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In Washington state, there is a strict law that prohibits boats from approaching killer whales within 200 yards, yet on the B.C. side of the Salish Sea, there is only a guideline of 100 metres and a hard-to-prove prohibition against harassing or disturbing the whales.

Barrett-Lennard said it is time for Canada to adopt similar restrictions and for governments to rein in the commercial whale-watching industry, based out of areas such as Victoria, Vancouver, Seattle, and the San Juan Islands.

“I’ve seen tremendous improvements in the behaviour of the fleet,” he said, noting whale-watch companies can be strong advocates for the whales. “Yet, the fleet has become so large … that we have a situation that must be addressed.”

Dan Kukat is a past president of the Pacific Whale Watch Association, which claims a regional economic impact of about $440 million US in 2014 , with six million passengers from all over the world paying to see the whales. “We create public awareness,” he said. The association represents 32 companies on both sides of the border.

Kukat argued that the lack of chinook is a greater immediate risk to the killer whales. “Focussing on anything else is a distraction. If they don’t have food, nothing else matters.”

Ford said that the battle is not over to save the southern residents, noting that the population, currently at 76 individuals, dipped to 71 in 1974 due to captures for aquariums, and recovered to about 100 in the mid-90s.