Orca Recovery Plan Details Threats But Short on Recovery Actions

The National Marine Fisheries Service today released its recovery plan for endangered Southern resident orca whales.

Seattle, WA Jan 24, 2008

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The National Marine Fisheries Service today released its recovery plan for endangered Southern resident orca whales.

The plan confirms that the population is in danger of extinction and appropriately describes threats to the orcas. However, People For Puget Sound's initial review of the recovery plan finds that the plan lacks specifics in actions need to address the threats.

"We know that toxic pollutants are in the fats of Southern residents and that the levels of these pollutants in their prey-- salmon -- need to be reduced," said People For Puget Sound's Urban Bays Coordinator Heather Trim. "However, where are the actions to match these known threats? Current regulations are not protecting orcas. We would have like to have seen specific regulations proposed by NOAA in this recovery plan."

Targets for reducing pollutant levels and for increasing prey levels are not specified in the plan, according to Trim. "The plan continues to rely on the Salmon Recovery plans for prey increases," she said. "With global warming and other threats, we know that these plans are not adequate. The Plan also continues to rely on ongoing Puget Sound Partnership efforts rather than outlining what the Partnership need to address in its Action Agenda."

One of the only definitive actions identified in the plan is to establish permanent funding for deploying a year-round rescue tug at Neah Bay.

People For Puget Sound is pleased that NOAA plans to hold ad-hoc work groups to address the adaptive management issues and had asked NOAA to convene key scientists and policy makers to come up with specific actions in its recovery plan.

"We can't continue to do business as usual if we are going to recover our orcas," said Trim.

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Contact:
Heather Trim, People For Puget Sound | 206.382.7007
Mike Sato, People For Puget Sound | 206.229.2844

News Media Articles:

1/24/08 Associated Press: Puget Sound Orca Recovery Plan Released

1/24/08 Seattle PI: Saving orcas will cost billions, feds say

1/25/2008 KUOW-FM: Orca Protection

TAKE ACTION: SAVE THE SOUND, SAVE THE WHALES

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