NIMMSA Conservation Fund Year

This project advanced the use of environmental DNA as a non-invasive tool for monitoring humpback whales. Results contributed to emerging methods for genetic and ecological research while minimizing disturbance to whales.

Project funding supported database maintenance, data quality improvements, and increased accessibility of Bigg’s killer whale encounter data. The work enhanced research collaboration and provided valuable information for operators, researchers, and stewardship initiatives.

This initiative strengthened connections between traditional seafood harvesting, environmental monitoring, and stewardship values. The project supported knowledge sharing within the community while highlighting the role of Indigenous food systems in assessing ecosystem health.

Field research improved understanding of where and how juvenile Chinook salmon overwinter in the Broughton Archipelago. Findings contribute to long-term knowledge of salmon habitat use and support ecosystem-based management approaches tied to broader marine food web health.

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Responsible whale watching is more than a legal requirement. It’s a shared value. The “For The Whales” awareness campaign, led by Tourism Vancouver Island with support from the NIMMSA Conservation Fund, helps visitors, operators and the wider community understand what responsible marine mammal viewing looks like on the water.

What the campaign is about

The campaign has three main goals:

• Promote responsible marine mammal viewing and responsible marketing practices across the Vancouver Island region.
• Help prospective visitors set realistic, achievable expectations for their wildlife viewing experiences.
• Build a culture of care among operators by celebrating stewardship actions that go beyond Canada’s marine mammal viewing laws and regulations.

What has been created

The campaign uses high-quality educational video to close the gap between knowing the rules and putting them into practice on the water.

• 2024: The first video and supporting articles focused on the responsible sharing of wildlife media.
• Spring 2025: A second video highlighted stewardship actions taken by operators that go beyond regulatory requirements, including the use of the Whale Warning Flag and “Sentinel Actions.”
• Fall 2025: Production began on a third video in the series.

Each video comes with shorter social media cut-downs, giving operators and partners ready-to-share tools to educate and inspire their own audiences.

A community effort

The campaign was developed in collaboration with the Pacific Whale Watch Association, the Marine Education and Research Society (MERS), NIMMSA and member tour operators, with professional video production by Tyler Cave.

By equipping operators with the tools to teach and inspire, “For The Whales” aims to build a legacy of stewardship that protects the region’s marine mammals now and in the future.

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