Barry Thom
Regional Administrator of NOAA Fisheries’ West Coast Region
1201 Northeast Lloyd
Portland, OR 97232 [email protected]
Subject:
Fair Fisheries - Southern Resident killer whales
Sample letter
Dear Mr. Thom,
The Southern Resident Killer Whales were listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act in 2005. There are fewer individuals in this population today than at any time since 1976. They struggle to survive due to insufficient wild Chinook salmon throughout their range from Washington to California.
Commercial and recreational fisheries continue to fish for wild Chinook, and a catch limit is set each year for these fisheries, as well as a tribal allocation. However, the whales – the original fishers of this species – are not allocated a share. Without this, they cannot thrive or survive. Animals are dying in their prime, females are unable to bring calves to full term, they’re susceptible to infectious disease, and stressors from pollution, vessel noise, and climate change are amplified without sufficient food.
As the Government Agency with the authority and mandate to recover this species by law, you must act now to save them from extinction. As a matter of urgency, I ask you to allocate a portion of the West Coast Chinook salmon harvest to these whales, until such time as wild salmon rivers and habitats can be restored, to ensure that these wild Chinook salmon – also listed as endangered – are able to recover to historic population levels.
Barry Thom
Regional Administrator of NOAA Fisheries’ West Coast Region
(503) 231-6266
Subject:
Fair Fisheries - Southern Resident killer whales
Sample script
“My name is______ and I am a resident of _____ state. I am calling today as I am alarmed that the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales are slowly starving to death. These whales need wild Chinook salmon to survive. As a matter of urgency, I ask you to allocate a share of the annual West Coast fisheries harvest to these whales. Without a share of the catch, they cannot survive. We cannot allow this icon of the West Coast to go extinct on our watch. Thank you.”