Living Marine Legacy of Gwaii Haanas. IV: Marine Mammal Baseline to 2003 and Marine Mammal-related Management Issues throughout the Haida Gwaii Region K.A. Heise, N.A. Sloan, P.F. Olesiuk, P.M. Bartier, and J.K.B. Ford Report 38 December, 2003 Parks Canada Parcs Canada Technical Reports Rapports techniques in Ecosystem Science en matière de sciences des écosystèmes Maintaining Ecological Integrity Maintenir of our Parks l’intégrité écologique de nos parcs Atlantic Region, Parks Canada is producing three Peer Review report series in ecosystem science. They are intended The editor appoints two referees to critically review to communicate new scientific information, document each manuscript. Referees are found, if possible, from scientific data, summarize existing knowledge, or offer scientific staff within Parks Canada. Due to areas of technical recommendations. The primary function and expertise, available time, and to avoid the potential the intended audience of a report determine the series of ‘inbreeding’ external reviewers will often be sought. in which it will be published. Each report series contains Referees review the manuscript and return it to the editor scientific and technical information that contributes to with their written comments. The editor then returns the existing knowledge but is not in a form suitable for the paper to the author(s) with the referee’s comments. primary journal literature. The author(s) consider(s) the referees’ comments and incorporates those that they accept, into the report. The • Parks Canada-Technical Reports in Ecosystem author(s) return(s) the revised manuscript to the editor Science promote a wide distribution of scientific and/or provides a written rationale for any exclusions and technical information from Parks Canada’s of the referees’ comments considered unacceptable. ecosystem investigations. The subject matter, and the The editor then sends the revised manuscript to the series reflect the broad interest and policies of Parks Chief Park Warden or for the case of Regional Office staff Canada in ecosystem science. This series includes to the author(s) direct supervisor for approval to publish such work as, ecosystem and resource inventories, and printing. At the editor’s discretion, the appointment studies, surveys of species or guilds, and innovative of referees may be dispensed with, if the publication is management concepts. minor in nature. In such instances, the editor and the • Parks Canada - Ecosystem Science Review author’s direct supervisor would assume the roles of Reports provides a forum for literature reviews, the referees. In the unlikely event that an author and bibliographies, and reviews of management options editor are in disagreement over a manuscript, the matter that are often prepared for or by Parks Canada. will be refereed to a Senior Departmental Manager for Resource Descriptions and Analyses or chapters adjudication. thereof will be published in this series. Directives for Authors • Parks Canada - Ecosystem Monitoring and Data These series are intended for the publication of work Reports provide a medium for filing and achieving in ecosystem science that is conducted in the Atlantic data compilations where little or no analysis is Region. They are available for use by any Parks Canada included. Such compilations commonly are prepared or Department of Canadian Heritage staff or others in support of primary publications or Technical working in collaboration with, or on a contract to, Reports in Ecosystem Science. Raw data not available the Department of Canadian Heritage. in a national data base and considered worth archiving is published as a Parks Canada - Ecosystem The author(s) submits one paper copy of the completed Monitoring and Data Report. draft of their paper and a digital version on a diskette Ecosystem Science Reports are printed in the official in WordPerfect Windows or DOS format to the regional language chosen by the author to meet the language editor along with three suggested referees. Suggested preference of the likely audience, with an abstract in referees should not have been previously involved with the second official language. the manuscript. Detailed instructions to authors can be obtained from: Objectives Our objectives for these report series are; Neil Munro Report Series Editor • To communicate the results of ecosystem science research to the scientific and management Parks Canada communities, and to the public interested in Parks Historic Properties Canada environmental and conservation activities; Halifax, Nova Scotia b3j 1s9 • To provide credible, accurate, and professional publications through a peer review process, (902) 426-2797 (fax) 426-2728 • To encourage creativity, effectiveness, and teamwork in conducting research and in providing information through publications. Parks Canada Technical Reports in Ecosystem Science Report 038 Living Marine Legacy of Gwaii Haanas. IV: Marine Mammal Baseline to 2003 and Marine Mammal-related Management Issues throughout the Haida Gwaii Region by K.A. Heise,1,2 N.A. Sloan,3 P.F. Olesiuk,4 P.M. Bartier,3 and J.K.B. Ford4 2003 1Department of Zoology, University of British Columbia, Vancouver, B.C. 2Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre, Vancouver, B.C. 3Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site, Queen Charlotte, B.C. 4Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Pacific Biological Station, Nanaimo, B.C. i National Library of Canada cataloguing in publication data Main entry under title : Living marine legacy of Gwaii Haanas. IV. Marine mammal baseline to 2003 and marine mammal-related management issues throughout the Haida Gwaii Region (Parks Canada-Technical Reports in Ecosystem Science ; report 38) Includes an abstract in French. Includes bibliographical references. issn 1200-3298: 38 isbn 0-662-35840-6 Catalogue No. r61-2/19-38-2004e 1. Marine mammals – British Columbia – Queen Charlotte Islands. 2. Marine mammals – Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site (B.C.) 3. Biotic communities -- British Columbia – Queen Charlotte Islands. 4. Biotic communities -- Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site (B.C.) 5. Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site (B.C.) – Management. i. Heise, K.A. (Kathy Ann), 1959 - . ii. Parks Canada. Atlantic Region. iii. Title. iv. Series: Technical reports in ecosystem science ; no. 38. ql721.5b7l58 2004 333.95’95’097112 c2004-980000-0 Published by authority of the Minister of Canadian Heritage © Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada, represented by the Chief Executive Officer of Parks Canada, 2004 ii Contents List of Figures .......................................................................................................................................v List of Tables ..................................................................................................................................... viii Abstract .................................................................................................................................. ix Acknowledgements ............................................................................................................... x Preface .................................................................................................................................... xi Executive Summary............................................................................................................. xii INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................ 1 Study Area ....................................................................................................................................... 2 Marine Mammal Species of the Haida Gwaii Region ............................................................... 4 HISTORICAL OVERVIEW ................................................................................................................. 4 Aboriginal Uses of Marine Mammals ......................................................................................... 4 Aboriginal Whaling in Other Regions ................................................................................. 13 History of Regional Marine Mammal Science ......................................................................... 13 Marine Mammal Conservation and Exploitation .................................................................... 15 Early Conservation History in the North Pacific................................................................ 15 The International Whaling Commission ............................................................................. 16 Commercial Exploitation in the North Pacific .................................................................... 16 CURRENT CONSERVATION STATUS IN THE NORTHEAST PACIFIC ................................. 18 Sea Otter Case Study .................................................................................................................... 22 METHODS .......................................................................................................................................... 23 CETACEANS ...................................................................................................................................... 28 Toothed Whales (Odontoceti) ..................................................................................................... 29 Sperm whale (Physeter macrocephalus) .................................................................................