The whales came very near to the kayakers but Meyrick Jones said they were not scared of them.

Three-time Olympic medalist Silken Laumann posted video of the close encounter, which she says is happening more frequently near her Victoria-area home.

The boater broke rules imposed by the federal government that require vessels to stay at least 400 metres away from killer whales.

U.S. scientists recently released photos that show the adult known as J17 has deteriorated in health since she was assessed last fall.

Friday saw the latest set of recovery measures for the endangered southern residents, of which only 75 remain and face a number of serious threats.

J17 is now showing little sign of "peanut head," a misshapen head and neck caused by starvation, according to the Centre for Whale Research.

J17, a member of the J-pod, is one of just a handful of orcas remaining in the SRKW population.

The recommendations for slower, quieter ferry traffic came on the same day the province announced it was restoring nearly 3,000 sailings to coastal communities.

Pink salmon spawning patterns might be interfering with killer whales' ability to hunt in the Salish Sea, a newly published paper suggests.

Marine Mammal Research Unit director Andrew Trites said the reports are the best piece of news he could imagine hearing for the Southern Resident killer whales.