Governor Inslee called for statewide action to protect Southern Resident Killer Whales in the Puget Sound this morning in Seattle.  By executive order, Inslee requested state agencies to take immediate action and identify long term solutions to help recover and protect endangered orcas.

Inslee’s executive order also creates a task force of state agencies, tribal leaders, and stakeholders to create policy recommendations for orca protection and recovery.

“Today we are committing ourselves to action,” said Inslee during Wednesday morning’s press conference. “I will be signing an executive order that commits the state of Washington to real action for real recovery for our real treasure, which are the orca of Puget Sound and the state of Washington.”

Orca population in the Puget Sound is at a 30 year low. In 1995, 98 orcas utilized the Puget Sound, today that number has dropped down to 76.  Multiple threats have contributed to this decline including lack of food, disturbances and noise pollution from increased vessel traffic, warming waters, and toxic contaminants.

During the press conference announcing the executive order, Inslee outlined four priorities the order will address. The goals are to make salmon more available to orcas, provide more space and quieter waters, ensure cleaner waters, and to protect the Puget Sound from potential oil spills.

This year in the legislature, several bills were brought forward to protect orcas, including The Orca Protection Act which ultimately failed to pass in both chambers. The legislature did, however, pass SB 6269, a bill that dedicates state resources to oil spill prevention.

Money from the recently passed supplemental operating budget will also go toward protecting orcas. $548,000 of the state’s general fund for fiscal years 2018-2019 will go toward increasing patrol to keep vessel traffic away from orcas. $837,000 of the general fund is dedicated to increasing hatchery production of key fish species that orcas rely on for food, and $115,000 is dedicated to supporting the development of a long-term action plan for orca recovery.

The first orca task force meeting will take place in April, and Stephanie Solien, co-chair of the task force, says it will be open to the public and invites all to attend.

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