Researchers at the University of Washington School of Oceanography hope to save endangered southern resident orcas using a system of underwater fiber-optic cables. This innovative experiment is taking place near San Juan Island, Washington, where a 1.3-mile fiber-optic cable is being tested to detect the vocalizations of the Southern Resident orcas, a population that has dwindled to approximately 75 individuals.
Through policy and advocacy, the project addresses the critical threats to these iconic flag-wing species. It addresses the issues of underwater noise pollution from ships, food insecurity, and toxic contaminants. By utilizing this technology, researchers hope to gather critical data on how orcas respond to varying environmental stresses and human activities. This trove of data has the potential to significantly shape conservation priorities. These strategies will lead to some immediate, direct advantages for marine mammals.
The Role of Fiber-Optic Technology
When deployed over long distances, the fiber-optic cable serves as a massively parallel underwater microphone. It’s an artistic representation of the clicks, calls and whistles of orcas as they communicate and echolocate. This form of echolocation works by producing high-frequency clicks that reflect back from their environment, enabling orcas to detect salmon—even in muddy waters. This new technology will dramatically improve our ability to understand orca behavior and habitat use.
Tor Bjorklund, an oceanographer with University of Washington and pilot on the research mission. He adds that the fiber-optic system plays a crucial role in spotting orcas moving south toward Seattle. “The ability to alert Washington State Ferries to postpone noisy activities or slow down during these critical times can have significant benefits for orca populations,” he explains.
Isabelle Brandicourt, who has worked extensively on the project, describes the current data as “golden.” From this work, we can learn how orcas respond to a rapidly transforming world. This ongoing assessment can hopefully come together to inform better and more targeted conservation action in the future.
Addressing the Threats Faced by Southern Resident Orcas
The Southern Resident orcas face a “triple threat” in their habitat: the noise from busy shipping lanes, contamination from pollutants, and the decline of their primary food source—salmon. The focus of the project is to help understand how these impacts affect orca communication and behavior.
Yuta Masuda, director of science at Allen Family Philanthropies, explains why this partnership is so important. “One of the most important challenges for managing wildlife, conserving biodiversity, and combating climate change is that there’s just a lack of data overall,” he states.
About 870,000 miles of fiber-optic cables are currently in the ground worldwide. This project could turn existing infrastructure into a huge conservation listening network, significantly powering up conservation work around the world.
A Future for Orcas
Scott Veirs, a vocal proponent for the preservation of orcas and other marine life, has been documenting the interaction between endangered orcas and their prey. “We have an endangered killer whale trying to eat an endangered salmon species,” he points out. This dynamic beautifully paints the picture of the intricate conservation work needed to ensure that both species thrive.
Information gleaned from this experiment would be beneficial for developing dynamic management strategies. It will likely have a lasting effect on policy efforts to save the Southern Resident orcas. “It will for sure help with dynamic management and long-term policy that will have real benefits for the whales,” Veirs emphasizes.
“We can imagine that we have thousands of hydrophones along the cable recording data continuously,” she remarks. Together, this holistic approach might allow researchers to better understand dynamic marine ecosystems and develop and implement more targeted conservation strategies.