Friends of the San Juans

This June, Friends of the San Juans began a new multi-year research project that is examining the health of eelgrass across the county. Eelgrass, a flowering plant that grows in shallow marine waters, supports marine food webs, including Dungeness crabs, spawning habitat for Pacific herring, and is a critical place for out-migrating juvenile salmon to ... read more

Help protect Southern Resident killer whales and Chinook salmon!  Your quick action by June 8th is needed to help reduce the impacts of a new off-shore/over-water shipping terminal the size of 202 football fields! This new terminal would decimate critical habitat and increase vessel traffic impacts and oil spill risks in the transboundary Salish Sea. ... read more

With the help of supporters like you, we made some progress in protecting and restoring the San Juan Islands and the Salish Sea for people and nature! Here’s a recap of bills our Staff was tracking and working on this legislative session.   Successes  More work needed. 

Orca Action Month Kick-Off Event and Parade1 pm to 5 pm, Sunday, June 4thFriday Harbor, San Juan IslandRSVP via Facebook! Join Friends of the San Juans, Wild Orca, and Orca Network as we kick off Orca Action Month, honoring the Lasting Legacies of the Southern Residents and celebrating the 50th anniversary of the Endangered Species ... read more

Legislation to safeguard critically endangered Southern Resident killer whales is headed to the Governor’s desk! Senate Bill 5371 requires recreational boaters to stay 1,000 yards away from Southern Residents beginning in 2025.  Lovel Pratt, Marine Protection and Policy Director at Friends shares, “While the 1,000-yard distance requirement won’t be mandatory until 2025, Friends encourages recreational ... read more

Reflections on Irmgard Conley, by Janet Alderton I met my dear friend, Irmgard Conley, when I joined the Friends of the San Juans board of directors in 2006. Irmgard’s commitment to “Keep the San Juans Green!” inspired me to use my background in scientific research to help inform our County’s decision-makers during updates to our ... read more

Reflections on Irmgard Conley, by Krystyna U. Wolniakowski Our boats met each other first. Crashing into ‘CARA’, a 35-foot teak 1964 Cheoy Lee Lion sloop, on a stormy day in April 1980, was a crisis that turned into an opportunity for a lifelong friendship with Irmgard Conley.   When I was a young marine biology graduate ... read more

The Board of Directors of Friends of the San Juans is delighted to announce the appointment ofEva Schulte as Executive Director. Eva brings her passion for the Salish Sea and extensiveexecutive leadership experience across the social sector to Friends. She begins the first week ofApril. Ken Carrasco, President of the Board of Friends of the ... read more

Friends’ litigation to protect the Salish Sea has been in the news. Read more via the following articles: The Northern Light: Corps’ BP Cherry Point limit no limit at all, environmental groups say  The Journal of the San Juan Islands: US Army Corps undermines Magnuson’s Legacy of protecting the Salish Sea from oil The Orcasonian: Army Corps of ... read more

We have an opportunity for you to help Southern Residents, salmon, and all the inhabitants that rely on a healthy Salish Sea!   The Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) has issued a draft rule to reduce threats to Southern Resident killer whales by improving the safety of oil transportation.  As a result of a devasting ... read more