Southern Resident Killer Whale Task Force Recommendations: Moving forward with recovery

• Main Author: Galuska, Tara
• Format: Text
• Language: English
• Published: Western CEDAR 2022
• Subjects: Killer Whale; Killer whale
• Online Access: https://cedar.wwu.edu/ssec/2022ssec/allsessions/412; https://cedar.wwu.edu/context/ssec/article/3574/viewcontent/476_d2570085d75942988ef422be2fa9e6c7.pdf

Southern Resident Killer Whale Task Force Recommendations: Moving forward with recovery The grace, beauty and iconic nature of Southern Resident killer whales resonate with all of us around the Salish Sea, yet their declines are alarming. These orcas face multiple complex threats: lack of food, primarily salmon, disturbance and noise from vessel traffic and toxic contaminants, in addition to climate change and a growing population. Washington State Governor, Jay Inslee, signed Executive Order 18-02: Southern Resident Killer Whale Recovery and Task Force in 2018. Through the executive order, state agencies were directed to implement immediate actions to benefit the whales. A task force was established to identify a long-term action plan for the recovery of the whales to ensure a healthy and sustained population for the future. The task force identified and wrote up 49 recommendations. I will share progress on implementation of the recommendations, including budget and policy implications and how some of the recommendations supported or lead to policy changes. This collective work and collaboration is critical for the whales and this talk will identify some key priorities to keep us moving toward recovery.