| New rules to safeguard whales
NOAA's Fisheries Service recently issued new rules on vessel traffic, aimed at protecting the Southern Resident killer whales in Washington's Puget Sound. These marine mammals were added to the Endangered Species list in late 2005.
The Southern Resident population peaked at 97 animals in the 1990s, and then declined to 79 in 2001. It has seen slow growth since then, and now stands at an estimated 86 killer whales, about half of which are sexually mature. The major threats facing the population are - a shortage of its preferred prey of Chinook salmon, disturbance from vessels, and water pollution. The new rules prohibit vessels from approaching any killer whale closer than 200 yards and forbid vessels from intercepting a whale or positioning the vessel in its path. This doubles the current approach distance of 100 yards. The rules go into effect May 16 and apply to all types of boats, including motor boats, sail boats and kayaks, in Washington's inland waters. Exemptions to the rules for safety include vessels actively fishing commercially, cargo vessels travelling in established shipping lanes, and government and research vessels.
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