It's been orca-palooza in central Puget Sound this year! A larger-than-expected chum run has kept J pod here for a record-setting number of weeks. Join The Whale Trail and friends on December 10 to celebrate the orcas' return, and learn what you can do to protect them.
Featured speakers include Capt. Alan Myers (WDFW Enforcement) who will talk about new distance regulations for boaters that take effect January 1. Researchers Mark Sears and Maya Sears will discuss their fieldwork and recent encounters with the orcas, including a rare superpod in October.
The event will also feature light refreshments and information tables from organizations including Seal Sitters, Washington Conservation Action (WCA) and American Cetacean Society, Puget Sound. Come early and get the holiday season off to a good start!
Welcome the Orcas 2024
Community event to Celebrate the Seasonal Return of Southern Resident Orcas to Central Puget Sound
When: Tuesday December 10, 7 to 8:30 PM.
Doors open at 6:15
Where: Hall at Fauntleroy, 9131 Fauntleroy Way SW, Seattle WA
Tickets: $10 suggested donation, kids under 12 get in for free.
Program Details
Beginning Jan 1, 2025, boaters in Washington state will be required to stay 1000 yards away from southern residents. The distance is based on best available science showing the harmful impact of noise and disturbance on the ability of southern residents to find and catch their prey. Captain Alan Myers (WDFW Enforcement) will discuss the new rules, why they matter for the whales, and how boaters can comply with them.
The southern residents return to the central Sound an average of 20 days per year between October and February, following chum salmon runs. This year, the salmon run is bigger than expected and J pod has been in the area since October. NOAA-permitted researchers Mark and Maya Sears will share updates about their fieldwork and recent encounters with J, K and L pods.
About the Speakers
Captain Alan Myers has worked for WDFW for over 24 years in a variety of positions and stations throughout the state. Currently, he is the state-wide Fisheries Enforcement Coordinator/SRKW Enforcement Policy Lead/Sanitary Shellfish Enforcement Lead. Capt. Myers is a graduate of the University of Washington (Go Dawgs!) and a veteran of our nation’s Armed Forces. He is most proud to be a father of three.
Mark Sears has been conducting photo-ID studies and other fieldwork with southern resident orcas for more than 40 years. Animal behaviorist Maya Sears joined her father as a NOAA-permitted orca researcher in 2018. Together their research has been critical to assessing the health and behaviors of this endangered population.
