orca

The Friends Annual Meeting, featuring the incomparable author and journalist Lynda Mapes, will be held on October 9th, from 1:30-3:00 p.m. Lynda Mapes, award-winning Seattle Times environmental writer and author, recently published her fifth book, Orca: Shared Waters, Shared Home. Our enthusiasm is running high! Friends’ Director of Philanthropy, Michel Vekved, is eager to bring our Friends community together around ... read more

This Tuesday, July 27, the Whatcom County Council will hold a public hearing and vote on whether to adopt a landmark ordinance to protect Cherry Point and the Salish Sea. Voices from around the region are needed to let the Whatcom County Council know that you support them in adopting this important ordinance that will ... read more

Check out the June issue of our e-newsletter – Highwater Marks! You’ll learn about: where our waste goes in San Juan County from two Spring Street International School students, engaging in important actions for Southern Resident killer whales, how to get involved with the County’s Comprehensive Plan update – and lots more! Read it here.

The rich marine environment of the San Juan Islands offers extensive recreational opportunities such as wildlife viewing, fishing, and crabbing. Last year’s pandemic-related travel restrictions led to huge increases in boat traffic in the islands, and this summer is shaping up to be extra busy as well. All of these extra boats — crowding waterways, ... read more

Poem and photos by Faith Jayaram, junior at Spring Street International School I traveled far to save you,High on childish naïveté.I suppose at the timeI believed myself a heroine; Reality, though, is cruel,And real life is deathBy the dozens,Starved, poisoned, struck. I no longer believe in fate,Or rather I do not believeIn my capacityTo save. ... read more

Check out the April issue of our e-newsletter – Highwater Marks! You’ll hear about our recent victory in court that will help protect the Southern Resident Killer Whales, learn how to report herring spawning in the San Juans this spring, discover more about how to address the growing plastic pollution problem – and more! Read it here. ... read more

This week, Whatcom County Superior Court Judge David Freeman delivered a court victory both to Friends of the San Juans and to the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales. “We’re very excited about this ruling,” said Brent Lyles, Friends’ Executive Director, “and it’s been a long time coming!” The issue started in early 2019, when the ... read more

We have secured the funds, the experts are ready, all we need now are more waterfront property owners to take steps to support the marine ecosystem. While it may not be as thrilling as securing your appointment to get vaccinated against Covid-19, it is quite exciting news for forage fish, salmon, and Southern Resident orca! ... read more

Attention island residents located near herring spawning grounds!  Pacific herring – also known as forage fish – play a key role in marine food webs as food for out-migrating juvenile salmon, seabirds, and even marine mammals. Herring rely on sensitive eelgrass meadows found along our tidelands to spawn and incubate their eggs. Herring spawning populations ... read more