THE ORCAS OF SALISH SEA NEED YOUR HELP
The Salish Sea of the Pacific Northwest region is characterized by the presence of the Southern Resident killer whale population. Composed of three different family groups, J, K and L pods, the southern residents have called the Salish Sea their home since the beginning of records, and have faced countless trials at the hands of humans. From a series of shootings that cut the population nearly in half and a period of captures throughout the 60s and 70s, this population has taken multiple blows.
While they’ve been able to bounce back from those events, currently the population stands at 73 individuals, the lowest it has been in 34 years. The southern residents are officially classified as endangered. This approach to extinction is primarily caused by the lack of the southern resident’s primary food source: Chinook salmon. The decline in the salmon population has proved to coincide closely with the stability of the southern resident killer whales, or SRKW. NOAA Fisheries reported that “perhaps the single greatest change in food availability for the resident killer whales since the late 1800s has been the decline of the salmon from the Colombia River Basin“. Aerial footage and constant surveillance by the dedicated research teams has showed the malnutrition in individuals who have been lost from the population due to starvation.
Over fishing and dams preventing the salmon’s migration are the main causes for the salmon decline. As a keystone species of the area, the loss of the salmon causes a detrimental disruption to the entire ecosystem of the area. Particularly the four lower Snake River dams prevent salmon survival, and the removal of the four lower snake river dams (LSRD) has been projected to be efficient economically as well as vital for recovery the salmon population.
The 4LSRD are operated by the Bonneville Power Administration (BPA), a company in financial turmoil. BPA’s debt load stands at around $15-16 billion, and the interest payments of the dams are $43 million. The breaching of the 4LSRD would cost BPA nothing, in fact saving them $38-83 million in operation and maintenance fees. The 4LSRD don’t provide flood control, are used for minimal irrigation and are inefficient in generating income from power. Last year, of the 93,000 hours of hydro-power produced, only 2 were sold to a BPA customer.
So how can you help?
Voicing your opinion to elected officials is one of the best ways you can make an impact from home. The U.S Army Corps of Engineers has opened comment on the removal of the 4LSRD, so now is more important than ever to act on behalf of the southern residents.
They can be contacted at LittleGooseMP@usace.army.mil
You can send a custom email, or send this email provided by my dear friends from PNW Protectors which covers all of the important info:
“Please breach the lower Monumental dam and Little Goose dam as soon as possible to save the salmon and critically endangered starving southern resident killer whales from extinction. Each dam kills 2 million salmon every year and then just recently there was a devastating 300 gallon oil spill which harmed the salmon and the Snake River ecosystem.
If two of the Snake River dams were breached, we would save 4 million salmon every year!”
A petition is also in place for the breaching of the dams that you can sign with a click HERE
Writing an email to Govenor Jay Inslee, expressing your concern for the SRKW population is another easy way to make a difference. He can be contacted HERE
For a list of other government officials that are worth contacting as well, click HERE
Panoramic Ocean is donating 15% of the profits from the 'Spirt of Salish Sea' tee to the Center for Whale Research.The Center for Whale Research works extensively with the population and their conservation. Pick up a cool tee while contributing to this amazing cause!
Pictured is Jessie Gunderman, a conservationist and author of this blog. This picture was taken while she did conservation work this past summer with the Southern Resident killer whales.
For more information on the Southern Resident population and their conservation, check out these links!
https://www.whaleresearch.com/orca-population