Meet Dan Baker, the QENTOL, YEN / W̱SÁNEĆ Marine Guardians’ new SRKW data analyst

Learn more about Dan and the work he’ll be doing with the Marine Guardians to help save the KELL̵OLEMEĆEN. Click play to view the short video, or read the transcript below.

Interviewer: Can you tell us a bit about who you are and where you’re from?

My name’s Dan Baker. I’m working as the SRKW data analyst, and I just started looking at the killer whale interactions with vessel traffic in the Salish sea. I was born in Comox, British Columbia, and I’ve been living in Victoria on the lək̓ʷəŋən territory for the last 10 years.

Interviewer: Can you share with us some of the background & experience you bring to this position?

So over the last 10 years, I have worked in the tourism industry on the water for a couple different operations all up the coast from here to Alaska. So I have a lot of marine experience as well as data analysts experience working with marine education and research society and other science based research organizations looking at citation data and vessel data and how those things interact.

Interviewer: As a data analyst what kind of work will you be doing?

So to get started, we’re looking a lot at the whale watching industry in the traditional territory and looking at monitoring the habitat areas and how close the vessels are getting to orcas, as well as we’re looking at tinker traffic and the potential of noise disturbance, especially with the increase in tinker traffic expected over the next few years with TMX and the Roberts bank expansion.

Interviewer: What kind of impact do you hope to have during your time with the Marine Guardians?

I joined because David is so passionate and right now with the Orca whale population as it is, we really need action and holding industry and government accountable and being able to monitor the orca whales in the industry that’s affecting them is really important for reconnecting to them.

Interviewer: What do you like to do when your not at work?

I love being outside, rock climbing, sailing, being on the water and being in nature. That’s how I relax.