Baseline Monitoring

In addition to Habitat Monitoring, we also examine the other factors that impact Salmon populations; the population of competing species, and commercial / sport fishing.

Population Research

• Pinnipeds: e.g., haul out population counts through the use of drones and visual observations to understand population sizes, prey availability for Bigg’s killer whales and potential prey competition with Southern Resident killer whales.

• Cetaceans: Using vessel and land based observations to determine species, ecotype, and individual whales present in our homeland, and what areas are important for each species. We most often see Bigg’s killer whales, Southern Resident killer whales, Harbour porpoise and and Humpback whales, but from time to time observe other species- see the map below.

• Salmon: Towed Underwater Video using a flasher to attract salmonids in the ocean to determine species distribution throughout Southern resident critical habitat, salmon enumeration through Goldstream during the annual salmon run.

• Baited Remote Underwater Video Systems (BRUVS) to asses species distribution and biodiversity at 13 sites within SRKW critical habitat and our Homeland.

• Canopy Kelp mapping using aerial drone surveys to determine kelp spatial extent, and traditional knowledge to inform what changes have occured over time- completed in tandem with water quality testing and sea urchin quadrat surveys to determine potential causes of declining kelp and the implications this has for the greater ecosystem.

We monitor the population counts of mammals within SRKW habitat and publish the results below: