OutdoorsRep
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From 1973 to 2016, the resident orca population showed periods of both growth and decline. When the first population census was conducted in 1973, 66 whales were sighted. Their population increased by 48% to a high of 98 in 1995, then dropped 16% to 82 individuals between 1995 and 2003, prompting governments to list them as endangered species. As of December 2016, there are 78 Southern Resident Killer Whales in the Salish Sea.
Appears SRKW population has varied lots over the last 40 years. Yes it's a concern but restricting fisherman isn't going to solve anything. Total commercial and recreational catches of 400,000 chinook in 1980 have declined to around 30,000 in marine waters in recent years.
In 1970, harbor seals were eating about 1.1 million chinook of all sizes, or 13 times more individual fish than killer whales. In 2015, that number had grown to 8.6 million for the seals, or 104 times the number of chinook taken by killer whales.
Shutting down all fishing won't save the whales...
Appears SRKW population has varied lots over the last 40 years. Yes it's a concern but restricting fisherman isn't going to solve anything. Total commercial and recreational catches of 400,000 chinook in 1980 have declined to around 30,000 in marine waters in recent years.
In 1970, harbor seals were eating about 1.1 million chinook of all sizes, or 13 times more individual fish than killer whales. In 2015, that number had grown to 8.6 million for the seals, or 104 times the number of chinook taken by killer whales.
Shutting down all fishing won't save the whales...