You won’t find a group of people who appreciate and respect Vancouver Island’s marine wildlife than the crew at Orca Spirit Adventures, which is why we are a proud proponent of the Pacific Whale Watch Association guidelines for responsible whale watching and that we work hard to ensure that these majestic creatures are with us for generations to come.

1. Be Cautious and Courteous: Approach areas of known or suspected marine mammal activity with extreme caution. Look in all directions before planning your approach or departure. If a vessel operator is unaware of the whales' location he must maintain a vigilant watch for whales at all times. Mere observation of whale watching vessels in the distance does not fulfill this responsibility as individual whales may be encountered anywhere and at any time. Maintaining a vigilant watch often includes significant speed reductions.
2. Slow Down: Reduce speed to less than 7 knots when within 400 metres/yards of the nearest whale. Avoid abrupt course changes.

The BC Wild Killer Whale Adoption Program, launched in 1992 by the Vancouver Aquarium, raises funds to support ground-breaking research on wild killer whales - research that is proving essential in the effort to protect these magnificent animals and their habitat.

Funds raised through the program mainly support research on wild killer whales, but also includes other marine mammals that killer whales interact with – and sometimes prey on – in their marine environment.

—killerwhale.vanaqua.org

Wild Whales is the home of the B.C. Cetacean Sightings Network, a conservation and research program of the Vancouver Aquarium, in partnership with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).

We collect sightings of all cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) and sea turtles from British Columbia and surrounding waters.

—wildwhales.org

Overfishing is the number one problem facing the world’s oceans...

Ocean Wise is a Vancouver Aquarium conservation program created to educate and empower consumers about the issues surrounding sustainable seafood. Ocean Wise works directly with restaurants, markets, food services and suppliers ensuring that they have the most current scientific information regarding seafood and helping them make ocean-friendly buying decisions.

The options are highlighted on their menus and display cases with the Ocean Wise symbol, making it easier for consumers to make environmentally friendly seafood choices. The Ocean Wise logo next to a menu or seafood item is an assurance that the item is a good choice for keeping ocean life healthy and abundant for generations to come.

—oceanwisecanada.org