Effects of Salmon Fisheries on Southern Resident Killer Whales

Southern Resident killer whales are listed as endangered under both the U.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA) and Canada's Species at Risk Act (SARA). New scientific information and analyses about the Southern Resident population and the extent of their reliance on salmon - particularly large Chinook salmon - strongly suggest that Chinook abundance is very important to survival and recovery of Southern Residents. This relationship has potentially serious implications for salmon fisheries and other activities that affect the abundance of Chinook salmon.

We want to review information in a transparent and scientifically rigorous manner. We believe we can best accomplish this in a joint effort with Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) in a process that engages scientists with a broad range of scientific specialties.