PWWA RELEASES 2022 SIGHTINGS & SENTINEL ACTIONS REPORT

A PWWA vessel views Salish Sea wildlife. Credit: Erin Gless, PWWA

Pacific Whale Watch Association Releases Detailed 2022 Summary Report

PWWA Reports 35,000+ Wildlife Sightings, 1,066 Protective Sentinel Actions in WA & BC

SEATTLE, WA & VICTORIA, BC - March 23, 2023 - The Pacific Whale Watch Association (PWWA) has just released the organization’s 2022 Sightings & Sentinel Actions Report. The 34-page report summarizes data from the PWWA App, a private app used by PWWA captains, naturalists, crew, and affiliates throughout Washington and British Columbia.

Last year, more than 35,000 sightings of whales and other wildlife were reported to the PWWA App by professional whale watchers and authorized contributors. Humpback whales and Bigg’s killer whales were the two whale types most frequently documented by PWWA App users, with humpbacks reported on 310 days and Bigg’s killer whales reported on 293 days. Gray whales were reported on 212 days and minke whales were reported on 166 days. Salmon-eating resident killer whales were documented least frequently, with Southern Resident killer whales reported as being present on 139 days and Northern Resident killer whales reported on 75 days.

In addition to whale sightings, PWWA members documented more than 1,000 “sentinel actions”, in 2022. A sentinel action is a protective action undertaken by professional whale watchers during the course of a tour that benefits whales or other wildlife. Samples of sentinel actions performed by the PWWA in 2022 include:

• Stopping other vessels from speeding near whales

• Proactively warning vessels of whales nearby

• Removing harmful debris from the water

• Reporting sick or entangled animals to proper authorities

Of 1,066 sentinel actions documented in 2022, 740 (69%) involved directly contacting other vessels. The PWWA was successful in slowing, stopping, or diverting nearby vessels in the presence of whales in at least 74% of sentinel actions, resulting in quieter and safer conditions. PWWA members were also responsible for retrieving more than 300 pieces of harmful debris, such as balloons, plastic bags, and derelict fishing gear.

The complete PWWA 2022 Sightings & Sentinel Actions Report (16.5 MB) can be accessed here.