Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife Commission approves Southern Resident Orca Species Management Plan

Southern Resident orcas are an endangered population of around 75 individuals that spend the majority of their time in the Pacific Northwest. They eat a diet primarily of Chinook salmon and they’re struggling as salmon runs in the region continue to decline.

Commissioners voted to approve the plan last week and included an amendment that requires the plan to be updated every five years, allowing for adaptive management as the population changes over time.

Environment Oregon submitted over 300 comments to commissioners calling on them to finalize a plan that prioritized population recovery for these endangered marine mammals.

Below is an excerpt from the comments submitted:

Since time immemorial, Southern Residents orcas have been the apex predators of the Pacific Northwest. However, today fewer than 75 remain and human activities continue to put them at risk. We’ve dammed rivers negatively impacting their main food source Chinook salmon. We’ve polluted their environment and continuously make it difficult for them to forage and hunt with our vessels in the water.

Oregon’s species management plan for Southern Resident orcas presents an opportunity to help support them. We urge you to make the plan as effective as possible regarding their species recovery, before it’s too late.