Seattle WA. Orca Conservancy is calling for legislative action in the wake of an incident in mid-July in which thirty boaters surrounded and harassed a pod of orcas in the Tacoma Narrows. “This level of this harassment is unacceptable and is why Orca Conservancy believes more actions need to be taken around vessel enforcement/regulations, and most importantly, education,” explained Orca Conservancy leaders. They’re urging the that when people are registering their boats they’re given more information on the marine life and what the be-whale-wise guidelines. Orca Conservancy urges its supporters, “reach out to your local representatives to demand more funding be put into place — not only to educate new boaters but to give our enforcement agencies additional manpower on the water.”
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Be Whale Wise webpage advises boaters and paddlers on marine laws and best practices for protecting marine wildlife. According to be-whale-wise guidelines, and Washington state law, boats must stay 300 yards from orcas on either side and 400 yards in front of and behind the whales. Boaters involved in last week’s incident were well within 300 meters of the pod.
Both Canada and the United States have Southern Resident orcas listed as endangered. As of June 2020, only 73 orcas remain. According to Orca Conservancy, the most critical threats facing the Southern Resident orcas of Pudget Sound are lack of food, toxins, and vessel noise, which hinders the orcas’ ability to use echolocation to forage for food.
Transient whale approaches vessel. All images via Tamara Kelley, Orca Conservancy Board Director
Tarantino also notes that the closure of whale-watching companies due to COVID-19 may contribute to increased pressure to view killer whales. According to Orca Conservancy, “the PWWA (Pacific Whale Watching Association) has been a leader in educating boaters and warning recreational vessels when to slow down for years. The PWWA is having a net positive effect when it comes to noise reduction, and are why go-slow zones are best when implemented properly.”
According to the PWWA’s webpage, the association’s local whale and wildlife viewing guidelines have become a model for international efforts to recover the orca whale population. “We’ve created no-boat foraging zones, minimized underwater noise with speed limits and sonar restrictions, and created clear corridors for Southern Resident orcas to travel,” says the PWWA.
From Orca Conservancy:
Orca Conservancy is committed to the recovery of the Southern Resident killer whale population and protecting the wild places on which it depends. Since 1996, we have worked tirelessly to recover the Southern Resident killer whale population throughout their habitat range using Science, Law, and Education.
