OLYMPIA, Wash — The Washington state House of Representatives and Senate passed a bill that would provide additional protections for Southern Resident orcas.
Senate Bill 5371 would increase the distance an unlicensed vessel must maintain away from a Southern Resident orcas to 1,000 yards.
Currently, boaters must stay at least 300 yards from the orcas and at least 400 yards out of the path in front of or behind them. Vessels are required to reduce their speed to 7 knots within a half mile of a Southern Resident pod.
Licensed professional whale-watching vessels already are required to maintain a 1,000-yard distance from the orcas. SB 5371 would make that standard consistent for all vessels.
The bill will modify the commercial whale-watching business license fees, eliminate certain fees and create paddle tour business and paddle guide licenses with associated fees in place of kayak guide licenses, which will be distinct from commercial whale-watching business licenses.
Representative Debra Lekanoff, a supporter of the bill and a member of the Tlingit and Aleut Tribes, has been a longtime advocate for the protection of orcas, or qalʼqaləx̌ič in the Coast Salish Lushootseed language.
She sees the passage of the bill as a significant triumph for the Salish Sea ecosystem and the cultural heritage of Native American Tribes.
“This is a momentous occasion for our state and the protection of our marine life,” Lekanoff said. “By creating a setback distance from southern resident orcas, we are sending a powerful message that we are committed to protecting our marine ecosystems and respecting the cultural heritage of Native American tribes.”
The bill will head to Governor Jay Inslee’s desk for a signature. It is set to take effect in January 2025.
A census in September recorded the Southern Resident population at just 73, and over the summer 12 Southern Resident orcas were designated as vulnerable due to their body condition.
The bill would enable the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to revoke a license and order a two-year suspension for unlawful commercial whale watching or engaging in a paddle tour in the first degree.