species protection

Friends of the San Juans took action against Whatcom County’s permit decision for a Phillips 66 Ferndale Refinery project, involving a new pipe bridge and relocating underground pipelines to above-ground. Phillips 66’s application lacked clarity about the purpose of these pipes, including their potential role in crude oil or refined product transfers at the refinery’s ... read more

Join us live on Instagram or on Facebook for the Celebration of Life today for Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut (Tokitae) https://www.instagram.com/friendsofthesanjuansinsta/live/ https://www.facebook.com/FriendsSanJuans/ Despite copious amounts of testing, our live YouTube feed wasn’t so hot, so we pivoted! Thanks for bearing with the buffering, friends! Last week the community was heartbroken to learn that Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut (Tokitae) died suddenly while ... read more

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

Sign up for our action alerts! Be sure to select "Regional Action Alerts" from the list of emails you want to receive! Email us at [email protected] and let us know you are especially interested in taking action against Roberts Bank Terminal 2, and we'll make sure to update you as opportunities arise. For Immediate Release ... 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

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

  Free Film Premier Event with two viewing options on Orcas and San Juan Islands! Right Over the Edge: The Search for the North Pacific Right Whale, followed by an in-person Q&A with filmmaker Kevin Campion.  Thursday, May 18, 7:00 pm SeaView Theatre 234 A St, Eastsound, Orcas Island In partnership with The SeaDoc Society Saturday, May 20, ... read more

The shorelines of the San Juan Islands are dynamic places where land and sea meet in a collision of geology, water, and natural forces. When left unchanged by humans, shorelines and the wide range of life they support are amazingly resilient. But what happens when we modify our shorelines to accommodate our desires to build ... read more