Article content

OTTAWA — Fisheries Minister Dominic Leblanc says Canada will move to match a U.S. requirement that all boats stay at least 200 metres away from southern resident killer whales.

Leblanc told reporters outside the House of Commons he heard loud and clear from scientists at a symposium on the whales in British Columbia earlier this month that more needs to be done — not just to protect them but also to help recovery efforts to boost the population.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Boats told to stay at least 200 metres away from killer whales off B.C. coast Back to video

There are only about 78 southern resident killer whales in the Salish Sea, the series of waterways off the southern coast of B.C. and northern coast of Washington state that includes the straits of Georgia, Juan de Fuca and Puget Sound.

Scientific evidence shows noise from large ships and whale-watching tour boats is one of the biggest threats to the whales as it disturbs their ability to use sound to locate food sources.

Washington State has a strict law forcing boats to remain at least 200 metres away from the whales at all times but in Canada the limit is 100 metres and it’s a guideline, not a requirement.

Leblanc says his department is working as fast as possible to make it a requirement for boats to stay 100 metres away from all marine mammals and 200 metres away from the southern resident killer whales.