Plan around Robson Bight Ecological Reserve on Johnstone Strait with killer whale sanctuary rules, closed uplands, marine maps, critical habitat, and no recreation.
Robson Bight (Michael Bigg) Ecological Reserve is on the Johnstone Strait coastline, 10 kilometres southeast of Telegraph Cove on Vancouver Island. BC Parks lists it in the South Central Coast region.
The reserve is legally designated under the Species at Risk Act as critical habitat for Northern Resident Killer Whales.
BC Parks also identifies the reserve as part of the Johnstone Strait marine ecosection.
Why Visit Robson Bight Ecological Reserve
Robson Bight is a sanctuary, not a recreation destination. BC Parks says all boaters, motorized and non-motorized, are expected to refrain from entering the reserve so disturbance to killer whales is reduced while they feed, socialize, and use rubbing beaches.
The upland portion of the reserve is closed to all uses and entry. Ecological reserves protect special natural ecosystems and support research and education, but they are not intended for outdoor recreation. The official page identifies Coastal Western Hemlock forest, the Johnstone Strait terrestrial and marine ecosections, and the Northern Island Mountains terrestrial ecosection.
Those facts make planning mostly about avoidance, education, and respectful navigation nearby.
Things To Do
Do not enter the reserve. Appropriate use is education from official BC Parks materials, route planning that avoids the sanctuary, and marine travel that respects closure expectations and whale-protection rules.
Planning Notes
Any maps listed by BC Parks are for information only and should not be used for navigation or legal boundaries. Use the marine visitor guide, current advisories, and proper charts when travelling nearby. Give killer whales space, avoid the reserve, and treat the closed upland and marine area as protected critical habitat.