State lists Puget Sound orca as in danger | Seattle Times

[Ediacara]

State lists Puget Sound orca as in danger

By Sharon Pian Chan
Seattle Times staff reporter

Hoping to send a message to the federal government, the state Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission has added the region's killer whales to Washington state's list of endangered species.

The commission voted unanimously Saturday to approve the listing, while the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) weighs whether to grant the orcas federal endangered status. Covering the killer whales under the federal Endangered Species Act would likely mean significant policy changes ranging from waterfront construction to cruise-ship operations.

"It's critical that the federal government looks into this and that they don't just blow it off," said Russ Cahill, a Fish and Wildlife commissioner. "This is the major flag that waves over the Puget Sound as far as I'm concerned."

More at the Seattle Times

[Superfly]

1. Let's see how many San Juan Islands

whale watching tour operators you can google. Why people can't just leave orcas and other whales alone is beyond me.

[Ediacara]

2. Whale watching is part of the problem

But I suspect these other major influences:

1) Overfishing of prey items
2) Chemical pollution in prey items (PCBs and other nasty things)

Are ultimately a much larger part of the problem.