Report confirms ship strike caused death of killer whale J34

The final report into the death of a southern resident killer whale over two and a half years ago confirms that it died from blunt force trauma, likely inflicted in a ship strike.

J34, an 18-year-old male nicknamedDoublestuff, was found dead nearSecheltonDec. 20, 2016.

At the time of his discovery, Fisheries and Oceans Canada said initial examinations of the seven metreorcaindicted that itwas alive when struck and died sometime later.

J34'snecropsy report was last updated on May, 23, 2017, however, according to aDFOspokesperson, the report wasn'tmade publicand is only available upon request, as per policy.

CBC requested the report July 22.

"There were no requests for this information at the time the report was finalized. There had been significant media coverage at the time, reporting the cause of death was blunt force trauma, consistent with a ship or boat strike. The final report came to the same conclusion, " saidDFO'sDan Bate.

Shari Tarantino ofOrcaConservancy, a Washington state non-profit, said there is a lack of transparency around theDFO'sreporting onJ34.

According to Tarantino, her group and Washington stateorcaresearcher ScottVeirshad been askingDFOfor the finalJ34necropsy report for months. Tarantino received a copy of the report late last week, butonly after petitioning the office of Fisheries and Oceans Minister Jonathan Wilkinsondirectly.

"It should not have taken two and a half years to release a report," said Tarantino.

"There's nothing new in this report.It's basically what we had already been told.But it's hard not to wonder if it was withheld because Kinder Morgan or because of Roberts Bank Terminal 2 (the proposed container terminal in Delta, B.C.) was waiting on comments."

Fisheries and Oceans Canada media advisor Lara Sloan said the delays in sending the report were due to administrative problems and miscommunication within DFO.

"There was no intention not to provide that report," said Sloan.

The precarious state of the 76 remaining southern resident killer whales is a major concern in the Trans Mountain expansion projectwhich will increase tanker traffic through the animals' territorial waters once completed.

A report released this yearby the National Energy Board backed up those concerns, suggesting the project would have "significant adverse effects" on the whales.

The federal government approved the Trans Mountain expansion project last month.

Find out more about the future of the southern resident killer whales in a new CBC British Columbiapodcast. The first episode ofKillers: J Pod on the Brink, hosted by Gloria Macarenko, was released July 18.You cansubscribe nowwherever you get yourpodcasts.