B.C. Ferries Adjusts Schedule to Protect Humpback Whales in Northern B.C.
B.C. Ferries announced changes to the timing of its key route in northern B.C. to prevent collisions with humpback whales. The Northern Expedition service, connecting Prince Rupert, Haida Gwaii, and Vancouver Island, will see schedule adjustments starting June 1. These changes aim to account for reduced travel speed required to minimize whale incidents, as confirmed by a B.C. Ferries representative.
Following a fatal encounter between a humpback whale and the ferry in September 2025, the modifications come into effect. The humpback, named Midnight by the Gitga’at First Nation, was a familiar visitor crucial to the local ecosystem.
The tragic event reflects an increase in fatal humpback strikes in B.C. waters due to rising whale and vessel numbers in the area. The Gitga’at Nation emphasized the impact of vessel traffic on marine life in their traditional territories.
Despite efforts to reduce speeds in high marine mammal zones, such as the Wright Sound special operation area off B.C.’s North Coast, B.C. Ferries noted a decrease in on-time arrivals in Prince Rupert. This led to the necessity of revising the posted schedules, including longer transfer wait times at McLoughlin Bay for southbound Route 28A connections.
While reduced speeds can aid in preventing whale strikes, Senior Conservation Biologist Sean Brillant from the Canadian Wildlife Federation cautioned that they might not entirely eliminate the risk. Brillant suggested avoiding vessel presence in whale-populated regions and emphasized the importance of restricted areas and detection technology in reducing such incidents.
