Motorized vessel behaviour and compliance to Marine Mammal Regulations in Northeast Vancouver Island

Disturbance by boats to marine mammals, including strikes and noise, comprise the most frequent human-caused threats to marine mammals, having significant impacts on individuals, populations, and boater safety. The proposed project aims to observe boater behaviour and assess how local regulations and guidelines are used in a region with high boater and marine mammal activity. The project also aims to analyze characteristics that may predict various boater behaviours, to create a framework to describe how boaters and marine mammals interact. Results from this work will identify geographic and practical areas of focus for education and enforcement to advise Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) and help inform the Marine Education and Research Society’s (MERS) “See a Blow, Go Slow!” campaign and online boater education course. More broadly, the findings can inform regulations considered in other areas towards standardizing policy across jurisdictions for these highly mobile marine mammal species.

Faculty Supervisor:

Chris Darimont

Student:

Partner:

Marine Education and Research Society (MERS)

Discipline:

Sociology

Sector:

Professional, scientific and technical services

University:

University of Victoria

Program: