Orca task force to meet Tuesday

Endangered orcas will be the focus of a discussion led by Governor Jay Inslee Tuesday.

The threat to the Southern Resident Killer Whales in our waters and all along the West Coast is a topic many have been concerned about.

Their population is dangerously low and the governor is pushing for something to be done. Leading the effort is a 50-member task force set up this spring whose members will attend the meeting.

The goal is to come up with a plan to save the whales, including reducing noise by vessels, cracking down on contaminants and boosting the number of Chinook salmon for their feeding.

Extra attention was placed on the orca task force after a sick whale calf started getting worldwide attention.

The good news is that she’s getting better.

The orca, named J-50, was spotted with her pod by a whale watching operator Friday near Jordan River, B.C. The J-Pod headed east toward the Salish Sea but turned back west toward open waters again.

Whale experts say that's not unusual, but it does keep J-50 out of reach for another dose of antibiotics and a deworming medication.

Meanwhile, earlier this month, the Center for Biological Diversity filed a lawsuit against the Trump Administration, demanding the federal government also take immediate action to save the whales, whose population is the lowest in 30 years.

The public meeting will be held in Anacortes at Swinomish Casino and Lodge, 12885 Casino Drive, from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Public comment will be taken from 4:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.  Those who cannot attend can also submit their comments online at this link.

Cox Media Group