Expand Orca Critical Habitat Now
In early 2015 the National Marine Fisheries Service rightly concluded that, to keep Puget Sound's killer whales from forever disappearing, it was absolutely necessary to protect coastal areas off Washington, Oregon and Northern California under the Endangered Species Act.
But then, in an about-face, the agency postponed a final rule protecting this habitat until 2018 or beyond. The agency says it needs to gather more information, but scientists say there's plenty: Observations and satellite tracking show that the Southern Resident population of 81 orcas uses and needs these foraging grounds.
Meanwhile the threats continue all along the orcas' migration route, down to the San Francisco Bay and beyond: Fast-moving maritime traffic, coastal pollution, ocean noise, fishing gear entanglements and food supply depletion could all be minimized by new rules.
Take action today -- urge the Fisheries Service to end its delays. Species with critical habitat protection are twice as likely to be on the path to recovery as those without.
Lynne Barre:
I am writing to urge you to end the wait and move forward with an expanded critical habitat proposal for Southern Resident killer whales. It's inexcusable to delay this process for another two years gathering more information while this population of just 81 killer whales faces daily threats.
[Your comment will be added here]
This population of orcas is probably the best studied of the world's marine mammals. There's a wide body of scientific research that supports the identification of coastal areas off Washington, Oregon and California as essential winter foraging grounds, and the best available science demonstrates the needed habitat protections.
Because the National Marine Fisheries Service already possesses more than ample data, I urge you to move forward with a proposed rule extending habitat protection throughout these killer whales' winter range. Time is of the essence in saving endangered species.
Sincerely,
[Your name]
