species protection

Join us for Orca Action!

May 15, 2023

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

Big win for Southern Resident killer whales!

April 19, 2023

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

Movie Night! Right-sizing the fight for the Right Whale

April 19, 2023

  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

Course Correction Needed for Rapidly Changing Shorelines

November 17, 2022

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

Known Pacific Sand Lance Spawning Sites in San Juan County More Than Doubled

October 20, 2022

Friends of the San Juans recently completed a multi-year research project for a particular species of forage fish: the Pacific sand lance. Forage fish are an essential player in the Salish Sea marine food web as prey for salmon, rockfish, seabirds, and other marine mammals. Sand lance are especially important in the diet of juvenile ... read more

Speak Up for Southern Resident Orca!

September 21, 2022

The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is seeking public input on the rules for vessels operating near Southern Resident killer whales; this input will be used for a report to the legislature. Take this opportunity to speak up on behalf of the Southern Residents! Here are our recommendations for your public input on ... read more

Immersive Education with Lopez and Orcas High School

December 15, 2021

Science classes from Lopez and Orcas High Schools just completed Friends’ Immersive Salish Sea Science Education program. Students experienced the marine food web through virtual reality technology, and they learned about science careers and how they can act to protect and restore the Salish Sea. Each class also took a trip to the beach to ... read more

Read our November Highwater Marks E-Newsletter

November 12, 2021

Check out the November issue of our e-newsletter – Highwater Marks! You’ll see the latest update to the Salish Sea Vessel Traffic Projections, learn how to register for the new Youth for Change environmental leadership club, hear from Katie as she transitions out of her role at Friends to a new position in our community ... read more

Words from the Next Generation: Hy’Shqa—Blessing

November 11, 2021

Twenty years ago the Samish Nation gave J37, a newborn Southern Resident Orca calf, the name Hy’Shqa. From the Coast Salish language, the name translates to “blessing” or “thank-you” in English. Hy’Shqa was born in January 2001 to Samish (J14), and in 2012, she gave birth to a calf of her own, T’ilem I’nges (J49). ... read more

FSJ and QCD: These Acronyms are Synonymous with Big Impacts

November 11, 2021

At Friends of the San Juans (FSJ) we advocate for orca, healthy seas, and natural beaches. Our policy and education efforts rest on a foundation of science, research, and community engagement. The problems our community faces are wickedly complex and your support is fundamental to building organizational capacity to implement solutions. You have the capacity ... read more

Joan and I love this tiny corner of paradise and know that Mother Nature needs all the help she can get. We are solidly friends of the Friends of the San Juans.

Jon and Joan Christoffersen

members, Shaw Island