0912, 2014

Activist group calls for San Juan whale protection zone

By srschram|December 9, 2014|News, Orca, Protection Zone, Puget Sound|

From MyNorthwest.com: Activists are calling for a limited, whale protection zone off San Juan Island to help the declining local population of endangered orcas. The protection zone could include a no-wake speed limit to cut noise and discourage whale watching boats that sometimes pursue orcas. “They need more chance to rest and to socialize in a quieter environment,” said Bruce Stedman, executive director of Orca Relief Citizens Alliance. “But particularly,

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0912, 2014

Whale Protection Zone Report to be released 12/11

By srschram|December 9, 2014|Orca Relief, Protection Zone|

Orca Relief Citizens’ Alliance to announce this week recommendations on how a Whale Protection Zone could be designed, monitored and enforced. Orca Relief is calling on the National Marine Fisheries Service to begin the creation of a Whale Protection Zone immediately. Stay tuned. UPDATE: Report available here

0611, 2014

ORCA Director, Bruce Stedman at The Whale Trail’s Orca Talk

By srschram|November 6, 2014|News, Orca, Orca Relief, Protection Zone, SRKWs, Whales|

From the West Seattle Blog: During that event, Bruce Stedman of Orca Relief talked about his organization’s proposal of a zone in the San Juans where boats would have to keep a greater distance from whales than they do now. He said it’s not the only action that’s needed to help them – but it’s the one that could make a difference the quickest. Pointedly, he noted that the recovery

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1610, 2014

Protected zone for orcas? Find out about it at The Whale Trail’s upcoming Orca Talk

By srschram|October 16, 2014|News, Orca, Orca Relief, Protection Zone, Puget Sound|

The first presentation in a new series of Orca Talks presented by West Seattle-headquartered The Whale Trail: You’ll hear about the proposal for “A Protected Zone for Puget Sound Orcas,” 7 pm Thursday, October 30th at C & P Coffee Company (WSB sponsor). From TWT executive director Donna Sandstrom: The Southern Resident Killer Whales are endangered and seriously declining; their 2014 population of 79 is the lowest since 1985. To

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1309, 2014

Only 78 Southern Resident Orca Remain: Are We Seeing the Beginning of Their Extinction?

By srschram|September 13, 2014|Orca Relief, Press Releases, Protection Zone|

Recent articles in the Seattle Times and Post Intelligencer have confirmed that the Federally Endangered Southern Resident Orca have now been reduced to only 78 individuals. There is also a newborn (which is not yet included in the formal count), the only one born since 2012. While it is certainly good news that a calf has been born, this population has been in decline for a decade and is now

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