A new science panel report is calling for urgent and bold measures to help save the endangered southern resident killer whales, whose population has fallen to just 73 individuals with no signs of recovery.
The report was developed during a three-day workshop held in Vancouver earlier this year and is based on decades of scientific research. It outlines 26 recommendations—many of which experts say can be implemented right away.
Among the top priorities are protecting early-run Fraser River Chinook salmon, enforcing stricter vessel noise limits, and phasing out toxic pollutants like PCBs that continue to threaten the whales’ health.
Scientists say time is running out for the small and fragile population. One expert describes the southern residents as “ecosystem sentinels,” noting that their survival reflects the overall health of the West Coast’s marine environment.
