Stricter rules and tighter enforcement are needed in order to protect killer whales
September 8, 2009 · 11:53 AM
For the last couple of days, we've been vacationing on San Juan Island and have been fortunate to see the orca whales several times off the southwest side of the island. What an amazing sight! It's even more amazing to see how close the whale-watching boats get to them.
The many whale-watching boats we've seen — all filled with people — seem to have no regard for how close they get to the whales or how fast they go when right in their midst. We've seen them repeatedly leapfrog from one spot to the next in order to position themselves right next to the whales. At times, they seem completely oblivious to the fact that they're racing right through the middle of a group of whales. It's really unbelievable.
We had no idea this was going on. We always thought the whale-watching boats were benign and well regulated. Now after reading more about this issue in the local paper, we understand why stricter rules and tighter enforcement are needed in order to protect these wonderful and inspiring animals.
Bill and Susan Haley
Lake Stevens
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