Press Briefing - Orca Whale Recovery
with Senator Maria Cantwell and Bob Lohn, NOAA Fisheries
remarks by Dr. Jeff Koenings, WDFW Director
October 26, 2003

First of all let me say that Senator Cantwell is to be commended for her continuing efforts to conserve and restore the orca populations in the shared waters of Washington and British Columbia.

We, at the State of Washington, are keenly aware of the plight of Luna, and have been monitoring Luna's movements very closely by talking with Canadian federal officials both at the technical and policy levels.

We have also been partnering with NOAA fisheries on the state's role in relocation efforts. We are pleased to see so many agencies and organizations come together for this effort, and look forward to continuing the efforts to bring Luna home. This kind of cooperation and concern is what made last year's relocation of the orca Springer successful and will hopefully enable a similar outcome for Luna.

The WDFW is prepared to provide our scientific expertise, equipment and enforcement presence on the water to assist Luna in a fashion similar to that we provided to Springer.

We could call these combined efforts our focused short-term approach.

Yet, we are also keenly concerned about the health and continued viability of the southern orca pod that Luna may be soon joining. This major concern centers on the health of Puget Sound waters which really has gotten our collective attention!

To that longer term effort, we have been working with Canadian Provincial officials on the quantitative assessment of the health of the Puget Sound/Georgia Basin trough. This join Eco-Region Conservation Assessment will help guide efforts to maintain biodiversity within the region.

After all, the health of the waters of the Puget Sound eco-region is essential for the long term health of the critters that occupy those waters including the southern resident pod of orcas. Right now both are at risk.

The state has been working collaboratively with NOAA officials on a recovery plan for this depleted population of whales, and through funding the Governor's office has nearly completed a killer whale status review that may soon add the orca to the state's list of threatened and endangered species.

Since the whales don't recognize political boundaries, the key is working together, bridging those boundaries to bring the strengths of people like Senator Cantwell, the Navy, NOAA fisheries, state and Canadian officials, and our many concerned citizens, bringing those combined strengths to bear on restoring the orca populations and the overall health of the waters within Puget Sound and the Georgia Basin.

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