FIRST RECORDED ACCOUNT OF A HUMPBACK WHALE (MEGAPTERA NOVAEANGLIAE) FEEDING ON SPAWNING PACIFIC HERRING (CLUPEA PALLASII) IN THE SALISH SEA, AND LOOKING FORWARD

Humpback Whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) in the North Pacific are typically found in breeding grounds at low latitudes during winter months. However, some individuals remain on northern feeding grounds (including the Salish Sea) year-round or return to high latitudes earlier. Here, we report on the 1st documented case of a Humpback Whale foraging on winter-spawning Pacific Herring (Clupea pallasii) in the Salish Sea in British Columbia, Canada. We observed a single juvenile Humpback Whale lunge feeding on herring during the March herring spawn surrounding Hornby Island. Presence of Humpback Whales in foraging grounds during winter could suggest that this population is experiencing some degree of nutritional stress. Considering the lunge-feeding strategy used, high site fidelity, and rapid cultural transmission in Humpback Whale populations, if more individuals learn to take advantage of this winter resource, there is the potential for localized declines of herring through top-down forcing and increased risk of whale interactions with fishing vessels.