NOAA Sparks U.S.-Canadian Dialogue on Endangered Killer Whales
Lynne Barre
Northwest Regional Office, NOAA Fisheries Service
May 21, 2009 — NOAA scientists gathered more than 175 wildlife naturalists and educators for the first time this spring to discuss the endangered population of killer whales residing year-round in U.S. and Canadian waters off the coast of Washington state and British Columbia.
Southern resident killer whales, listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act in 2005, are a cultural icon of the Pacific Northwest. Photo credit: Dawn Noren, NOAA Fisheries.
Speakers from the two countries presented new research and updates on the endangered status of what are known as southern resident killer whales, many of whom live in and around Puget Sound. Presenters also discussed the top threats to the whales: sufficient prey, ocean contaminants, and vessel traffic/noise. Other noteworthy presentation highlights included:
- Whales are "speaking up" and increasing their call volumes in response to an increase in noise from ships and other vessels.
- Southern residents have PCB (polychlorinated biphenyl, a banned pollutant) levels that exceed the threshold for adverse health effects seen in other marine mammals.
- Scientists deploy dogs to sniff out whale feces in the water that are used to measure stress hormones.
Southern resident killer whales, listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act in 2005, are a cultural icon of the Pacific Northwest and support a multi-million-dollar ecotourism industry in the U.S. and Canada. Educational outreach to naturalists — especially those who working with the public — is a key part of an ESA Recovery Plan designed to protect the whales.
“The Transboundary Naturalist Workshop was a great success in implementing actions in the [killer whale] recovery plan,” said Suzanne Russell of the Northwest Fisheries Science Center, one of the workshop organizers. “Naturalists enjoyed hearing directly from NOAA scientists and other researchers and learning new information about the killer whales, which they can share with whale-watchers this summer.”
The two-day workshop in Port Townsend, Wash., was organized by staff from NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Northwest Regional Office, and personnel from the Whale Museum in Friday Harbor, Wash. The workshop also received support from the Fisheries and Oceans Canada, the Pacific Whale Watch Association, and several local vendors.
Alan Wolf, NOAA Office for Law Enforcement, answers questions from the naturalists along with other members of the management and enforcement panel. From left: Russ Mullins, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife; Lynne Barre, Northwest Regional Office; and Paul Cottrell, Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Photo credit: Jeff Hogan.