tursiops.org - Orcinus Orca may end up on Washington State's endangered species list.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has proposed the listing, pointing to an 18 percent decline in killer whale numbers from 1996 to 2001. (click read more to read article)

Orcas might land on state's endangered list Pods in Puget Sound face variety of threats

JOHN DODGE THE OLYMPIAN
Orcas that prowl the waters of Puget Sound could be headed onto the state's endangered species list. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife has proposed the listing, pointing to an 18 percent decline in killer whale numbers from 1996 to 2001.

While a state listing doesn't carry the weight of a federal listing, it's seen by many as a way to increase public awareness of the orcas' plight and afford some additional protection. "Certainly, it's a move I support," said Olympia-based marine mammal researcher John Calambokidis. "This is a small population that has clearly declined and clearly faces three distinct threats."

Threats to the 83 individual whales in the J, K and L pods include:
- Historic decline in their main prey -- salmon.
- Accumulation of pollutants such as PCB and DDT residues. Sitting at the top of the marine food chain, killer whales are considered among the most contaminated marine mammals in the world.
- Disturbance and noise from whale-watching activities that have mushroomed in recent years.
Researchers remain divided over which of the three threats is most significant to the whales.

The three pods that make up the so-called southern residents typically are found in Puget Sound and Canada's Georgia Basin from spring through fall. They have been spotted as far north as the Queen Charlotte Islands in British Columbia and as far south as Monterey Bay in California. Occasionally they venture into South Sound.

The most southern sightings so far this fall have been around Seattle and Vashon Island, according to Susan Berta of Orca Network, a Whidbey Island nonprofit group that keeps tabs on the whales' movements.

If the orca listing is approved, Fish and Wildlife will begin work on a recovery plan for killer whales in Washington waters. Canada is working on its own plan, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Fisheries is developing a conservation strategy under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

"The killer whale is not only a magnificent animal, but it is an indicator of the overall health of the Pacific Northwest ecosystem," said Jeff Koenings, director of the state Fish and Wildlife Department. "It is vital we work together to achieve its recovery."

Unlike the federal Endangered Species Act, the state lacks the authority to protect the whale's habitat.

However, a state listing would require state agencies to consider potential harm to the killer whales when they issue project permits, said Harriet Allen, endangered species manager for Fish and Wildlife.

"The main thing a listing does is raise public awareness and acknowledge the status of the species," Allen said.

"Any opportunity to look into the causes of their decline is important," Berta said. "It helps the public understand there is a problem."

John Dodge covers the environment and energy for The Olympian. He can be reached at 360-754-5444 or jdodge@olympia.gannett.com.