The U.S. Whale Watching Industry of Greater Puget Sound

NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NWFSC-126

The U.S. Whale Watching Industry of Greater Puget Sound

A Description and Baseline Analysis

March 2014

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service Northwest Fisheries Science Center

NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NWFSC Series The Northwest Fisheries Science Center of NOAA's National Marine Fisheries Service uses the NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NWFSC series to issue scientific and technical publications. Manuscripts have been peer reviewed and edited. Documents published in this series can be cited in the scientific and technical literature.

The Northwest Fisheries Science Center's NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NWFSC series continues the NMFSF/NWC series established in 1970 by the Northwest and Alaska Fisheries Science Center, which subsequently was divided into the Northwest Fisheries Science Center and the Alaska Fisheries Science Center. The latter center uses the NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-AFSC series.

Reference throughout this document to trade names does not imply endorsement by the National Marine Fisheries Service.

Reference this document as follows: Russell, S., and M.S. Ruff. 2014. The U.S. whale watching industry of Greater Puget Sound: A description and baseline analysis. U.S. Dept. Commer., NOAA Tech. Memo. NMFSNWFSC-126.

NOAA Technical Memorandum NMFS-NWFSC-126

The U.S. Whale Watching Industry of Greater Puget Sound

A Description and Baseline Analysis

Suzanne Russell and Morgan Schniedler Ruff*

Northwest Fisheries Science Center Conservation Biology Division 2725 Montlake Boulevard East Seattle, Washington 98112 *Northwest Fisheries Science Center Present affiliation: Tulalip Tribes Tulalip Fisheries and Natural Resources 7515 Totem Beach Road Tulalip, Washington 98271

March 2014

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service

Most NOAA Technical Memorandums NMFS-NWFSC are available at the Northwest Fisheries Science Center Web site,

Copies are also available from the National Technical Information Service 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22161 Phone orders: 1-800-553-6847 E-mail orders: orders@ntis.

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Contents

List of Figures.............................................................................................................................................vii List of Tables .............................................................................................................................................xiii Executive Summary .................................................................................................................................... xv Acknowledgments....................................................................................................................................xxiii Introduction................................................................................................................................................... 1 Context: Humans and Ecosystems ................................................................................................................ 3

Biological Context: Southern Resident Killer Whales ............................................................................. 3 Human Context: Humans and Killer Whales ........................................................................................... 5 Economic Context: U.S. SRKW Watching Industry................................................................................ 7 Policy Context: U.S. SRKWs and Regulatory Protections....................................................................... 8 The Study: Background and Development ................................................................................................. 10 Background............................................................................................................................................. 10

Literature Review............................................................................................................................... 12 Meetings ............................................................................................................................................. 12 Secondary Source Research ............................................................................................................... 13 Survey Development and Administration .............................................................................................. 13 Universe of SRKW Companies.......................................................................................................... 13 Survey Development .......................................................................................................................... 15 Survey Administration ....................................................................................................................... 16 Interviews ........................................................................................................................................... 17 Survey Responses............................................................................................................................... 18 Results......................................................................................................................................................... 20 Data Analysis.......................................................................................................................................... 20 Regional and Tier Aggregation Development.................................................................................... 20 Development Basis............................................................................................................................. 21 Organization of Results .......................................................................................................................... 23 People in the SRKW Watching Industry .................................................................................................... 25 Demographics......................................................................................................................................... 25 Demographic Summary...................................................................................................................... 25

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Demographic Figures and Table ........................................................................................................ 25 Individual Participation .......................................................................................................................... 31

Individual Participation Summary ..................................................................................................... 31 Individual Participation Figures and Tables....................................................................................... 32 Motorized Vessel Personnel........................................................................................................................ 44 Demographics......................................................................................................................................... 44 Demographic Summary...................................................................................................................... 44 Demographic Figures ......................................................................................................................... 44 Individual Participation .......................................................................................................................... 48 Individual Participation Summary ..................................................................................................... 48 Individual Participation Figures and Tables....................................................................................... 51 Motorized Vessel Business ......................................................................................................................... 68 Business Information.............................................................................................................................. 68 Business Information Summary ......................................................................................................... 68 Business Information Tables and Figures .......................................................................................... 69 Business Operations ............................................................................................................................... 78 Business Operations Summary........................................................................................................... 78 Business Operations Figures and Table ............................................................................................. 79 Regional Personnel ..................................................................................................................................... 86 Demographics......................................................................................................................................... 86 Demographic Summary...................................................................................................................... 86 Demographic Figures ......................................................................................................................... 86 Individual Participation .......................................................................................................................... 90 Individual Participation Summary ..................................................................................................... 90 Individual Participation Figures and Tables....................................................................................... 91 Regional Business Operations .................................................................................................................. 102 Business Operations Summary ............................................................................................................. 102 Business Operations Figures and Table................................................................................................ 102 Kayak Sector and Land Sector Personnel ................................................................................................. 109 Demographics....................................................................................................................................... 109 Demographic Summary.................................................................................................................... 109 Demographic Figures ....................................................................................................................... 109 Individual Participation ........................................................................................................................ 113 Individual Participation Summary ................................................................................................... 113 Individual Participation Figures and Tables..................................................................................... 114

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Kayak Sector and Land Sector Business Operations ................................................................................ 125 Business Operations Summary ............................................................................................................. 125 Business Operations Figures ................................................................................................................ 126

SRKW Watching Industry Trends ............................................................................................................ 131 Trends Summary................................................................................................................................... 131 Trends Figures ...................................................................................................................................... 132

Effects on the Community ........................................................................................................................ 137 Effects Summary .................................................................................................................................. 137 Effects Figures...................................................................................................................................... 138

Concluding Discussion ............................................................................................................................. 155 Demographics....................................................................................................................................... 155 Individual Participation ........................................................................................................................ 157 Business Operations ............................................................................................................................. 162 Industry Trends..................................................................................................................................... 165 Effects on the Community .................................................................................................................... 165 Additional Analysis .............................................................................................................................. 166 Final Remarks....................................................................................................................................... 166

References................................................................................................................................................. 169

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