Proposed Conservation Plan for Southern Resident Killer Whales (Orcinus orca)

Abstract

The Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, as amended (MMPA), requires the Secretary of Commerce to prepare a conservation plan to promote the conservation and recovery of any species or stock designated as depleted under the Act. Conservation plans under the MMPA are modeled on recovery plans under the Endangered Species Act (ESA). Southern resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) occur primarily in Washington State and British Columbia, and are major predators of salmon and other fish. The whales exhibit advanced vocal communication and live in highly stable social groupings, or pods, led by matriarchal females. The southern resident stock experienced an almost 20 percent decline from 1996 to 2001 and was petitioned for listing under the ESA in 2001. Following a review of the whales’ status, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) determined that the southern resident stock was below its Optimal Sustainable Population (OSP) and designated it as depleted under the MMPA in May 2003 (68 FR 31980). There is currently a proposal to list southern residents as threatened under the ESA (69 FR 76673, December 22, 2004). NMFS held a series of workshops in 2003-2004 to receive input from a variety of stakeholders on ideas for management actions to include in this plan. A preliminary draft document was posted for public review in March 2005. This proposed conservation plan reviews and assesses the potential factors affecting the southern residents, which include natural factors such as disease and strandings, as well as anthropogenic factors including pollution, vessel effects, sound, and oil spills. There are also factors that have both natural and human-related components, such as prey availability, which is affected by oceanographic conditions, fisheries management, and land-use practices, among other impacts. The plan lays out an adaptive management approach and a conservation strategy that addresses each of the potential threats based on the best available science. The conservation measures outline links the management actions to an active research program to fill data gaps, and monitoring to assess effectiveness. Feedback from research and monitoring will provide the information necessary to refine ongoing actions and develop and prioritize new actions. Conservation measures in the plan include: Prey Availability: Support salmon restoration efforts in the region including habitat, harvest and hatchery management considerations and continued use of existing NMFS authorities under the ESA and Magnuson-Stevens Fishery Conservation and Management Act to ensure an adequate prey base. Pollution/Contamination: Clean up existing contaminated sites, minimize continuing inputs of contaminants harmful to killer whales, and monitor emerging contaminants. Vessel Effects: Continue with evaluation and improvement of guidelines for vessel activity near southern resident killer whales and evaluate the need for regulations or protected areas. Oil Spills: Prevent oil spills and improve response preparation to minimize effects on southern residents and their habitat in the event of a spill. Acoustic Effects: Continue agency coordination and use of existing MMPA mechanisms to minimize potential impacts from anthropogenic sound. Education and Outreach: Enhance public awareness, educate the public on actions they can participate in to conserve killer whales and improve reporting of southern resident killer whale sightings and strandings. Respond to Sick, Stranded, Injured Killer Whales: Improve responses to live and dead killer whales to implement rescues, conduct health assessments, and determine causes of death to learn more about threats and guide overall conservation efforts. Transboundary and Interagency Coordination: Coordinate monitoring, research, enforcement, and complementary recovery planning with international, federal and state partners. Research and Monitoring: Conduct research to facilitate and enhance conservation efforts. Continue the annual census to monitor trends in the population, identify individual animals, and track demographic parameters. The ultimate goal of the plan is to meet the criteria for a population at its OSP, thereby allowing the removal of its depleted designation. When the southern resident killer whales reach a recovery goal within or above the range of calculated maximum net productivity levels (estimated at 84-120 whales over multiple years), they will no longer meet the definition of a depleted stock. Monitoring population trends over time will be necessary to confirm that the population has achieved stability within OSP. Conservation of the southern resident killer whale stock is a long-term effort that requires cooperation and coordination of the Washington and British Columbia communities. The plan was developed with input from a variety of stakeholders, including federal and state agencies, tribes, non-profit groups, industries, the academic community, and concerned citizens. Development of this plan was closely coordinated with the State of Washington and Fisheries and Oceans Canada.