U.S. Outlines Killer Whale Recovery Plans

Friday, January 25, 2008
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - Pollution, lack of salmon and noise from vessels are all contributing to the decline of southern resident killer whales, says the U.S. federal orca recovery plan released yesterday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recovery plan for the killer whales meshes with the Canadian strategy, not yet finalized, and fingers many of the same problems.

The U.S. plan lays out a pricey road map for helping the endangered killer whales, which spend much of their year living in Juan de Fuca Strait and Puget Sound. It sets an ambitious target of a population growth of 2.3 per cent over 28 years, eventually leading to the orcas being removed from endangered lists in the U.S. and Canada.

There are 88 southern residents in J, K and L Pods. The high, in recent years, was 97 in 1996 and the low was 79 in 2001.

The U.S estimates the cost of recovery and research efforts over the next five years at about $15 million and, over 28 years, the estimated cost is $49.5 million.

Lynne Barre, marine mammal specialist with NOAA fisheries and a lead author of the report, said it lays out possible actions, such as evaluating the need for federal whale watching regulations and restoring salmon runs.

"Nothing is going to change tomorrow, it's more a process," she said.

The whole community must become involved, Barre added. "I think they will. Killer whales are very charismatic and popular and I think they will help increase support for cleaning up Puget Sound and restoration of salmon runs," she said.

Pulling resident orcas off the endangered lists will not be an easy task, the report cautions.

"There was concern about the viability of the southern residents and (the team) concluded that it is at risk of extinction because of either small-scale impacts over time, or a major catastrophe," it says.

Among possible catastrophes are oil spills in the Puget Sound area, says the report, which wants better oil-spill prevention strategies and improved response preparation to minimize the effect on whales if there is a spill.

Persistent chemicals in the ocean are a more insidious threat.

"Current levels of contaminant in the environment indicate that previous regulations and mechanisms were not enough to protect killer whales," it says.

Banned substances such as DDT and PCBs still show up in whale blubber.

Contaminated sites should be cleaned up and emerging contaminants must be monitored, the report says.

Diane Lake, Department of Fisheries and Oceans spokeswoman, said a Canadian representative sits on the U.S. recovery team and vice versa.

"We are pleased the U.S. strategy is now complete because it complements our efforts," she said.

The Canadian plan will be finalized this spring, Lake said.

Kelley Balcomb-Bartok, researcher with the Center for Whale Research in Friday Harbor, Wash., said the plan is good, but it is just a beginning and the U.S and Canadian governments must now show long-term commitment.

"The Canadians have led the game. They went for endangered (status) before the U.S. government," he said.

Killer whales are the canaries in the coal mine, showing the long-term effect of pouring toxins into the environment, Balcomb-Bartok said.

Most people wholeheartedly want resident killer whales to survive, but it does mean a financial commitment, and, as the U.S. enters an economic downturn, there will be challenges, Balcomb-Bartok said.

"I hope people will realize it is not taking money from the welfare system, it is making a financial commitment to our planet," he said.

Source: The Victoria Times Colonist