Overview

• The population of southern resident killer whales off British Columbia and Washington remains at 73 individuals with no signs of rebound.
• Despite recovery measures adopted since 2019, experts warn current conditions leave the whales facing a high probability of extinction.
• A March Vancouver workshop convened 31 scientists from Canada, the United States and Europe to craft the science-based roadmap.
• The report calls for enforceable limits on fisheries, underwater noise regulations and toxin reductions to improve the whales’ access to chinook salmon.
• Federal authorities this spring opted for incremental recovery steps instead of issuing an emergency protection order.