Guest editorial: Southern resident orca numbers show region cannot let up on restoration – The Daily Astorian

Report on the Status of Southern Resident Orcas and Regional Restoration Efforts

Executive Summary

The Southern Resident Killer Whale population, a critical indicator of marine ecosystem health, remains precariously low at 74 individuals as of the 2025 census. The survival of this species is directly contingent on the abundance of its primary prey, Chinook salmon. Regional conservation strategies are aligned with several United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), primarily SDG 14 (Life Below Water), but also SDG 6 (Clean Water and Sanitation) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals). This report outlines the current population status, details ongoing restoration efforts, and identifies challenges to achieving long-term species recovery and sustainability goals.

Population Status and Ecological Pressures

2025 Census Data

An annual count conducted by the Center for Whale Research confirmed a net increase of one individual, bringing the total population to 74. Key demographic data includes:

• Total Population: 74
• Births: 4
• Deaths: 3 (two calves, one adult)
• K Pod Population: 14 (a 50-year low)

This data highlights the population’s extreme vulnerability and underscores the urgency of conservation actions to support SDG 14, which aims to conserve and sustainably use marine resources.

Primary Threat: Food Scarcity

The principal factor threatening the Southern Resident Orcas is severe malnourishment due to the declining availability of Chinook salmon. This challenge directly impacts the viability of the orca population and reflects broader systemic issues within the marine food web, compromising progress toward SDG 14, Target 14.2, which calls for the protection and restoration of marine and coastal ecosystems.

Conservation Strategies and Alignment with Sustainable Development Goals

Habitat Restoration as a Core Strategy (SDG 14 & SDG 6)

A primary strategy involves the large-scale restoration of wild salmon habitats throughout Puget Sound and the Salish Sea. These efforts are fundamental to achieving SDG 14 by rebuilding fish stocks and restoring ecosystem function. They also contribute to SDG 6 by improving the health of watersheds.

• Case Study: Nisqually River Estuary: A 2009 dike breach, led by the Nisqually Tribe, restored approximately 900 acres of tidal marsh habitat. The project demonstrated rapid success, with juvenile salmon observed in newly accessible channels within one year, showcasing an effective model for ecosystem restoration.
• Challenges to Efficacy: A 2023 study by the American Fisheries Society noted that the scale of restoration must be significantly increased to produce desired outcomes. Furthermore, investigations have revealed that some state-funded fish passage projects have not been effective, indicating a need for improved oversight to ensure investments yield maximum ecological benefits.

Policy, Governance, and Partnerships (SDG 16 & SDG 17)

A multi-pronged policy approach, reliant on strong institutional collaboration as outlined in SDG 16 (Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions) and SDG 17 (Partnerships for the Goals), is being implemented. This involves cooperation between congressional, state, and tribal leaders.

Key Policy Interventions

1. Vessel Noise Reduction: Legislation mandating a 1,000-yard vessel buffer zone around the orcas has been enacted to protect their ability to hunt using echolocation. This measure is critical for mitigating human-impact pressures on a critically endangered species.
2. Pollution Control: Efforts to manage stormwater and sewage runoff are essential for reducing toxins in Puget Sound. A cleaner marine environment supports the entire ecosystem, benefiting both salmon and orcas and directly advancing the objectives of SDG 6 and SDG 14.
3. Funding and Political Will: The success of these initiatives is dependent on consistent political and financial support. The termination of funding for the Howard A. Hanson Dam fish passage project, which would have opened 60 miles of habitat, represents a significant setback and highlights the need for sustained commitment from all governing bodies.

Conclusion and Path Forward

The recovery of the Southern Resident Orca population is a complex challenge intrinsically linked to the health of the broader marine and freshwater ecosystems. While positive steps have been taken in habitat restoration and protective legislation, the population remains critically endangered. Achieving a sustainable future for the orcas requires an intensified and unwavering commitment to increasing Chinook salmon abundance. This can only be accomplished through large-scale, effective, and well-funded initiatives that fully align with the principles of the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 14 (Life Below Water). Continued political will and robust partnerships are essential to translate established solutions into meaningful ecological recovery.

Analysis of Sustainable Development Goals in the Article

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

• SDG 14: Life Below Water

  This goal is central to the article, which focuses on the conservation of marine species (southern resident orcas, Chinook salmon) and the health of marine ecosystems like Puget Sound and the Salish Sea. It directly addresses threats from pollution and human activities like vessel traffic.

• SDG 15: Life on Land

  This goal is relevant through its focus on protecting biodiversity, preventing the extinction of threatened species, and restoring freshwater ecosystems. The article’s discussion of salmon, which rely on river watersheds and estuaries for their life cycle, and the efforts to save the endangered orcas connect directly to this SDG.

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation

  The article connects to this goal by highlighting the need to protect marine environments from land-based pollution. The call to “do more to keep pollutants, including managing stormwater and sewage runoff, from reaching Puget Sound” relates to improving water quality and protecting water-related ecosystems.

• SDG 17: Partnerships for the Goals

  This goal is addressed through the article’s emphasis on collaborative efforts. It mentions that “congressional, state and tribal leaders continue to focus on their protection,” and calls on leaders like Washington’s U.S. Sens. Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell to secure funding, highlighting the multi-stakeholder partnerships necessary for conservation.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

• SDG 14: Life Below Water
  • Target 14.1: By 2025, prevent and significantly reduce marine pollution of all kinds, in particular from land-based activities.

    The article directly supports this target by stating that state and local governments “can and should do more to keep pollutants, including managing stormwater and sewage runoff, from reaching Puget Sound.”

  • Target 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts, including by strengthening their resilience, and take action for their restoration.

    This is a core theme of the article, which advocates for “wild salmon habitat restoration” and describes specific projects like the “largest tidal marsh restoration project in the country” in the Nisqually River Estuary.

• SDG 15: Life on Land
  • Target 15.1: By 2020, ensure the conservation, restoration and sustainable use of terrestrial and inland freshwater ecosystems and their services, in particular forests, wetlands, mountains and drylands.

    The article highlights efforts to restore inland freshwater ecosystems crucial for salmon, such as the Nisqually River Estuary and the Green Duwamish Watershed, which would “reopen 60 miles” of habitat.

  • Target 15.5: Take urgent and significant action to reduce the degradation of natural habitats, halt the loss of biodiversity and, by 2020, protect and prevent the extinction of threatened species.

    The entire article is a call to action to prevent the extinction of the southern resident killer whale population, described as “teeter[ing] close to extinction,” by restoring the population of their primary prey, Chinook salmon.

• SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation
  • Target 6.6: By 2020, protect and restore water-related ecosystems, including mountains, forests, wetlands, rivers, aquifers and lakes.

    The focus on restoring the “Nisqually River Estuary and watershed” and other projects “around the Salish Sea” directly aligns with the goal of restoring water-related ecosystems to support biodiversity.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

• For Target 15.5 (Protect threatened species):
  • Indicator: Population count of threatened species.

    The article provides precise data from the annual census of southern resident orcas conducted by the Center for Whale Research: the population “grew by one, to 74,” with “four orcas born” and “three” deaths. It also notes K Pod’s population fell to “a distressing 14.”

• For Targets 14.2 and 15.1 (Habitat restoration):
  • Indicator: Area of restored habitat.

    The article quantifies the scale of a restoration project, noting the Nisqually Tribe’s work “opened some 900 acres of nearshore habitat.”

  • Indicator: Length of accessible river/watershed for fish passage.

    Progress is measured by the amount of habitat made accessible. The article mentions a proposed project at Howard A. Hanson Dam that “would reopen 60 miles within the Green Duwamish Watershed.”

  • Indicator: Presence of key species in restored habitats.

    The article implies that a sign of success is the return of wildlife, stating that “observers viewed juvenile salmon in formerly inaccessible tidal channels as quickly as one year after the work” was completed.

• For Target 14.2 (Protecting marine species from human activity):
  • Indicator: Implementation and enforcement of protection zones.

    The article mentions a specific regulation designed to protect orcas from vessel noise: the “1,000-yard vessel buffer mariners must obey around the southern residents.” Measuring compliance with this buffer would be an indicator of progress.

4. Summary of SDGs, Targets, and Indicators

Source: dailyastorian.com