The liquified natural gas industry looms over the local population in Harley Bay. The sector has the potential to bring economic growth to the area. However, there will be unknown environmental impacts to follow. The North Coast Cetacean Society will present why the Kitimat fjord system is so integral to the local whale population to understand the situation more clearly. The presentation will demonstrate how close whales’ behaviour is to humans’. NCCS will present how local industry could disrupt social behaviour and decrease feeding and mating routines that could destroy populations. Additionally, the presentation will provide alternative economic possibilities to the LNG industry and encourage participants to support making the Caamano Sound a critical habitat for resident whales.
Audience
This unique presentation aims to inform the local community of Hartley Bay and the Gitga’at First Nations people. They may prefer the economic benefits that the liquefied natural gas industry could bring. Community members will become informed on the uniqueness of the local bay population and encourage them to push the Canadian Federal government to declare Caamano Sound as critical habitat for resident orcas, fin, and humpback whales.
Research
Without a doubt, the whales that inhabit the area of the Gitga’at First Nations hold a unique place for the local Indigenous population. However, recent research published in 2021 confirms that the Caamano Sound is unique as a habitat for whales. In a multi-authored peer-reviewed study published in the Marine Ecology Progress Series, the whales come to the Kitimat fjord system in waves. Prey models were used to determine that the whales followed prey in June, which could not explain the waves in the late season. The authors propose that the Kitimat fjord system is instrumental to whales’ physiological maintenance and social habitat partitioning. Co-author Chris Picard explained the uniqueness of the habitat stating, “if something happened to the habitat in Gitga’at territory … I don’t think these whales could just pack their bags and move.” The study is a collection of more than a decade of data. Picard hopes that the study will provide vital information for decision-makers.
Spokesperson
Spiral of Silence theory proposed by Elisabeth Noelle-Neumann informs us that the majority opinion in the Hartley Bay community most members support the protection of all whales in Caamano Sound. Still, a silent group would prefer the economic possibilities that liquefied natural gas shipping could bring. That group remains silent on their views out of fear of isolation from the rest of the community. To address the concerns, the presentation will employ the science director for the Gitga’at First Nation, Chris Picard. Chris Picard will present his research published in ‘Whale Wave’ on how whale social behaviour changes when entering the Kitimat fjord system. The changes in behaviour are integral to feeding and mating routines. Picard will present that the whales cannot adapt to other habitats and that whale numbers will diminish if the habitat is damaged. Shaun Stevenson, President & CEO of the Prince Rupert Port Authority, will also present alternative economic opportunities to liquefied natural gas in northern BC. He will highlight how the Prince Rupert Port moves over $60 Billion worth of goods to and from nations worldwide and directly employs 3,700 people in northern BC.
Content
The presentation is designed to inform an audience that may not be familiar with the scientific jargon used in studying marine biology. The presentation will be given in terms that are relatable for anyone and easily understandable for those not familiar with the biology of whales. A focus will be on what makes the Kitimat fjord system a unique habitat that fosters different whale societal cultures. Descriptive depictions of whale communication will be given to demonstrate how close whale communication is to human social interactivity. The presentation will conclude how the industry has and can potentially interrupt the social behaviour of whales and the consequences of those disruptions.
Calendar
This presentation is a yearly talk that the North Coast Cetacean Society presents. Each year in the fall, the society will present its latest research and the annual progress for LNG Canada to begin its shipping of liquefied natural gas overseas.
The presentations will run for two hours and will conclude with a question-and-answer period, followed by a meet and greet reception where audience members can ask presenters direct questions about concerns that they may have. Feedback from the audience members will be implemented into the next yearly presentation.
Conclusion
This presentation aims to provide a science-based understanding of whale society and how large tankers can disrupt and damage the whale community’s ability to communicate effectively with each other. The presentation will encourage local community members to push provincial and federal governments to declare Caamano Sound as critical habitat for whales.