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Endangered Species
FRIENDS has been involved as a co-petitioner in numerous efforts to list local species as endangered, including Orca, Cherry Point Herring and the Island Marble Butterfly. |
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FRIENDS staff have also been heavily involved in salmon recovery planning, research, protection and restoration.
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Orca
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The orca whale is the icon of the San Juan Islands, the much-loved symbol of the natural wonders of the islands, and one of the biggest draws for summer visitors. Sadly, the orca population in the San Juans is in serious decline. This decline stems from several factors, including chemical pollutants in the environment, substantial declines in the salmon that sustain the orcas, and harassment by vessel traffic in close proximity to the whales. In 2005, FRIENDS joined several conservation groups to co-petition the Federal government to list the Southern Resident Orcas as threatened.
On November 15, 2005 the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's National Marine Fisheries Service (NOAA Fisheries Service) announced that the Southern Resident Killer Whales were not just "threatened" but actually endangered. In 2008, NOAA Fisheries published its Recovery Plan for the whales, and in summer 2009, published vessel regulations to address one factor impacting the whales. |
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For more information visit the NOAA website on Killer Whales |
In 2001, FRIENDS began research linked to salmon recovery. FRIENDS identified and mapped the San Juan Archipelagos smelt and sand lance (prey for salmon) spawning beaches, nearshore eelgrass beds and assessed the Countys habitat suitable to support herring spawning. FRIENDS also partnered with WDNR to map the location of canopy kelp habitat in San Juan County and apply this data to improved protection. FRIENDS has provided best available science on San Juan Countys shoreline habitat to over 175 local, state, federal, tribal and NGO scientists and land managers. At the county level, FRIENDS has hosted nearshore science and policy workshops for staff and managers, and participated in numerous public planning processes to improve management of the Countys shorelines. FRIENDS plays a key role in the development and review of the San Juan County chapter of the Puget Sound Salmonid Recovery Plan as well as the SJC Marine Stewardship Area. FRIENDS also works with concerned citizens and local managers to ensure shoreline protection through compliance with existing policies.
FRIENDS uses results from nearshore assessments to identify restoration and protection priorities and implement restoration projects. FRIENDS has worked with private landowners and San Juan County Public Works to restore nearshore habitat important for forage fish and salmon on San Juan, Lopez, Blakely and Shaw Islands. |
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FRIENDS has also applied the results of the forage fish and eelgrass habitat surveys and other best available science to identify shoreline properties for conservation protection through land acquisition, easements and improved management. FRIENDS is working with local land conservation entities to incorporate project results in their strategic land acquisition, conservation easement and long-term stewardship plans.
FRIENDS also continues its scientific and policy analysis to identify key protection and restoration priorities and maintains strong relationships with resource entities (UW, DNR, USGS, Ecology) to ensure that the best science is applied to land use planning and policies. Concurrently, FRIENDS offers information to private shoreline landowners, teachers, land managers and realtors about nearshore habitats and shoreline protection techniques through expert lectures, site visits, feature newsletter articles and media outreach. |
Cherry Point Herring
In May 2004, FRIENDS and a coalition of conservation organizations requested federal protection for the Cherry Point herring under the Endangered Species Act. Cherry Point herring are distinct from other Pacific herring in many respects. Their unique spawning location (near Bellingham) and timing have reproductively isolated Cherry Point herring from other Puget Sound herring, and recent studies indicate that Cherry Point herring are the most genetically divergent herring population in Washington.
Unlike other herring that migrate out to sea, young Cherry Point herring move to freshwater-influenced environments, like estuaries, to feast on the copepods that occur there. Once our States largest herring population, Cherry Point herring have plummeted by 90% over the last three decades and they are not recovering. |
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NOAA Fisheries ruled against this petition, stating that the Cherry Point Stock of Puget Sound herring did not qualify for protection under the Act because it did not meet the standard for a "species" under the law. |
Island Marble Butterfly
The Island Marble Butterfly historically inhabited open grasslands and woodlands in the San Juan Islands but was believed extinct until one small population was found on San Juan Island in 1998. FRIENDS, the Xerces Society, the Center for Biological Diversity, and the Northwest Ecosystem Alliance petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service) to list the Island marble (Euchloe ausonides insulanus) as endangered under the Endangered Species Act on December 10, 2002.
The Service denied this petition, however, following a 12-month status review. The Service concluded that the species did not warrant listing due to a lack of sufficient threat and due to anticipated National Park Service (NPS) the primary landowner of Island Marble habitat's actions intended to ensure the conservation of the butterfly. |
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photo by Keith Van Cleve
For more information visit the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's Marbled Butterfly page |
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