73%) 138 of 245 (56%)
Tanker 80 of 106 (75%) 59 of 106 (56%)
Other 101 of 119 (85%) 83 of 119 (70%)
All Vessels 861 of 1044 (82%) 635 of 1044 (61%)
Table 3: Calculated speed through water
participation rates by vessel type
Calculated participation in the Swiftsure slowdown trial by week
100% 94% 93% 92%
90% 88% 88% 88% 89%
90% 85% 86% 87%
95%
81% 81% 80%
88% 86% 78%
80% 85%
81% 73% 83%
80%
75% 77% 76%
70%
60%
50%
40%
% of transits within 1kt of the target speed (82%)
30%
% of transits intending to participate (86%)
20%
10%
0%
Figure 2: Calculated participation in the Swiftsure
slowdown trial by week
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ECHO Program | 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial at Swiftsure Bank
Speed reduction compared to baseline
Mean vessel speed over a 10 nautical mile baseline area in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, leading up to the
slowdown transition area, was compared to the mean achieved speeds in the Swiftsure Bank slowdown
area. This analysis was undertaken for all 1,044 outbound vessels with valid AIS vessel tracks,
regardless of whether the vessel expressed an intent to participate or not.
All vessel types showed a reduction in mean speed within the slowdown area compared to the baseline
area, with car carriers demonstrating the greatest reduction, achieving an average 2.3 knot speed
reduction. On average, vessels transited 1.4 knots slower in the slowdown area compared to the baseline
zone as shown in Table 4.
Change in mean speed through water by vessel type
Vessel type AIS transits Mean STW (kt) Change in knots
SJDF baseline Swiftsure Bank
area slowdown area
Bulk 468 12.0 11.2 -0.8 kts
Car carrier 106 16.7 14.4 -2.3 kts
Container 245 16.7 14.8 -1.8 kts
Tanker 106 13.5 11.9 -1.6 kts
Other 119 11.7 10.3 -1.3 kts
All vessels 1044 13.7 12.3 -1.4 kts
Table 4: Change in mean speed through water by
vessel type
4. Evaluation and results: acoustics
The potential acoustic benefit of the Swiftsure Bank slowdown trial was evaluated using a hydrophone
deployed beneath the outbound shipping lane in the Swiftsure Bank slowdown area (Figure 1). This
hydrophone was deployed by Fisheries and Oceans Canada, and has been collecting data on a near-
continuous basis since 2018. The results analyzed for this, and other underwater noise reduction
initiatives conducted in the Salish Sea in 2020, are presented in a technical paper recently submitted to
the journal Frontiers in Marine Science (Burnham et al., 2021). A copy of the technical paper was
provided to the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority for review and the relevant acoustic results are
summarized below. The technical paper is currently undergoing peer review.
Differences in underwater sound levels due to the Swiftsure Bank
slowdown trial
To evaluate potential changes in ambient underwater noise resulting from the slowdown trial, a
comparison of filtered ambient underwater noise data for the pre-slowdown baseline versus slowdown
time period was conducted. For the 2020 Swiftsure Bank slowdown, sound pressure levels (SPL) were
established for a two month baseline period (June 1 to July 31, 2020) immediately preceding the trial.
The filtered data set aimed to better evaluate changes in ambient underwater noise that could be
attributed to the vessel slowdown; it included only time periods when a large AIS-enabled vessel was
within eight kilometers of the hydrophone, and excluded time periods when there were other factors that
could be significantly contributing to the received underwater noise. The filtered data set excluded:
Time periods of elevated wind greater than 5 metres per second
Time periods with high tidal current greater than 0.25 metres per second
Time periods with small boats present and dominating the received noise levels
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ECHO Program | 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial at Swiftsure Bank
Statistical analysis of the sound pressure levels (SPL) received at the hydrophones were conducted for
the baseline period and the slowdown period using exceedance cumulative distribution functions (CDF).
Use of CDF controls for the number of vessel transits and accounts for variability in underwater noise
exposure time versus underwater noise amplitude. Note that using exceedance CDF plots, L95 indicates
the value that would be exceeded 95% of the time (therefore the quietest 5% of the time), and L50 would
be the median value.
Table 5 presents the differences in sound pressure levels measured between baseline and slowdown
periods. These differences are presented for filtered broadband (10–100,000 Hz), decade bands, and
what are referred to as the Coastal Ocean Research Institute (CORI) bands. The CORI bands indicate
the frequency ranges for SRKW communication and echolocation as defined through a group of technical
experts convened by the Coastal Ocean Research Institute of Oceanwise Conservation Association
(Heise et. al, 2017). Note that a negative value in Table 5 indicates a reduction in underwater noise.
Ambient underwater noise differences (dB) at Swiftsure Bank
SPL (dB) difference between slowdown and
baseline periods
Frequency range L95 L50 L5
(quietest 5% Median (loudest 5%
of the time) of the time)
Broadband 10–100,000 Hz -0.7 -2.0 -4.9
1st Decade 10–100 Hz -1.0 -2.8 -4.4
2nd Decade 100–1,000 Hz -0.4 -0.8 -3.6
3rd Decade 1,000–10,000 Hz -4.0 -2.9 -0.9
4th Decade 10,000–64,000 Hz -1.4 -2.5 -2.8
CORI Communication 500–15,000 Hz -3.7 -2.0 -0.6
CORI Echolocation 15,000–100,000 Hz -1.4 -2.2 -2.7
Table 5: Ambient underwater noise differences
(dB) at Swiftsure Bank
Results indicate a median reduction in broadband received sound pressure level of 2.0 dB at the
hydrophone beneath the outbound shipping lane at Swiftsure Bank during the slowdown trial, compared
to the pre-slowdown baseline period (a 40% reduction in sound intensity). A reduction in ambient
underwater noise was seen for all reported noise level metrics.
Further details on the study methodology and results may be found in the forthcoming article in Frontiers
in Marine Science (Burnham et al., 2021).
5. Evaluation and results: Marine mammals presence
Pacheedaht First Nation, in collaboration with the ECHO Program and its consultants Seaview Marine
Sciences and SMRU Consulting, gathered marine mammal observations in the Strait of Juan de Fuca
and Swiftsure Bank during the Swiftsure Bank slowdown trial. ECHO Program consultants provided in-
person marine mammal observer training to the Pacheedaht First Nation crew and designed a detailed
marine mammal survey to be conducted aboard Seafoam Spirit, the Pacheedaht First Nation vessel. The
marine mammal survey area was divided into four strata for sampling purposes (Figure 3) and included a
total of 61 line transects.
The Seafoam Spirit crew undertook 26 marine mammal observation field excursions totaling 33.5 hours of
survey transects between August and November 2020. The crew recorded 128 sightings of an estimated
2021-07-01 | Page 12Vancouver Fraser Port Authority ECHO Program | 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial at Swiftsure Bank 303 animals, 17 of which were killer whales and were observed on four separate occasions. Of these killer whale sightings, 4 were confirmed to be SRKW. Humpback whales were the most frequently observed animal during the study, followed by California sea lions. Figure 3 is a heat kernel map which shows all the cetacean sightings observed during line transect surveys undertaken by the Pacheedaht First Nation crew. The different sizes and colours of circles shown on Figure 3 represent the number of non-effort corrected sightings recorded, by species. The complete report on marine mammal surveys and observations (Hall, 2021) can be found in Appendix A. 2020 Marine Mammal Survey – Cetaceans (all on-effort sightings) Figure 3: 2020 Marine Mammal Survey – Cetaceans (all on-effort sightings) Source: Seaview Marine Sciences/SMRU In the summer and fall of 2020, Fisheries and Oceans Canada staff were also advancing the third season of a three-year research study in the Strait of Juan de Fuca to monitor the presence, habitat use and behaviour of southern resident killer whales. Results of this study were published by Fisheries and Oceans Canada in summer 2021 and provide additional insight into southern resident killer whale presence and behavioural activities in the Swiftsure Bank area (Fisheries and Oceans Canada, 2021). 6. Key findings and conclusions Working closely with members of the ECHO Program’s advisory working group and vessel operators committee, slowdown trial parameters were developed, and the 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial was coordinated and managed by the ECHO Program. The slowdown trial was conducted between August 1 and October 31, 2020, over an approximately 20 nautical mile area over Swiftsure Bank, key foraging habitat for southern resident killer whales. The goal of the 2020 slowdown trial was to determine the level of voluntary participation that could be achieved by slowing down in these non-piloted waters and to provide underwater noise reduction benefit to SRKW in this important feeding area. The key findings of the 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial are: 82% of all outbound transits came within one knot of the vessel-specific speed through water targets 2021-07-01 | Page 13
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
ECHO Program | 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial at Swiftsure Bank
Of the total number of outbound transits during the slowdown trial, 59% originated from Canadian
ports and 41% originated from US ports.
When filtered to include only times when a large commercial vessel was the closest vessel to the
hydrophone, and to remove times of elevated wind and tidal current effects and small boat presence,
the median reduction in broadband received sound pressure level for the 2020 slowdown was 2.0 dB
(a 40% reduction in sound intensity) at the hydrophone under the outbound shipping lane at Swiftsure
Bank
Between August and November 2020, 26 marine mammal observation field excursions totaling 33.5
hours of survey transects were undertaken and, marine mammal observers recorded 128 sightings of
an estimated 303 animals, 17 of which were killer whales that were observed during four separate
events.
The following conclusions are drawn from the 2020 slowdown trial:
High transboundary voluntary participation rates were achieved in these non-piloted waters despite
the uncertainties of the global COVID-19 pandemic
Slower vessel speeds and associated reduced underwater vessel noise resulted in quieter ambient
noise conditions in key SRKW foraging habitat, when compared to baseline conditions
The underwater noise levels measured indicate an overall reduction in underwater noise, despite the
longer duration of vessel transits through the slowdown zone
2021-07-01 | Page 14Vancouver Fraser Port Authority ECHO Program | 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial at Swiftsure Bank 7. References Burnham, R.E., Vagle, S., O’Neill, C., Trounce, K. 2021. The efficacy of management measures to reduce vessel noise in critical habitat of southern resident killer whales in the Salish Sea. Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 50 pp. Center for Whale Research. Orca Population as of December 31, 2020. Accessed online, June 1, 2021. Available at: https://www.whaleresearch.com/orca-population Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 2011. Recovery Strategy for the Northern and Southern Resident Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) in Canada. Species at Risk Act Recovery Strategy Series, Fisheries & Oceans Canada, Ottawa, ix + 80 pp. Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 2016. Report on the Progress of Recovery Strategy Implementation for the Northern and Southern Resident Killer Whales (Orcinus orca) in Canada for the Period 2009 – 2014. Species at Risk Act Recovery Strategy Report Series. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ottawa. Iii + 51 pp. Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 2017. Action Plan for the Northern and Southern Resident Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) in Canada. Species at Risk Act Action Plan Series. Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ottawa. v + 33 pp. Fisheries and Oceans Canada. 2021. Identification of areas for mitigation of vessel-related threats to survival and recovery for Southern Resident Killer Whales. DFO Can. Sci. Advis. Sec. Sci. Advis. Rep. 2021/025. Hall, A., Carrières C., Harris, A., Hall, C., Pearson, K., Wood, J., Tollit, D. 2021. Marine Mammal Survey 2020 - Pacheedaht First Nation and ECHO Program. Prepared by Sea View Marine Sciences and SMRU Consulting NA for Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. 44p. Heise, K., L.G. Barrett-Lennard, R. Chapman, T. Dakin, C. Erbe, D.E. Hannay, N.D. Merchant, J. Pilkington, S. Thornton, et al. 2017. Proposed Metrics for the Management of Underwater Noise for Southern Resident Killer Whales. Coastal Ocean Report Series. Volume 2017/2. Report for the Coastal Ocean Research Institute. © Ocean Wise 2017, Vancouver, BC, Canada. 31 p. MacGillivray, A. and Z. Li. 2018a. Vessel Noise Measurements from the ECHO Slowdown Trial: Final Report. Document 01518, Version 3.0. Technical report by JASCO Applied Sciences for Vancouver Fraser Port Authority ECHO Program. MacGillivray, A., Z. Li, and H. Yurk. 2018b. Modelling of Cumulative Vessel Noise for Haro Strait Slowdown Trial: Final Report. Document 01577, Version 2.0. Technical report by JASCO Applied Sciences for Vancouver Fraser Port Authority ECHO Program. SMRU Consulting North America. 2018a. ECHO Slowdown Trial: Ambient Noise and SRKW Acoustic Detections – Final. Prepared for Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. SMRU Consulting North America. 2018b. Modelling of SRKW Behavioural Responses and Masking from Vessel Noise Exposure during the Haro Strait Slowdown Trial. Prepared for the ECHO Program of Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. SMRU Consulting North America. 2019a. Reductions in Potential Lost Foraging Time from Vessel Noise Exposure: Haro Strait 2018 Slowdown (with a comparison with 2017 Slowdown trial) Prepared for the ECHO Program of Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. 2021-07-01 | Page 15
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority ECHO Program | 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial at Swiftsure Bank SMRU Consulting North America. 2019b. Addendum: Modelling of SRKW Behavioural Responses and Masking from Vessel Noise Exposure during the Haro Strait 2017 Slowdown Trial. Prepared for the ECHO Program of Vancouver Fraser Port Authority. 2021-07-01 | Page 16
Vancouver Fraser Port Authority
ECHO Program | 2020 voluntary vessel slowdown trial at Swiftsure Bank
Appendix 1: Marine Mammal Survey 2020 at Swiftsure Bank
and Strait of Juan de Fuca, Seaview Marine
Sciences, SMRU Consulting NA and Pacheedaht
First Nation
2021-07-01 | Page 17Marine Mammal Survey 2020
Pacheedaht First Nation and ECHO Program
Prepared for ECHO Program
[March, 2021]
SMRU Consulting North America
PO Box 764 604 – 55 Water Street
Friday Harbor, WA 98250 Vancouver, BC V6B 1A1
USA Canada2020 Marine Mammal Survey
Marine Mammal Survey 2020
Pacheedaht First Nation and ECHO Program
15 March 2021
Prepared by Seaview Marine Sciences and SMRU Consulting NA
Authors:
Anna Hall, PhD
Marine Mammal Zoologist
Christina Carrières
Wildlife Specialist
Alex Harris, MSc
Junior Research Scientist
Chris Hall, Capt.
Captain/Marine Mammal Observer
Kristine Pearson
Scientist, Pacheedaht First Nation
Jason Wood, PhD
Senior Research Scientist
Dominic Tollit, PhD
Principal Scientist
For its part, the Buyer acknowledges that Reports supplied by the Seller as part of the Services may be misleading if
not read in their entirety and can misrepresent the position if presented in selectively edited form. Accordingly, the
Buyer undertakes that it will make use of Reports only in unedited form and will use reasonable endeavours to
procure that its client under the Main Contract does likewise. As a minimum, a full copy of our Report must be
appended to the broader Report to the client.
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Table of Contents
Table of Contents ........................................................................................................................... 2
Acknowledgements ........................................................................................................................ 3
1 Introduction ........................................................................................................................... 4
1.1 Objectives............................................................................................................................................................ 6
1.2 Background ........................................................................................................................................................ 6
1.3 Project Description ......................................................................................................................................... 7
2 Methods ................................................................................................................................. 8
2.1 Task descriptions............................................................................................................................................. 8
2.2 Study Area ........................................................................................................................................................ 11
3 Results.................................................................................................................................. 12
3.1 Field Effort ....................................................................................................................................................... 12
3.2 Observational Data....................................................................................................................................... 15
3.3 2020 Opportunistic Observational Data .............................................................................................. 19
3.4 2020 On- and Off-effort Observational Data ....................................................................................... 21
4 Summary and Discussion....................................................................................................... 25
5 Recommendations ................................................................................................................ 27
6 References ............................................................................................................................ 28
Appendix A: Field Protocol Steps .................................................................................................. 30
Appendix B: Daily species encounters, locations, estimated group sizes, behavioural states during
observations, and information on weather and sea state during on-effort survey conditions in 2020
31
Appendix C: 2020 Opportunistic Sightings Data ............................................................................. 35
Appendix D: Field Photographs ..................................................................................................... 40
List of Figures
Figure 1 Juan de Fuca Strait and Swiftsure Bank region with Traffic Separation Scheme, DFO
hydrophones and boundaries of the 2020 ECHO Program noise reduction measures, including the
voluntary slowdown zone in the outbound traffic lane that crosses onto Swiftsure Bank. ............ 5
Figure 2 2020 Marine mammal survey design for the Pacheedaht marine territory and other key
features. Transects 1, 10, 32-37 and 51 are marked in red here and in all subsequent figures as no
line transect survey effort was undertaken in the 2020 season. .................................................... 10
Figure 3 2020 Marine Mammal Survey – Cetaceans (all on-effort sightings) ........................................ 17
Figure 4 2020 Marine Mammal Survey – Pinnipeds (all on effort sightings). ........................................ 18
Figure 5 2020 Marine Mammal Survey – Cetaceans (kernel heat map of all on effort sightings). No
effort occurred in transects lines 1, 10, 32-37 and 51 and no effort correction is applied. .......... 18
Figure 6 2020 Marine Mammal Survey – Pinnipeds (kernel heat map of all on effort sightings). No
effort occurred in transects lines 1, 10, 32-37 and 51 and no effort correction is applied. .......... 19
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Figure 7 Opportunistic cetacean sighting locations during the 2020 field season. ................................ 20
Figure 8 Opportunistic pinniped sighting locations during the 2020 field season. ................................ 21
Figure 9 2020 Marine Mammal Survey – Killer whales (southern resident, transient, and unknown
ecotypes). ........................................................................................................................................ 23
Figure 10 2020 Marine Mammal Survey –Humpback whales (all sightings). ......................................... 24
Figure 11 2020 Marine Mammal Survey – Other sightings (sea otters and a sunfish). ......................... 24
List of Tables
Table 1 Line transects completed during the 2020 field season with total number of replicates.
Transect numbers by strata are Offshore west (1-21), Inshore west (32-50), Offshore east (22-30)
and Inshore east (51-61)(See Figure 2). .......................................................................................... 12
Table 2 2020 Field excursion and data collection summary. .................................................................. 13
Table 3 Total number of marine mammal species sightings summarized by week during line transect
surveys August through November 2020 ....................................................................................... 15
Table 4 Marine mammals species summary with total number of animals observed, minimum and
maximum group size, and the total number of sightings per species. ........................................... 16
Table 5 Summary of killer whale sightings during on-effort line transects in 2020. .............................. 17
Table 6 Opportunistic marine mammal species observations with total number of animals, minimum
and maximum group sizes, and total number of sightings............................................................. 20
Table 7 Summary of humpback and killer whale sightings days during the 2020 field season. Numbers
represent sighting made on effort/opportunistic. ......................................................................... 21
Table 8 Killer whale sightings photograph analysis for ecotype ............................................................. 23
Acknowledgements
The 2020 marine mammal survey would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work
of the Seafoam Spirit captain and crew. Gratitude is extended to Philip Louie, Michael Charlie and
Tammi Peters for their dedication to the 2020 season. Appreciation is also extended to the Guardians,
Mikey Smith, Rob Jones, James Bruinsma, Lorne Canute, and Brent Jones-Charlie, who enthusiastically
participated in the MMOT in 2020. Thanks are also extended to Kristine Gatzke for coordinating the
2020 season, and to Melanie Knight, Orla Robinson, and Krista Trounce of the ECHO Program for
providing the funding that facilitated this important project. Lastly, profound gratitude is extended to
Ken Balcomb and the team at the Center for Whale Research for their more than four decades of
commitment to the study, conservation and protection of southern resident killer whales, and without
these efforts, the ability to identify individual whales and their families would not be possible.
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1 Introduction
Northeast Pacific southern resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) are one of four populations of killer
whales that inhabit the Pacific waters of British Columbia (BC). These whales inhabit both Canadian
and United States (US) waters. Throughout the year, southern resident killer whales range from
California to Alaska but spends much of their time in the inland waters of BC and Washington State.
These inland waters are known as the Salish Sea. Much of the Salish Sea has been designated as Critical
Habitat in both Canada and the US (DFO 2017a, EPA 2021). The US Center for Whale Research has
studied this population of whales for the past 44 years documenting southern resident killer whale
demographic changes using non-invasive photo-identification techniques. Two fundamental outcomes
of this long-term work are the annual census that provides the total population size and monitoring of
population trajectory changes over the last four decades.
As of 31 December 2020, there were 74 southern resident killer whales (CWR 2021a). This community
is composed of three pods known as J (N=24), K (N=17), and L (N=33) (CWR 2021a). The current total
population size is slightly increased from that which was recorded in 1976 (N=71) but decreased from
the population high recorded in 1995 (N=98) (CWR 2021a). The small size of the population was one of
the factors that led to the southern resident killer whale population being listed as Endangered under
the Species At Risk Act in 2003 in Canada (GoC 2021), and the Endangered Species Act in the USA in
2005 (NOAA 2021a).
The international focus on this Endangered population prompted conservation actions in both Canada
and the US. These actions have been focussed on addressing the known threats which have been
recognised to include (in no particular order): environmental contamination, underwater
anthropogenic noise, physical disturbance from boats, and reduced availability or quality of prey, in
particular their preferred prey, chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) (DFO 2017b).
Management measures were implemented throughout the Salish Sea, and in Canada included fishery
closures, implementation of Interim Sanctuary Zones in the Gulf Islands and at Swiftsure Bank, and
mandatory vessel approach distances (DFO 2020). These actions were aimed at increasing prey
availability and reducing underwater noise and physical disturbance in these regions by decreasing
anthropogenic presence (DFO 2020). Measures were also enacted to address contaminant-related
threats (DFO 2020). In addition to the Government of Canada actions, additional conservation actions
were taken by other stakeholders including the Enhancing Cetacean Habitat and Observation (ECHO)
Program of the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority (see Section 1.2).
Conservation actions have also been taken in the US, where southern resident killer whales are
protected by the Endangered Species Act (ESA). These include: Recovery Plan action implementation
(NOAA 2021b), development of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Fisheries
- Species in the Spotlight 5-Year Priority Action Plan (NOAA 2021b), the Washington State Governor’s
Task Force directed to identify immediate and long-term actions to benefit SRKW and address prey
availability, vessel disturbance, and oil spill risk, as well as alignment of the US conservation actions
with those enacted in Canada (NOAA 2021b).
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