Lifeforce Report to Southern Resident Orca Task Force

— from Peter Hamilton of lifeforcefoundation.org/—

Our full response to Governor’s Inslee Orca Task Force: “It is Black and White: No More Compromises! Keep the SRKWs Alive!” (see link at the end of this article) covers issues that may not be addressed by the Governor’s Task Force.  his report includes the 10 recommendations that are summarized below to help the SRKWs and others.

Task Force Comments: The next meeting of the Southern Resident Orca Task Force will take place on Wednesday, October 17and Thursday, October 18.  Public comment continues to be accepted in writing in a more simple form HERE.

Lifeforce Ocean Friends Recommendations:

1. A Fourth Working Group: Ending Aquarium Captivity for Entertainment and Experiments must be immediately formed with the goal to: Prohibit all aquarium captures and permanent confinement of orcas.

Background: In addition to lack of food, boat traffic and pollution there is in fact a 4th main threat to the SRKWs. The orca captures started by the Vancouver Aquarium in 1964 continues to have a major impact because it takes over 50 years to try to correct the resulting abnormal age/sex ratio. The 68 young orcas and the unreported others who died during captures were mostly the SRKWs. A generation was lost.

2. Stop Boat Traffic! Including Research Boat Traffic!

Implement a Moratorium on Whale Watching the SRKWs. This should include all eco tours, research and private boater traffic.

3. Eco Friendly Whale Watch Companies? An Orca Retirement Plan?

A licensing system must limit the number of whale watching vessels. Adherence to Marine Mammal Regulations and safe operation around orcas that includes the understanding of orca behaviour still continues to raise concerns. Training of whale watching staff must also include learning about wildlife ethics, animal rights and speciesism.

4. Stop Starvation!

In order to get food for the starving orcas there must be minimum 5 year fishing moratoriums on salmon, herring and other species. The big fish eats the little fish to survive! The Ocean Food Chain is broken! Implement Moratoriums to Save Fish Now or Lose Them Forever! Remove the Dams! Protect Habitats!

5. Increase Boater Awareness Education! Increased Enforcement!

The public, industries, aquariums/zoos and others must be better educated! Training by marine associated businesses and associations must include Marine Mammal Regulations and how to properly operate boats for the safety of both orcas and people.

Increased government enforcement must include orca protection groups (such as Soundwatch and Straitwatch) stopping  boats from driving over orcas by using a work zone type SLOW/STOP paddles when boats are hard to intercept and No Go Zones. Example: It is basically impossible to follow regulations in most areas of the Canadian Active Pass.

6. Call Them! Don’t Bomb Them! Stop Noise Pollution!

The use of passive orca playbacks must be a priority for oil spill responses NOT seal bombs and other possible harmful methods presently listed as priority government response methods. Playbacks, developed by Lifeforce, can attract orca pods away from oil spills and other dangers.

7. Disturbances from Other Noise Sources

As further outlined in Recommendation #10 there should be joint discussions between the US and Canadian governments for matters that impact the SRKWs in each country.  This would include the Navy/Armed Forces Tests that include detonation of bombs, Seismic Testing, Marine constuction that includes pile driving, Fireworks displays, Film crews, Boat regattas and other potentially harmful activities.

8. Stop Invasive Experiments that Resulted in the Death of a SRKW! Stop Research Boat Traffic!

Sentient, endangered orca families must not continue to be treated as research tools. They are being studied to death and it must stop! Research vessels drive right over orcas and get within meters.

The cumulative impacts from non invasive research must also be assessed. This would include collecting breath samples, scat samples, and attaching suction cup tracking devices.

 9. Stop Further “J50” Failed  Experiments! Let K25 and His Pregnant Sister Be!

Background: Lessons to Learn? Will Orcas Continue to Die? J50 was gravely ill and was dying. She and her family should have been left in peace not chased by boats, shot with darts and subjected to other failed experiments. Now researchers say 27-year-old male K25 is thinner now than in previous years. However there are 3 pregnant orcas now. One is K25’s sister. Government researchers said they may intervene! This must not be allowed because it would cause major stress harming their health, interuption of foraging and lifestyles and threaten the pregnancy of all three pregnant SRKWs who travel together at times

10. There must be Joint Canadian and US Environmental Impact Studies/Legislation/Treaties for the Protection of Transboundary Species and Shared International Waters! Save the Orcas, Salmon and Everyone!

Background: Some of the major developments that have been and would have a high risk impact on SRKWs and others are the extensive Delta Container Port expansion, the Westshore Coal Terminal 40 Year Plan, Kinder Morgan Pipeline (with the increase of tanker traffic of up to 400 vessels annually and a recent proposal to move the Burnaby plant to Roberts Banks) and the massive Northern LNG plant.

To see the full Lifeforce Report, click here: Lifeforce Orcas It is Black and White Final