Boaters must stay 1,000 yards away from Southern Resident killer whales in Washington waters starting Jan. 1, 2025.
Expanded rules passed by the Washington State Legislature in 2023 are intended to reduce vessel noise and disturbances to orcas. Along with a 1,000-yard buffer zone, boaters approached by a killer whale within 400 yards of their vessel must disengage the transmission, luff sails or stop paddling, if safe to do so, until the whale swims away.
The new law applies to operators of motorized vessels and non-motorized vessels, as well as kayaks and paddleboards.
Vessel noise is one of three key threats (along with toxic contamination and a lack of prey) to the Southern Resident killer whale, said Dr. Julie Watson, the killer whale policy lead with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife in a news release.
“WDFW and partners are working to address these threats, and this new 1,000-yard buffer is a major step in reducing the impacts of vessel disturbance on SRKW behavior,” Watson said. “Boaters reducing noise by staying farther away effectively makes more prey available to SRKW by making it easier for the whales to find and catch salmon.”
WDFW enforcement officers will patrol the Puget Sound, particularly when there are orcas in the water, but WDFW Enforcement Capt. Alan Myers said in the news release that the focus in 2025 will be educating people about the regulations.
“We will issue citations when necessary, especially for egregious violations or repeat offenders, but our officers will largely be focused on making sure people understand the new laws and are trying to do the right thing by giving these whales the space they need,” Myers said.
Charlotte Alden is CDN’s general assignment/enterprise reporter; reach her at charlottealden@cascadiadaily.com; 360-922-3090 ext. 123.
