Study area.

• Main Authors: Eric M. Keen (8057210), James Pilkington (11383961), Éadin O’Mahony (11383964), Kim-Ly Thompson (11383967), Benjamin Hendricks (11383970), Nicole Robinson (352516), Archie Dundas (11383973), Linda Nichol (5346965), Hussein M. Alidina (11383976), Hermann Meuter (11383979), Chris R. Picard (11383982), Janie Wray (457395)
• Format: Still Image
• Language: unknown
• Published: 2021
• Subjects: Ecology; Marine Biology; Inorganic Chemistry; Environmental Sciences not elsewhere classified; Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified; strong site fidelity; recapture analysis documented; greatest densities occurring; great bear rainforest; findings offer insights; 2005 – 2006; div >< p; seasonally resident population; kitimat fjord system; fjord system along; fin whales arrived; fin whales (<; balaenoptera physalus </; kfs repeatedly throughout; fjord system; fin whales; p </; population ’; population recovery; velifera </; b </; widely considered; whaling records; visual surveys; traditional knowledge; squally channel; social network; several lines; seasonal patterns; recent years; rare exception; peak abundance; outer channels; oceanic species; occur regularly; intracoastal waters; general patterns; evidence indicated; enclosed seas; commonly found; commercial whaling; calf pairs; caamaño sound; based surveys; 70 %; 572 hours; 311 km; Canada; British Columbia; Kitimat; Caamaño Sound; Squally Channel; Balaenoptera physalus
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0256815.g001

(A) The Kitimat Fjord System in mainland British Columbia, Canada. Blue dashed line indicates current marine traffic routes; red line indicates new routes that have been proposed for shipping projects based in the port of Kitimat (see text). (B–E) Sightings of fin whales within the Kitimat Fjord System since 1994. Only sightings whose geographic positions are known or estimated are shown here. Survey effort for B-C are provided in S1 Fig in S1 File . In D, sightings data are supplied by the BC Cetacean Sightings Network; these sightings are opportunistic and not connected for effort.