Wildlife officials remind recreational boaters to give orca whales plenty of room – Bellingham Herald
by Kie Relyea
Give orca whales plenty of space this summer.
That’s the reminder Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officials are giving to recreational boaters – at a time when more boaters head out amid southern resident whales, which are in area waters, mainly in northern Puget Sound, from spring into fall.
Wildlife officials also want boaters to give a wide berth to other marine mammals.
As for the orca, also known as killer whales, state law requires boaters to stay at least 300 feet – the length of a football field – away from them Boaters who accidentally get closer must stop and let the whales pass, according to wildlife officials.
The state regulations apply to small watercraft, including tour boats, private powerboats, sailboats, kayaks, canoes, and personal floatation devices.
“Believe me, we do recognize they’re spectacular,” said Rocky Beach, wildlife diversity division manager for the Department of Fish and Wildlife. “But at the same time we don’t want to hurt the whales or detract from them being successful in their recovery.”
Southern resident orcas are listed as endangered under state and federal law, with about 90 whales.
The whales need space because vessel disturbance can interfere with their ability to feed, communicate with one another, and care for their young, wildlife officials said.
Beach said three things affect the southern resident whales: A drop in the population of salmon, their main source of food; the level of boat traffic, and harassment they encounter as a result; and environmental contaminants.
All three are related, he said.
It’s likely the whales are having a tough time finding food, so they’re spending more energy to feed. If they are moved off their path because of multiple encounters with boaters, they must burn even more energy to hunt.
That causes their bodies to use more of their blubber, which in turn pulls more contaminants into their system, such as heavy metals and polychlorinated biphenyls.
Read more: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2010/07/02/1509419/wildlife-officials-reminder-recreational.html#ixzz0setlty3u
