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Large Vessel Traffic: Making Waves and Noise

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Large Vessel Traffic: Making Waves and Noise OCEAN WATCH | Átl’ḵa7tsem / Txwnéwu7ts / Howe Sound 2020 DEVELOPMENT Large Vessel Traffic: making waves and noise AUTHOR Jennifer Chapman, Research Assistant, What is happening? Ocean Watch, Ocean Wise Research Institute Large vesselsi within Átl’ḵa7tsem/Txwnéwu7ts/Howe Sound tend to be com- REVIEWERS Leslie James, Director, Environment prised mostly of ferries, tugs and cargo ships (see Large Vessel Traffic, Ocean and Sustainability Safety, Health and Watch Howe Sound Edition [OWHS] 2017). The volume of large vessels in the Environment, British Columbia Ferry Services Inc. Sound presents certain challenges. For example, vessel wake can exacer- bate shoreline erosion and impact salmon spawning habitat; species that use echolocationii such as whales and dolphins may experience acoustic mask- ing, whereby vessel noise reduces their ability to find prey, mates and pod members (see Underwater Noise, Ocean Watch B.C. Edition [OWBC] 2018). Ship docked at Squamish Terminals. (Credit: Bob Turner) i) Large vessels – vessels over 20 m length. ii) Echolocation – location of objects using reflected sound. LARGE VESSEL TRAFFIC | Page 318 OCEAN WATCH | Átl’ḵa7tsem / Txwnéwu7ts / Howe Sound 2020 DEVELOPMENT ! iver LARGE VESSEL Garibaldi m R r ua e !Highlands mq v a i M TRAFFIC - PASSENGER R h s ! i Community m a u Jc q Ferry terminal S Î Marina Squamish ! S Blue Heron ta Î w Î Public dock am Î Squamish us Ri D Industry ver Squamish River watershed D Terminal Shannon Vessel density passenger (2013) Creek M ill C High ree Squamish k Harbour WoodfibreD Woodfibre Creek D Watts Point nia Creek Britan ! Î Britannia Beach Furry Creek Low Po tla tch C re Ellesmere ek Creek Ph yl lis C re ! ek M cN Furry Creek a b Defence C r Islands ee k R Rainy ive r McNab Creek Coa st al R an ge Anvil Island Thornbrough ¤£99 Channel Ekins Point Î Ramillies Montagu Douglas Bay Channel Channel Christie Islet Gambier Brigade Bay Pam Rocks Port MellonD Lions Bay Island Sea Ranch ! Woolridge Î Island Centre BayÎ Î Bowyer re e k Island ¤£99 ta C Twin Creeks West Bay Long ako D D !Î Bay Î Halkett New Bay Brighton Î! Gambier ÎSunset Î Harbor Î! Williamsons Hood Point Landing Su n s h i n e Langdale Jc West C o a s t ! Hutt Î Island Sewell's Vancouver Hopkins Î ÎJc Landing Shoal Snug Cove Î! Horseshoe Channel Mount ! Collingwood Gardner JcÎ Bay ¤£1 Keats Channel Î D D Î Island Î Î DDD Gibsons Eastbourne Brigade Bird Islet Eagle DD D D D D Plumper Bowen Harbour D Roberts Creek ! Î Cove Bay Grebe Islet DD DD Î Barfleur Island D ! ¤£101 Keats Passage D Landing Bowen DDDD DDD ! Bay D DDDD Passage D Island Pasley ! Islands Turnstall Burrard Inlet Bay V D 1:200,000 0 2.5 5 10 Strait of Georgia Metro Kilometers Vancouver Figure 1. Density map of 2013 passenger traffic in Átl’ḵa7tsem/Txwnéwu7ts/Howe Sound (see Methods). LARGE VESSEL TRAFFIC | Page 319 OCEAN WATCH | Átl’ḵa7tsem / Txwnéwu7ts / Howe Sound 2020 DEVELOPMENT What is the current status? BC Ferries, under contract by the Province of B.C., pro- that connect Ch’ax̱áy/Horseshoe Bay to Langdale and vides coastal ferry service on 25 routes along the B.C. Nex̱wlélex̱wem/Bowen Island are commuter routes coast, supported by 35 vessels and 47 terminals. With- with many daily foot passengers. These routes have in Átl’ḵa7tsem/Txwnéwu7ts/Howe Sound, the three between 3,000 and 5, 5000 round trips per fiscal yeariv most heavily serviced ferry routes connect Ch’ax̱áy/ (Figure 2). Horseshoe Bay with Gibsons, Nex̱wlélex̱wem/Bowen Island and Snenáymexw/Nanaimoiii (Figure 1). Routes CHANGE IN FERRY TRAFFIC ARRIVING TO ÁTL’KA7 TSEM / TXWNÉWU7 TS / HOWE SOUND 2015/16 2018/19 6,000 0.5% 5,000 4,000 3.8% 0.6% 3,000 Round trips 2,000 1,000 0 Horseshoe Bay Horseshoe Bay Horseshoe Bay and Langdale and Nanaimo and Bowen Island Ferry Route Figure 2. Number of round trips at terminals from Ch’ax̱áy/Horseshoe Bay to Langdale, to Snenáymexw/Nanaimo, and toNex̱wl élex̱wem/Bowen Island in Átl’ḵa7tsem/Txwnéwu7ts/Howe Sound (2015/16 compared to 2018/19). Percentages above bars indicate percentage change. iii) Snenáymexw/Nanaimo – On Vancouver Island outside of the Sound. iv) Fiscal year – April 1 to March 31. LARGE VESSEL TRAFFIC | Page 320 OCEAN WATCH | Átl’ḵa7tsem / Txwnéwu7ts / Howe Sound 2020 DEVELOPMENT Since the previous report, the volume of ferry traffic Cargo ships and tugs call at Howe Sound Pulp and has varied. The 2015 fiscal year saw sailings reduced Paper in Port Mellon, and Squamish Terminals in on some routes that were considered not viable. In the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh/Squamish. These were the only two 2016 fiscal year, some sailing routes were reinstated ports for which data were available for the 2017 report as per consultation with local advisory committees. A and this updatev. Both locations have received between small increase in round trips is therefore seen from 35 and 78 calls per yearvi (Figure 3). Squamish Ter- 2015/2016 to 2018/2019 (Figure 2). For the 2020 fiscal minals has generally received more calls than Howe year, the Province of B.C. provided funding to re-es- Sound Pulp and Paper; however, this number of calls tablish sailings impacted by the 2015 reductions. to Squamish Terminals has declined by almost half since 2015. Calls received at Port Mellon show only very slight changes over time. CHANGE IN LARGE VESSELS ARRIVING TO ÁTL’KA7 TSEM / TXWNÉWU7 TS / HOWE SOUND 100 80 s l l a c l e s 60 s e v f o r e 40 b m u N 20 Squamish Terminals Howe Sound Pulp and Paper 0 2015 2016 2017 2018 Year Figure 3. Annual number of vessel calls reported for Squamish Terminals and Howe Sound Pulp and Paper from 2015 to 2018. v) Does not represent all cargo and tug movement within the Sound. vi) Calendar year. LARGE VESSEL TRAFFIC | Page 321 OCEAN WATCH | Átl’ḵa7tsem / Txwnéwu7ts / Howe Sound 2020 DEVELOPMENT Three proposed developments could increase the vol- Woodfibre LNG is progressing (see Coastal Develop- ume of traffic in the near future. The BURNCO Aggre- ment, OWHS 2020). gate Mine at McNab Estuary would ship out gravel; the Woodfibre LNG at Woodfibre Creek would ship lique- Ferries constitute a high volume of large vessel traffic fied natural gas (i.e., LNG); and the Watts Point ex- in Átl’ḵa7tsem/Txwnéwu7ts/Howe Sound. BC Ferry pansion would increase the shipping of mined aggre- upgrades are thus aiming to produce less noise and gate by barge. Currently, development on the BURNCO greenhouse gases.1 Aggregate Mine and Watts Point are pending and the A B.C. ferry travelling within Átl’ḵa7tsem/Txwnéwu7ts/Howe Sound. (Credit: Bob Turner) LARGE VESSEL TRAFFIC | Page 322 OCEAN WATCH | Átl’ḵa7tsem / Txwnéwu7ts / Howe Sound 2020 DEVELOPMENT Ongoing Efforts to Reduce Impacts by Industry BC FERRIES BC Ferries is investing in low carbon energy as a fuel source for its vessels. There is a total of five vessels in the fleet, which are on dual fuel (i.e., ultra low sulfur diesel and LNG). There is also a plan for an electric-ready ferry fleet.a It is expected that these electric-ready ferries will be quieter than the current ferries operating on these routes. In an effort to better understand its contribution to underwater radiated noise in the Salish Sea, BC Ferries examined the baseline radiated noise levels (“RNL”) for all of its vessels operating in southern resident killer whale critic- al habitat and those vessels that may be deployed in southern resident killer whale critical habitat. Finally, through anti-idling campaigns at terminals and on board vessels, BC Ferries has been able to decrease emissions from the public travelling on board ferries in private vehicles.i i) BC Ferries Clean Futures Plan [Internet]. 2019 [cited 2019 Dec 3]. Available from: www.bcferries.com/files/AboutBCF/2019-bc-ferries-clean- futures-plan.pdf LARGE VESSEL TRAFFIC | Page 323 OCEAN WATCH | Átl’ḵa7tsem / Txwnéwu7ts / Howe Sound 2020 DEVELOPMENT How will climate change impact large vessel traffic? Sea level rise, flooding and an increase in storm fre- of cancelled ferry trips. As weather patterns continue quency and intensity are likely to cause costly dam- to shift, other consequences could cause disruptions ages to port and terminal infrastructure. In fact, these to the supply chain. Storms can result in lost or dam- changes are already occurring within Átl’ḵa7tsem/Tx- aged cargo, damage to terminal infrastructure and wnéwu7ts/Howe Sound.2 Already, more frequent and damage to the vessels themselves. severe storms are causing an increase in the number What has been done since 2017? The table below reports on progress made on recommended actions from the previous 2017 article, where identified. Many of these require ongoing action. 2017 ACTION ACTION TAKEN ORGANIZATION ACTIONS / GOVERNMENT ACTIONS AND POLICY* (from Individual and Organization The following applies to the three actions listed on the left. actions) If on a large vessel or New regulations as of 2019 outline safe transit distances from transiting near large vessels, ensure cetaceans (see Resources): you are familiar with best practices for transiting by wildlife, response to • Boats must stay 400 m away from orcas or killer whales in southern pollution, and emergency response. resident killer whale critical habitat. (from Government actions/policy) • Boats must stay 200 m away from killer whales in other B.C. waters. Provide large vessel operators/pilots • Boats must stay 100 m from all other cetaceans (e.g., humpback with on-board cetacean resources whales, harbor porpoises) in B.C.
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