04/10/2007: "Council Presented Draft Rules on Whale Watching"

The County Council may take a first look today at a “Draft - For Discussion Purposes” from the Friends of the San Juans, that is an attempt to protect Orca whales in San Juan waters from harassment or harm by boaters. The draft regulations are seen as an “interim ordinance” until the “National Marine Fisheries Service rule regulating vessel effects to Orcas becomes effective”

The following regulations have been presented to the Council as a draft for possible discussion:

A. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any watercraft at a speed of greater than 6 knots when such watercraft is within 400 metres/yards of the nearest Southern Resident Killer W1iale (Orcinus orca), also known as the Orca whale, within the marine waters of San Juan County.

B. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any watercraft within 100 metres/yards of the nearest Orca whale. In the event a person's watercraft is not in compliance with the 100 metre/yards requirement due to an abrupt or unexpected change in course by one or more Orca whales, such person shall disengage and turn off its engine until all Orca whales have passed a distance of at least 400 metres/yards.

C. It shall be unlawful for any person to approach an Orca whale in any watercraft from the front or from behind the path of an Orca whale.

D. It shall be unlawful for any person to operate any watercraft within 400metres/yard of the path of any Orca whale