MAKING WAVES

BY RANDY WOODS

WA Instructs Boaters to Give Orcas (Much) Wider Berth for Safety

We clearly love our Southern Resident orca whales that cruise the Salish Sea, but we are loving them too much. Under a new bill that passed overwhelmingly in the Washington House of Representatives in April and soon to become state law, Washingtonians will need to give the endangered animals more room to protect their safety in crowded waters.

The bill will more than triple the mandatory distance to be maintained between whales and watercraft, from 300 yards to 1,000 yards—the equivalent of about half a nautical mile and the same exclusionary distance currently mandated for commercial whale-watching vessels. The bill will also modify whale-watching business license fees, modify existing enforcement rules, eliminate certain other fees, and create new licenses for paddle-tour and paddle-guide businesses that will replace kayak-guide licenses. The House bill is very similar to SB 5371, which passed earlier in the state Senate. Both bills have strong bipartisan support and are currently in negotiations to smooth out minor differences. A joint bill will be sent to Governor Jay Inslee, who is expected to sign it into law. Once signed, the law would take effect in January 2025.

Boaters, however, are being encouraged to not wait and begin voluntarily observing the 1,000-yard buffer in the current boating season. A nonprofit coalition of conservation groups called Give Them Space (givethemspace.org) is offering a voluntary pledge that recreational and commercial boaters can sign, stating that they will immediately heed the 1,000-yard buffer for animals in the J, K, and L pods.

The latest estimates for the number of orcas in the Southern Resident population have fallen from 93 whales in the 1990s to just 73 today, making them one of the most critically endangered species in the country. Not only will the 1,000-yard exclusion zone prevent accidental boat/whale collisions, it will also help reduce underwater noise produced by shipping, which can disrupt the orcas’ ability to echo-locate for prey and mother orcas nursing their young.

“This is a momentous occasion for our state and the protection of our marine life,” said state Rep. Debra Lekanoff (D-Bow), a member of the Tlingit and Aleut Tribes, who championed the House bill. “By creating a setback distance from Southern Resident orcas, we are sending a powerful message that we are committed to protecting our marine ecosystems and respecting the cultural heritage of Native American tribes.”

Before the law is finalized, the Be Whale Wise nonprofit organization is continuing to promote its flag-based educational campaign for boaters in Washington and British Columbia to show their support for orca whale protection, offering “Whale Warning Flags” to alert other boaters when whales are spotted in a particular area. The flag, with a white field and a red, yellow, and black circular logo depicting a whale tail, is recommended to be hoisted as an indication to other boaters to slow their speed or alter their course if whales are spotted nearby. The flags come in two sizes—16-by 24-inches and 2- by 3-feet—and can be found at several marine organization websites in Washington and Canada. For more information about how to obtain these flags, and for further information on best whale safety practices, go to: bewhalewise.org