A new law in Washington state requires boaters to stay 1,000 yards away from Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW) at all times. Experts say this distance is crucial to protecting the endangered population, which is struggling due to declining salmon populations and increasing human disturbance.
Lake Effect Snow Warning for Wyoming and Wayne Counties from late today through Sunday. Wind Advisory for Yates through Midnight.FILE - Two orcas breach near a Washington state ferry along the Kingston-Edmonds ferry route. (Photo: Jolena Tagg, KOMO News #SoNorthwest Photography) One of the joys of living in the Puget Sound region is seeing all the wildlife, including killer whales.“Being close to a whale is a life-changing experience. It never gets old,” John Gardiner told KOMO News.
Boating his entire life, Gardiner said he has seen southern resident whales, transient Biggs, grays and Humpbacks. “Every single time it is a magical experience. The first thing we do is we're always trying to keep an eye out to look for any in advance, but obviously they're underwater, so they may come up and surprise you. If they happen to come up close, we'll usually cut our engines, drift, we'll turn the sonar off as well to make as little noise as we can, and give them as much space as possible,” Gardiner explained., boaters in Washington waters must stay 1,000 yards away from SRKW at all times, which is approximately a half-nautical mile. There are currently just over 70 Southern Resident orcas, consisting of three pods: J, K, and L. “I think it’s too far. At 1,000 yards, you will not even be able to see the whales and you're too close,” Paul Bennett told KOMO. “So it’s not about having the perfect measurement here it’s about changing the mindset to give these whales as much space as possible,” Julie Watson, the state's leader for its Killer Whale Policy told KOMO. She said this new law creates a uniform policy for everyone on the water, commercial, recreational and even kayakers and paddleboarders.The waters that make up Puget Sound are very busy with cruise and cargo ships, along with plenty of recreational boaters all posing a significant threat to the endangered populatio
ORCAS ENDANGERED SPECIES WASHINGTON STATE PUGET SOUND BOATING REGULATIONS
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