# Public Opinion Research Study: Canadians' Awareness and Understanding of Southern Resident killer whales and Boating Safety - Text Description

Figure 1: Recreational Watercraft Use
Used a recreational watercraft in the last year | 52%
Plan to use a recreational watercraft in the next year | 48%

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Figure 2: Manner in which respondents go/plan to go out on the ocean
| Been out on the ocean in the last year (n=407) | Plan to out on the ocean in the next year (n=343)
Passenger | 49% | 62%
Boat owner | 41% | 35%
Boat renter | 19% | 14%

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Figure 3: Type of Watercraft Used in the Last Few Years
Power boat | 42%
Kayak | 33%
Sail boat | 13%
Paddleboard | 13%
Canoe | 10%
Ferry | 7%
Personal watercrafts | 6%
Fishing boat | 4%
Row boat | 3%
Dinghy | 2%
Yacht | 2%
Pontoon | 1%
Pleasure craft | 1%
Whale watching boat | 1%
Dragon boat | 1%
Houseboat | 0.41%
Other | 4%
Don't know / can't recall | 11%

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Figure 4: Frequency of Recreational Watercraft Use
1 | 17%
2 | 17%
3 | 9%
4 | 6%
5 | 7%
6 to 9 | 6%
10 to 14 | 8%
15 to 29 | 8%
30 to 49 | 4%
50 or more | 4%
My first time will be in the next year | 8%

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Figure 5: Type of Recreational Watercraft Use
Seasonal | 85%
Year round | 13%
It depends | 1%

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Figure 6: Life Jacket and Personal Flotation Device Use
Wear a life jacket or PFD | 80%
Do not wear a life jacket or PFD | 12%
It depends on the type of watercraft | 3%
It depends on the situation / people involved | 3%

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Figure 7: Knowledge of Measures to protect SRKWs in BC Coastal Waters
Aware | 56%
Unaware | 19%
Don't know | 25%

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Figure 8: Awareness of Specific Protective and Voluntary Measures
| Definitely aware | Vaguely aware | Not aware
Boats should reduce speed when within a 1,000 metres of a killer whale. | 51% | 20% | 28%
Watercraft must keep 400 metres from killer whales in all southern BC coastal waters between Campbell River and just north of Ucluelet. | 37% | 26% | 37%
Fishing should not take place within a 1,000m of a killer whale. | 25% | 24% | 49%
When out on the water, you can't follow whale watching boats because some have an exemption and do not need to keep 400 metres away from all killer whales. | 19% | 17% | 63%
There is an interim sanctuary zone that prevents watercraft from operating off the northern part of Pender Island. | 11% | 13% | 74%
There is an interim sanctuary zone that prevents watercraft from operating off parts of Saturna Island. | 8% | 14% | 76%
There is an interim sanctuary zone that prevents watercraft from operating at Swiftsure Bank. | 7% | 10% | 81%

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Figure 9: Source of Boating Safety Regulatory Information
The internet | 29%
Boat rental shops | 15%
Boating course | 13%
Friends / family / colleagues | 13%
Word of mouth | 9%
The Government of Canada | 6%
Boat owner / captain | 5%
News media | 4%
Department of Fisheries and Oceans | 3%
Transport Canada | 3%
Personal experience | 3%
Signage | 2%
Marinas | 1%
Book / print materials | 1%
Outdoor shops | 1%
Provincial government | 1%
Coast guard | 1%
Social media | 1%
Canadian Red Cross | 0.32%
Parks Canada | 0.25%
Other | 5%
I've never needed to look for this information | 8%

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Figure 10: Daily Habits
Listen to radio | 59%
Use Facebook | 50%
Use YouTube | 44%
Use Instagram | 36%
Use Spotify | 31%
Use public transit | 17%
Use Twitter | 16%
Use Snapchat | 14%
Use TikTok | 11%
None of these | 6%

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Figure 11: Level of Education
Less than a high school diploma | 2%
High School diploma | 15%
Apprenticeship or other trades certificate | 8%
College/non-university certificate/diploma | 20%
University certificate/diploma below bachelor's level | 7%
Bachelor's degree | 27%
Post graduate degree above bachelor's level | 20%

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Figure 12: Household Income
Under $20,000 | 5%
$20,000 to just under $40,000 | 9%
$40,000 to just under $60,000 | 13%
$60,000 to just under $80,000 | 10%
$80,000 to just under $100,000 | 12%
$100,000 to just under $150,000 | 18%
$150,000 and above | 18%
Prefer not to say | 16%

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Figure 13: Language Spoken Most Often at Home
English | 89%
French | 1%
Other | 15%

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Figure 14: First Nations, Métis, and Inuk Status
Non-Indigenous | 95%
Indigenous | 4%

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Figure 15: Location
Metro Vancouver | 75%
South Vancouver Island | 12%
Central Vancouver Island | 10%
Sunshine Coast | 3%

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Figure 16: Respondent Age
18 to 34 | 27%
35 to 54 | 34%
55 and above | 39%

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Figure 17: Gender
Female | 51%
Male | 49%
Other | 0%

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