 |
Friday, May 30, 2003
Puget Sound orcas officially qualify as 'depleted'
The local orca population was designated yesterday as "depleted" by the federal government. That requires the government to create a plan to help boost the population levels of the killer whales that frequent the Puget Sound.
Last summer, the National Marine Fisheries Service decided not to protect the orcas under the Endangered Species Act, but rather sought protection under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. The latter provides weaker protections and the decision angered environmental groups prompting them to sue the government.
The killer whale population has dropped from around 97 orcas in 1996 to 80 last year. Suspected reasons for the decline include less prey, contamination from toxic chemicals and disturbance from boats.
A draft recovery plan is expected by the end of next year.
My web site
My Yahoo!
Google
 Day in Pictures A spotted eagle and more |
 David Horsey A reminder from 2004 ... |
 Photo gallery Screening of Sex Drive |
· Redfin cuts its work force 20 percent
· Parents arrested for allegedly starving girl
· Oregon pair singes McCain sign
· 'Twilight' fans looking for vampires in Forks
· 400 King County positions to be cut because of tight budget
· Man convicted in Ballard rapes from 12 years ago
· Transportation initiative also cuts arts funding
· Oregon infant recovers from rare disease
· Reward offered in Oregon cabin fire death
· Rossi to file papers in campaign lawsuit
· Oregon State gets $1M to research first Americans
· King County Deaths
more· Wash. father, stepmother charged with mistreatment
· Rossi resists subpoena, says lawsuit political
· Boeing talks with striking machinists break down
· Washington returns from bye to face Oregon State
· Wash. officials predict 83 percent will vote
more· Advocates say government should save wild horses
· Business interests seek employer sanction changes
· Gay support group criticizes Mormon leadership
· Desalting plant near Yuma prepares for restart
· 3 BLM workers held at gunpoint at NV pot garden
more
The Big BlogBy Monica Guzman and other P-I editors and staff
· Canadians have an election too, eh?
· Who is really to blame for our pet shelter problem
· Reader Reports: P-I banned in Thailand
Strange BedfellowsP-I staff on Seattle politics
· Canada's election ends in Vancouver
· Gallup daily poll: Obama 51, McCain 41
· Dearth of new governor's race polls
Seattle Real Estate NewsWith the P-I's Aubrey Cohen
· Trulia embraces crisis
· Quadrant offers new incentive
· Fall not Fannie and Freddie's fault
Seattle TrafficBy Reporter Larry Lange and other P-I staff
· Weigh in on possible bus changes
· Overnight shutdowns Thursday on 520 Bridge
· New ride record claimed for water taxi
101 Elliott Ave. W.
Seattle, WA 98119
(206) 448-8000
Home Delivery: (206) 464-2121 or (800) 542-0820
seattlepi.com serves about 1.7 million unique visitors
and 30 million page views each month.
Send comments to newmedia@seattlepi.com
Send investigative tips to iteam@seattlepi.com
©1996-2008 Seattle Post-Intelligencer
Terms of Use/Privacy Policy
