There was already whale watching in British Columbia in the early 1900s. It was wiped out by whaling.
We share the following information with you to emphasize that Humpbacks belong off our coast and that they were in the Salish Sea so predictably in the early 1900s, that there was whale watching . . . and whaling.
The following letter is from J. A. Cates of the Terminal Steamship Company appealing to his MP to stop the whaling of Humpbacks in the Strait of Georgia (now the Salish Sea). The Terminal Steamship Company conducted whale watching from Vancouver into Howe Sound as of the early 1900s. Their business ended because, as Cates feared, Humpback Whales in the area were wiped out by whaling.
J.A. Cates’ concerns went unheeded and 127 whales were killed at the Pacific Whaling Company’s whaling station at Page’s Lagoon from mid-November 1907 to January 1910 (all believed to be Humpbacks). The whaling company then closed the station and moved on to another area of the coast since there were no more Humpbacks in the Salish Sea.
Now, astoundingly, we have a second chance with them.
The transcription of the above letter:
“Vancouver, B. C., Nov. 22nd, 1907
W. H. Macpherson Esq., M.P.
Vancouver.
Dear Sir,
With your permission and assistance I wish to enter a protest with the Dominion Government against the Sechart Whaling Co. from killing whales in the waters of Howe Sound. I understand this Company has a charter to kill whales in the Straits of Georgia but Howe Sound is no part of the said Straits and whereas the said Howe Sound is a feeding ground as well as a breeding ground for these whales.
It is only natural to say that everything that lives should be allowed a certain amount of protection and I might say that by the extermination of these whales from the waters of Howe Sound it would seriously interfere with our Local Trade as during each year there are hundreds of tourists and others from all over the world who come to Vancouver and engage passage on our boats especially to see the whales in Howe Sound.
I only ask your assistance in laying this matter before your government in order to prevent any boat equipped for killing whales from operating in the waters of Howe Sound.
Thanking you very much to look into this important matter at once
I remain,
Yours respectfully,
Terminal Steamship Co., Ltd.
(signed) J. A. Cates“
Note that the letter references that “Howe Sound is a feeding ground as well as a breeding ground for these whales”. Current knowledge is that Humpbacks breed in Mexico, Hawaii, or Central America, not in the feeding grounds such as British Columbia waters.
Humpbacks in the Salish Sea – Now
We truly have a second chance with Humpback Whales. So fortuitously, they were not all wiped out by whaling. But, there are still many whales to kill a whale resulting from our consumer choices, voting decisions, and energy use.. These have impacts on the rate of entanglement, vessel strike, and influences of climate change.
Awareness has increased about the numbers and seasonality of Humpbacks in the Salish Sea, in part due to the tragedies of vessel strikes and entanglements. It is so important to realize that Humpbacks can be in the waters of British Columbia at any time of the year because they have staggered departures and returns to and from their warm water breeding grounds.
The research of McMillan et al., 2025, indicates that the most Humpbacks are in the Salish Sea from October to December. See the figure below.
See too the content in the Encyclopedia of Puget Sound – Humpbacks of the Salish Sea added to the Encyclopedia in January 2026.
Sources:
- Calambokidis, John. et al. 2026. Humpback whales of the Salish Sea. Encyclopedia of Puget Sound.
- Canadian Pacific Humpback Collaboration. 2022. Highest number of Humpback Whales recorded to date in the Salish Sea – Increased awareness and caution needed – even in winter.
- Merilees, Bill. 1985. The Humpback Whales of Georgia Strait. WATERS Journal of the Vancouver Aquarium
- Merilees, Bill. 2020. Humpback Whales in the Salish Sea. Nature Vancouver
- McMillan CJ, Keppel EA, Spaven LD, Hrushowy SM, Doniol-Valcroze T. 2025 Aug 27. Seasonal Abundance and Distribution of Cetaceans in a High-Traffic Shipping Corridor. Marine Mammal Science.
- Nichol, L. M., E. J. Gregr, R. Flinn, J.K.B. Ford, R. Gurney, L. Michaluk, and A. Peacock. 2002. British Columbia Commercial Whaling Catch Data 1908 to 1967: A Detailed Description of the B.C. Historical Whaling Database. Can. Tech. Rep. Fish. Aquat. Sci. 2396: viii + 76 p.
- Humpback Whales of the Salish Sea
- Scheffer, V. B., & Slipp, J. W. 1948. The Whales and Dolphins of Washington State with a Key to the Cetaceans of the West Coast of North America. The American Midland Naturalist, 39(2), 257–337.
Notes compiled by Brian Gisborne on the number of whales killed and processed at Page’s Lagoon:
Page’s Lagoon — 1st Season
Nanaimo Free Press — July 9, 1907
- Construction commenced.
- (Also contractors just finished whaling station at Kyuquot.)
N.F.P. — November 8, 1907
- Station about completed.
- St. Lawrence due next week to hunt in GoF.
- Orion expected at Pages Lagoon today.
N.F.P. — November 18, 1907
- 5 whales caught during first 2 days of fishing.
N.F.P. — March 12, 1908
- Whaling in the Gulf abandoned for the season.
- St. Lawrence leaves today for Kyuquot.
- Orion left for Sechart a month ago.
Daily Colonist — March 13, 1908, p.10 (Marine Notes)
- St. Lawrence took about 100 whales…
Page’s Lagoon — 2nd Season
Daily Colonist — October 29, 1908, p.10
- … St. Lawrence operate GoF.
Daily Colonist — November 7, 1908, p.10
- … Orion sighted harpooned whale in GoF.
- … station opened Saturday ago.
Nanaimo Free Press — January 6, 1909, p.1
- Whales no longer drive herring into bay.
Nanaimo Free Press — May 11, 1909
- … Dr. L. Rissmuller visit station Pages Lagoon.
Daily Colonist — January 23, 1909, p.10
- … one of which is now engaged in the GoF…
Daily Colonist — February 6, 1909, p.10
- … Orion to be sent to Kyuquot tomorrow…
Daily Colonist — February 9, 1909, p.10
- George Langley … whale skeleton…
Daily Colonist — February 25, 1909, p.10
- … Orion & St. Lawrence are being overhauled at Esquimalt.
Daily Colonist — March 16, 1909, p.10
- … Orion left last night for Sechart.
Daily Colonist — March 19, 1909
- … St. Lawrence sail today for Kyuquot.
Page’s Lagoon — 3rd Season
Daily Colonist — November 19, 1909, p.14
- … St. Lawrence sent to operate from Pages Lagoon to hunt in GoF.
Daily Colonist — December 4, 1909, p.14
- Cowichan passenger watched Orion harpooned whale between Sechelt & Lasqueti Is.
Daily Colonist — December 16, 1909, p.14
- … Orion & St. Lawrence at work in GoF.
- … both in vicinity of Sechelt.
- (Note added in margin: were seen by those on Kade?)
Daily Colonist — Wednesday, December 22, 1909, p.14
- … Orion & St. Lawrence — GoF.
Daily Colonist — Thursday, January 6, 1910, p.14
- … Orion had gone to Sechart 2 weeks ago.
- St. Lawrence will shortly join the Orion.
Daily Colonist — February 12, 1910, p.3
- Herring run improves (Nanaimo Free Press Feb 11, 1910).
- … whaling at Pages Lagoon closed down yesterday.
- … during season 30 whales handled.
Daily Colonist — February 15, 1910, p.14
- … 30 whales taken up to present during winter whaling in GoF.
Daily Colonist — February 17, 1910, p.15
… during past season 30 whales were killed and handled by Pages Lagoon Station.
