Support strong measures to bring orcas back
Orca Recovery Task Force
Washington Governor Inslee recently signed an executive order to designate state agencies to take immediate actions to benefit highly endangered Southern Resident orcas. The Orca Recovery Task Force, made up of members of the state legislature, the Government of Canada, representatives from tribal, federal, local, and other state governments, private sector, and the non-profit sector, will develop long-term action recommendations for orca recovery and future sustainability.
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To:
Orca Recovery Task Force
From:
[Your Name]
Dear Orca Recovery Task Force Members:
We, the undersigned, urge the Orca Recovery Task Force to develop significant policy and program recommendations that will support meaningful actions to recover Southern Resident orcas. It is imperative that the Task Force addresses the following issues identified by the Orca Salmon Alliance to prevent the extinction of Southern Resident orcas:
Prioritize and accelerate salmon habitat restoration and fish-barrier removal projects that will most benefit orcas.
Explore and support near-term actions that would increase chinook salmon productivity and survival in the Columbia River basin by maximizing beneficial spill at the lower Snake and Columbia River dams.
Increase and secure funding for pollution prevention and clean-up programs.
Identify and commit to meeting an ecologically relevant noise reduction goal.
Develop recommendations to reduce the risk of an oil spill and improve safety measures for oil transportation.
Recommend that the state create a permanent position for an Orca Recovery Coordinator to manage, direct, and coordinate ongoing recovery efforts.
The Task Force must be guided by an overall goal of growing and managing healthy, resilient, connected, and functional ecosystems. Continued and expanded reliance on technologies and human interventions – rather than on functional ecosystems – will be unlikely to meet the needs of salmon, orcas, or people.
Sincerely,