September 24: "Huge turnout for meeting on Orca rules"
September 30: "Vessel Rules Rejected at Seattle Aquarium"

Speak Up to Save the Whales

NOAA's Fisheries Service is proposing new rules on vessel traffic aimed at further protecting Southern Resident killer whales in Washington's Puget Sound. 

The proposed rules would prohibit vessels from approaching any killer whale closer than 200 yards and forbid vessels from intercepting or parking in the path of a whale. In addition, the proposed regulations would set up a half-mile-wide no-go zone along the west side of San Juan Island from May 1 through the end of September where generally no vessels would be allowed.

Although vessel operational changes are part of the solution, People For Puget Sound is disappointed that NOAA/NMFS continues to delay on more critical actions that are needed to protect orcas such as:

• Restoration of salmon runs through removal of dams, restoration of habitat, land use restrictions, water quality improvements and changes in harvest and hatchery practices.
• Reduction of toxic pollution that impacts the food web
• Reduction of noise impacts from sonar and other activities
  

You Can Help!
The Northwest Region will hold thee public meetings on the proposed vessel regulations. If you live in the vicinity of a public hearing, please attend to express to NOAA that more is needed to ensure orca recovery. A People For Puget Sound staff person will be attending each hearing, so feel free to connect with them for talking points.

The meetings will be:

• Sept. 24, 2009, 7-9 p.m., Pier One Main Warehouse, 100 Commercial Avenue, Anacortes
• Sept. 30, 2009, 7-9 p.m., Seattle Aquarium, Pier 59, Seattle
• Oct. 5, 2009, 7-9 p.m., The Grange Hall, First Street, Friday Harbor
  

Can’t attend the hearing? Send a quick email via this link.
Be sure to add a personal touch to the letter, especially any orca experience you might have had.

With regard to the vessel proposal:

• People For Puget Sound supports the distance (200 yards) and no intentional parking in the path of traveling whales
• People For Puget Sound agrees in concept with a “no-go zone” akin to the Robson Bight protected area in British Columbia, but has concerns about the scientific basis, actual size, exemptions for some types of operations, access to public parks, unintended consequences, feasibility of enforcement, and other questions.
• People For Puget Sound suggests that NOAA convene a vessel operator stakeholder group  that includes commercial fishing operators, container and cruise ship operators, small recreational boat companies, recreational boating and fishing groups, research vessel operators, military, whale watching companies and others to discuss operational issues and ensure that fair treatment is given to all. Tribal fishing operators should also be part of a further consultation process.

Enforcement is a key pragmatic and fairness issue that should be addressed regarding both existing and proposed regulations.  Without a much-improved strategy for education and enforcement, it makes no sense to increase restrictions. One of the major vessel issues is inappropriate and harassing behavior by recreational boaters who are apparently unaware even of the existing limits. Another issue is how to address the international nature of the problem, reaching Canadian boaters and whale watch operators in an effective way.

Take Action Today!

1. Attend one of the aforementioned public hearing
2. Send a quick email to NOAA with your personalized comments.
   

Additional Information:
People For Puget Sound and other stakeholders provided extensive comments to NOAA in the past few years and yet all they do is address the vessel issue once again.  NOAA needs to devote more staff and resources to really begin to address the orca issue in a serious manner. Existing NOAA-approved salmon recovery plans are not adequate to restore salmon runs, let alone support orca recovery. And NOAA’s strategy to address toxins in whales is a research plan, not an action plan. People For Puget Sound believes that NOAA should refocus its limited staff resources to the salmon recovery and toxic reduction actions that are essential for whale survival, and devote further time and effort to the vessel issues only if substantially increased staff and other resources are devoted to orca recovery overall.

Lack of public awareness about Puget Sound issues is one of the major impediments to successful protection and restoration. Whale watching is one activity that reaches thousands of people every year with compelling reasons to protect our marine waters. It would be supreme irony to focus so intently on restricting whale watching while the whales themselves go extinct for lack of sufficient non-toxic food.

*News links: