**[Southern Resident Killer Whale Symposium]{.smallcaps}**

[April 3-5, 2006]{.smallcaps}

[NOAA Fisheries Service Northwest Regional Office]{.smallcaps}

[7600 Sandpoint Way NE]{.smallcaps}

[Seattle, Washington]{.smallcaps}

**[[Proposed Agenda \[Exact Times Subject to
Change\]]{.underline}]{.smallcaps}**

**[[Symposium Objectives]{.underline}]{.smallcaps}**

1.  Present new research results;

2.  Examine how this information moves us forward in informing
    conservation actions; and

3.  Discuss what additional research, if any, is needed.

**[[Monday, April 3]{.underline}]{.smallcaps}**

1:00 -- 1:20 [Welcome, Introductions, and Agenda Review]{.underline}

-   Welcome and opening comments -- *Linda Jones, NWFSC*

-   Introductions, agenda review, and ground rules -- *Paul De Morgan,
    RESOLVE*

1:20 -- 2:35 [Management Needs]{.underline}

-   NOAA Fisheries, NW Regional Office -- Regulatory status of\
    SRKWs and science needs to conserve them -- *Garth Griffin*

-   Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife -- *Harriet Allen or
    Rocky Beach*

-   Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans -- Recovery planning and
    research needs -- *Marilyn Joyce*

2:35 -- 2:55 [Review of High Priority Research Questions from Previous
Workshops]{.underline}

-   Overview -- *Mike Ford,* *NMFS*

```{=html}
<!-- -->
```
-   Question and answer

**[Genetics Session]{.smallcaps}**

> **High Priority Research Questions:**

-   *Are the North Pacific resident killer whales a distinct species or
    subspecies?*

-   *What are the patterns of mating within the Southern Residents, and
    between the Southern Residents and other eastern North Pacific
    killer whale populations? Are intrinsic demographic problems, such
    as a lack of appropriate mates or inbreeding depression, limiting
    the Southern Resident's recovery?*

-   *What was the historical size of the Southern Resident killer whale
    population? Is there genetic evidence that the Southern Resident's
    have experienced a severe genetic bottleneck?*

2:55 -- 3:15 [Genetics Presentations (Session Leader: Mike
Ford)]{.underline}

-   Mike Ford -- Overview of Taxonomy workshop/BRT

3:15 -- 3:30 BREAK

3:30 -- 4:20 [Genetics Presentations (cont.)]{.underline}

-   Phil Morin -- Genetic analysis of killer whale (Orcinus orca)
    historical bone and tooth samples to identify western U.S. ecotypes

-   Rick LeDuc -- On the use of AFLP markers for taxonomic study of
    killer whales

-   Rus Hoelzel -- Evolution of population genetic structure of killer
    whales\
    (*Orcinus orca*) in the North Pacific

4:20 -- 4:50 [Genetics Discussion]{.underline}

1.  What are the significant results in terms of answering the high
    priority research question(s) or in better understanding the
    population and its conservation?

2.  How can these results be used to inform the conservation of the\
    Southern Resident killer whales?

3.  Are there critical information gaps that still need to be addressed
    for conservation? If so, what are they? What method(s) is most
    likely to successfully address the gap taking into account biases
    and cost and logistical limitations?

**[Population Dynamics Session]{.smallcaps}**

> **High Priority Research Questions:**

-   *What is the population growth rate of Southern Residents and what
    causes variation in the rate from that of Northern Residents?*

-   *What factors are affecting the reproductive success of SRKWs?*

-   *What are the factors affecting mortality?*

-   *Do changes in the social structure affect the population's ability
    to recover?*

4:50 -- 5:30 [Population Dynamics Presentations (Session Leader: Eli
Holmes)]{.underline}

-   Eli Holmes -- PVA analyses of SR and other NP populations (P. Wade's
    information)

-   Peter Olesiuk -- The life history and population dynamics of
    resident killer whales (*Orcinus orca*) in British Columbia and
    neighbouring waters

5:30 ADJOURN FOR THE DAY

**[6:30 -- 8:30 Evening Reception -- Watertown Hotel]{.smallcaps}**

> All Symposium participants are invited to attend an evening reception
> at the Watertown Hotel from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Dr. Usha Varanasi,
> Director of the Northwest Fisheries Science Center, will welcome
> everyone and offer opening comments.

**[[Tuesday, April 4]{.underline}]{.smallcaps}**

8:00 -- 8:30 COFFEE AVAILABLE

**[Population Dynamics Session (cont.)]{.smallcaps}**

8:30 -- 8:45 [Population Dynamics Presentations (cont.)]{.underline}

-   Kim Parsons/Ken Balcomb -- Social Dynamics of SRKWs

8:45 -- 9:05 [Population Dynamics Discussion]{.underline}

1.  What are the significant results in terms of answering the high
    priority research question(s) or in better understanding the
    population and its conservation?

2.  How can these results be used to inform the conservation of the\
    Southern Resident killer whales?

3.  Are there critical information gaps that still need to be addressed
    for conservation? If so, what are they? What method(s) is most
    likely to successfully address the gap taking into account biases
    and cost and logistical limitations?

**[Contaminants Session]{.smallcaps}**

> **High Priority Research Questions:**

-   *What are the differences in levels and patterns of contaminants
    among the Southern Resident pods, as well as differences between
    Southern Residents and other eastern North Pacific killer whale
    populations?*

-   *Is there a relationship between exposure to contaminants in
    Southern Resident whales and their survivorship or reproductive
    success?*

9:05 -- 9:55 [Contaminants Presentations (Session Leader: Peggy
Krahn)]{.underline}

-   Peter Ross -- Persistent organic pollutants in marine mammals
    inhabiting the transboundary waters of British Columbia - Washington

-   Gina Ylitalo/Sandie O'Neill -- Regional patterns of persistent
    organic pollutants in 5 species of Pacific salmon and their
    contribution as prey to contaminant levels in northern and southern
    resident killer whales

9:55 -- 10:15 [Contaminants Discussion]{.underline}

1.  What are the significant results in terms of answering the high
    priority research question(s) or in better understanding the
    population and its conservation?

2.  How can these results be used to inform the conservation of the\
    Southern Resident killer whales?

3.  Are there critical information gaps that still need to be addressed
    for conservation? If so, what are they? What method(s) is most
    likely to successfully address the gap taking into account biases
    and cost and logistical limitations?

10:15 -- 10:30 BREAK

**[Prey Session]{.smallcaps}**

> **High Priority Research Questions:**

-   *What are the important prey species for SRKWs?*

-   *Is prey abundance adequate to support SRKW populations?*

-   *Is the quality of the prey adequate to meet the nutritional and
    energetic needs of killer whales?*

10:30 -- 12:05 [Prey Presentations (Session Leader: John
Ford)]{.underline}

-   John Ford -- Selective foraging in resident killer whales

-   Peggy Krahn -- Feeding ecology of eastern North Pacific killer
    whales (*Orcinus orca)* from fatty acid, stable isotope and
    organochlorine contaminant profiles of biopsy samples

-   Brad Hanson -- Investigations of associations of southern resident
    killer whales and their prey

-   Salmon data?

-   Shannon McClusky -- Movement patterns and population trends of SRKWs
    in relation to relative abundance and distribution of Pacific Salmon

-   John Ford -- Linking prey and population dynamics: did food
    limitation cause recent declines in resident killer whales?

12:05 -- 12:35 [Prey Discussion]{.underline}

1.  What are the significant results in terms of answering the high
    priority research question(s) or in better understanding the
    population and its conservation?

2.  How can these results be used to inform the conservation of the\
    Southern Resident killer whales?

3.  Are there critical information gaps that still need to be addressed
    for conservation? If so, what are they? What method(s) is most
    likely to successfully address the gap taking into account biases
    and cost and logistical limitations?

12:35 -- 2:05 LUNCH

**[Energetics Session]{.smallcaps}**

> **High Priority Research Question:**

-   *Is the quality of the prey adequate to meet the nutritional and
    energetic needs of killer whales?*

2:05 -- 2:20 [Energetics Presentations (Session Leader: Dawn
Noren)]{.underline}

-   Dawn Noren

2:20 -- 2:35 [Energetics Discussion]{.underline}

1.  What are the significant results in terms of answering the high
    priority research question(s) or in better understanding the
    population and its conservation?

2.  How can these results be used to inform the conservation of the\
    Southern Resident killer whales?

3.  Are there critical information gaps that still need to be addressed
    for conservation? If so, what are they? What method(s) is most
    likely to successfully address the gap taking into account biases
    and cost and logistical limitations?

**[Distribution and Habitat Session]{.smallcaps}**

> **High Priority Research Questions:**

-   *What habitats are important for southern resident killer whales,
    particularly in outer coastal waters?*

2:35 -- 4:00 [Distribution and Habitat (Session Leader: Brad
Hanson)]{.underline}

-   Ken Balcomb -- Winter coastal distribution

-   Jeff Nystuen -- Listening for Orcas in the Underwater Racket of Cape
    Flattery and Haro Strait

-   John Hildebrand -- Passive Acoustic Monitoring for Killer Whales
    Offshore Washington

-   Rich Osborne -- Inland distribution

-   Donna Hauser -- Effects of environmental factors and temporal scale
    on pod-specific SRKW summer distribution patterns: implications for
    designating critical habitat

4:00 -- 4:15 BREAK

4:15 -- 4:45 [Distribution and Habitat Discussion]{.underline}

1.  What are the significant results in terms of answering the high
    priority research question(s) or in better understanding the
    population and its conservation?

2.  How can these results be used to inform the conservation of the\
    Southern Resident killer whales?

3.  Are there critical information gaps that still need to be addressed
    for conservation? If so, what are they? What method(s) is most
    likely to successfully address the gap taking into account biases
    and cost and logistical limitations?

**[Vessel Interactions Session]{.smallcaps}**

> **High Priority Research Question:**

-   *Does vessel presence affect Southern Resident killer whales?*

4:45 -- 5:45 [Vessel Interactions Presentations (Session Leader: Dawn
Noren)]{.underline}

-   Dave Bain -- Land-based studies of the effects of vessel traffic on
    the behavior of Northern and Southern Resident Killer Whales
    (*Orcinus* spp.)

-   Dawn Noren -- Behavioral energetics of Southern Resident Killer
    Whales in the presence of vessels

-   Jennifer Marsh/Jim Ha -- Social behavior in Southern Resident Killer
    Whales (*Orcinus orca*)

5:45 ADJOURN FOR THE DAY

**[[Wednesday, April 5]{.underline}]{.smallcaps}**

8:00 -- 8:30 COFFEE AVAILABLE

**[Vessel Interactions Session (cont.)]{.smallcaps}**

8:30 --9:00 [Vessel Interactions Discussion]{.underline}

1.  What are the significant results in terms of answering the high
    priority research question(s) or in better understanding the
    population and its conservation?

2.  How can these results be used to inform the conservation of the\
    Southern Resident killer whales?

3.  Are there critical information gaps that still need to be addressed
    for conservation? If so, what are they? What method(s) is most
    likely to successfully address the gap taking into account biases
    and cost and logistical limitations?

**[Noise Effects Session]{.smallcaps}**

> **High Priority Research Question:**

-   *Does vessel noise adversely affect SRKWs?*

9:00 -- 10:35 [Noise Effects Presentations (Session Leader: Brandon
Southall)]{.underline}

-   Brandon Southall -- Overview of noise in the marine environment and
    effects on marine mammals

-   John Hildebrand -- Ambient noise in the Haro Strait from whale
    watching and commercial vessels

-   Chris Jones -- Acoustic environment of the Haro Strait: Preliminary
    propagation modeling and data analysis

-   Val Veirs -- Haro Strait noise

-   Andrew Foote -- Acoustic studies of the Southern Resident Killer
    whale population: implications for remote acoustic monitoring and
    indications of vocal behavioral change due to vessel noise

10:30 -- 10:45 BREAK

10:45 -- 11:15 [Noise Effects Discussion]{.underline}

1.  What are the significant results in terms of answering the high
    priority research question(s) or in better understanding the
    population and its conservation?

2.  How can these results be used to inform the conservation of the\
    Southern Resident killer whales?

3.  Are there critical information gaps that still need to be addressed
    for conservation? If so, what are they? What method(s) is most
    likely to successfully address the gap taking into account biases
    and cost and logistical limitations?

**[Invited Panel Roundtable]{.smallcaps}**

The following individuals will be reflecting on the Symposium
presentations and discussions and offering their insights and views on
related questions:

-   Ken Balcomb

-   John Durban

-   John Ford

-   Brandon Southall

-   TBD

-   TBD

11:15 -- 12:00 [Invited Panel Roundtable and Open Discussion -- Session
I]{.underline}

-   After assessing all the information, what are the significant
    results in terms of answering the high priority research question(s)
    or in better understanding the population and its conservation?

-   Can the risk factors that have been identified be ranked in terms of
    their impacts to the population?

-   What are the potential interactions between risks factors?

-   How can these results be used to inform the conservation of the
    Southern Resident killer whales?

12:00 -- 1:30 LUNCH

1:30 -- 2:15 [Open Discussion -- Session I (continued)]{.underline}

2:15 -- 3:30 [Invited Panel Roundtable and Open Discussion -- Session
II]{.underline}

-   What are the highest priorities for future research?

-   Are there critical information gaps that still need to be addressed
    for conservation? If so, what are they? What method(s) is most
    likely to successfully address the gap taking into account biases
    and cost and logistical limitations?

3:30 -- 3:45 BREAK

3:45 -- 4:30 [Open Discussion -- Session II (continued)]{.underline}

4:30 -- 4:45 [Next Steps and Acknowledgments]{.underline}

4:45 ADJOURN