An amazing and informative encounter with endangered killer whales like the one above, unexpected and unavoidable at times (notice our captain following the guidelines, makes the attempt to move the vessel to avoid a close encounter within 100 yards but didn’t realize an animal was right there), changes peoples lives, giving them motivation and passion to make changes in their lives in hopes of creating a better world for sensitive species like these. This is a perfect illustration of how things can happen even when the current guidelines are followed, and this will be no different with the proposed new guidelines. I don’t believe in censoring whale photos and video because I do not feel I am guilty of doing something wrong. What age have we entered where we’re considering doing so?, such a paranoid time isn’t going to solve the issues this planet faces. Honesty, reality, and truth. Common people let’s get it together!

Disclaimer: The following is my personal opinion. I am no expert, I am no scientist, but I am 1 person with a perspective (and there are many perspectives), so here it goes.

NOAA has proposed new guidelines for the southern resident killer whales. You can read about those here. This is based off of a couple of studies, highlighting one in particular that suggests that boats initiate orca behavior up to 200 yards away.

I feel concern for the new proposed guidelines for a variety of reasons and I am all about protecting the orcas. I also watch orcas from land and from boats, the boat I am on uses a whale friendly drive for noise reduction underwater. To me the new guidelines also create new problems… and, will this change actually make a difference in saving these whales? I think it’s time to start enforcing boater education (about behaving around marine life) upon obtaining a license, install enforcement (materials in addition to “be whale wise” guidelines) in marinas, enforcing greener boating technology and viewing platforms, enforcing a reformed 100 yard guideline (with having engines cut within a 200 yard radius as our current guidelines “flaw” could be actually more disturbing to the orcas), and most importantly, address their fish (food) crisis (fish farms, over fishing) and start resolving pollution issues. And should commercial fishing vessels be allowed to fish in the orcas proposed “no go zone”? as it is suggested in the new guideline proposal? As for pollution, run off, sewage? I really don’t know where to begin except that we change our behaviors when it comes to consuming products of a greener nature. Unless all of these areas are reviewed, I doubt very much that we will have much success. I also hate to see groups demonized in the process, this involves all of us to cooperate together. Whale watching is an important platform for the public and I would hate to see it stripped away.

Monika Wieland on the proposed new Orca Guidelines – Awesome post, please read.

I feel sympathetic for those people who don’t understand this situation and are either too afraid to comment or then feel the need to side with this new guideline “just in case” because yes it does sound like a good idea. However I feel that once you have really looked at this yourself (on scene experience is helpful) you will see what reality we are facing. Having covered some education in hazards, it has helped me to look at a task at hand realistically and approach it in an unbiased nature. I have stated a summary comment above which is based off long winded conversations and rants of my own in a private realm. All we can do is to help the public understand this issue better, so that they can contribute a useful voice when it comes to protecting endangered wildlife such as the southern resident killer whales. Please read the link above, and contribute your comment to the links provided at the bottom of that post.

We the people need to be careful when emotionally responding so that we may choose wisely the best approach for these orcas. We must demonstrate a collective knowledge that says “we understand these animals are contaminated and their food stalks an issue”. By voicing our concerns about the proposed guidelines, we are actually and rightfully enforcing government to take the appropriate action where it is urgently required, which unless we push hard, this will continue to go unaddressed and then these animals really are doomed for extinction as the science suggests. Our own fate follows theirs. This entire website was inspired by our bound fates… We’re all connected.

A quick recap in point form of what I think would be helpful;

1. Refined guidelines & slow go zone for the San Juan Island shoreline (no start up within 200 yards, 100 yard from animal)
2. Enforcement strengthened (within ww fleet, stronger on the water presence, more financial support to monitors)
3. Green boating technology and systems
4. Mandatory marine mammal education upon obtaining a personal boating license
5. Pro active published materials handed out on whale watching boats and marinas about pollution impacts
6. Fish management / fish farms strongly addressed
7. Limited number of boats present with wildlife (I have seen various written approaches on this; licenses etc)
8. Communication and cooperation between industry groups, ending of demonizing and finger pointing

Update October 5 – my comments on the Orca Sphere blog here – enforcement being my issue of concern.

http://orcinus.blogspot.com/2009/10/power-to-people.html – my own comments on the difficulty of the topic.