OLYMPIA, Wash. — A bill that would provide additional protections for Southern Resident orcas has passed the Senate and now awaits approval in the House.
SB 5371 would increase the distance an unlicensed vessel must maintain away from a Southern Resident killer whale (SRKW) to 1,000 yards.
Currently, boaters must stay at least 300 yards from Southern Resident killer whales and at least 400 yards out of the path in front of or behind them. Vessels are required to reduce their speed to seven knots within a half mile of the SRKW.
Licensed professional whale watching vessels already are required to maintain a 1,000-yard distance from SRKWs. SB 5371 would make that standard consistent for all vessels.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife recommended a 1,000-yard buffer in November as part of a legislative report.
"We appreciate legislative leaders inviting an opportunity to reflect on our current statutes for recreational boaters and commercial whale watching operators," Julie Watson, Ph.D., WDFW's killer whale policy lead, said in a release. "Given the dire state of the Southern Resident killer whale population and the latest science on vessel impacts on foraging success, implementing the report's recommendation to update the buffer around Southern Residents would support recovery of this endangered population."
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 WDFW 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.
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