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Orca Nexus

@orcanexus

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Making the connection between the Southern Resident Orcas and all parts of the ecosystem. ♥️J60, J61, L128, Tokitae+ Founded Seattle Orca Plunges.

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Amazing speech by Jay Julius, Lummi Nation, at Town Hall.
@lyndamapes @oceansinitiative @raincoastconservation and @seadocsociety presented information from Canadian researchers and US veterinarian on why the SRKW situation is more urgent than most people know. SRKW researchers say we can't keep doing business as usual and expect this distinct population to recover.

If we want them to succeed, we should be addressing all threats to their recovery as identified and reconfirmed by transboundary researchers in the US and Canada.

#srkw #blackfish #relatives #orca #salmon by @orcanexus

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10 days ago

Growth Management Hearings Board Ruling is in.

"...[T]he Board holds the EIS to be inadequate as a matter of law.” GMHB Final Decision and Order, p. 59

“[T]he FEIS failed to implement a comprehensive approach to managing fish habitat (EN-9). Specifically, the City’s incorrect use of the maximum likely development did not represent a comprehensive approach to protecting fish streams from runoff generated by impervious surfaces. The FEIS acknowledges impervious-surface runoff as a significant environmental risk, but it failed to grapple with the scope of the new development capacity implemented by the Update.” GMHB Final Decision and Order, p. 88

Read more at the 🔗 orcaappeal.org/rulings

With the recovery of endangered and threatened species being excluded from Seattle's FEIS - like chinook salmon and the orcas that depend on them - they need protection from polluted stormwater runoff. The Nature Conservancy shows that there's no loss of density when protecting green space and trees. NOAA’s Salmon and Orca Recovery Plans recommend salmon habitat be protected in both urban and rural areas.

#blackfish #orcas #salmon #recovery #trees by @orcanexus

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a month ago

We're partnering with @pugetsoundkeeper Sound Sweep Series with Salish Wildlife Watch, Killer Whale Tales, @acs.puget.sound, Beaver Insights, and A Cleaner Alki for a beach cleanup and data collection on 9/20 from 10 AM - 2 PM at Golden Gardens!

Register at orcanexus.org/events or pugetsoundkeeper.org/events by @orcanexus

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a month ago

🚨1000 yards away from orcas 🚨 bewhalewise.org
WDFW has a free diy orca rangefinder 🔗 in bio.
With Seattle increasing salmon killing polluted runoff let's let them breathe so they can hear their echolocation to find the small amount of salmon left.

🐳🫍The Guidelines
Applies to all whales, porpoises, dolphins, seals, sea lions, any animal hauled out and nesting birds.

1. KNOW BEFORE YOU GO. Educate yourself on local marine life and regulations before getting underway.

2. BE ALERT and CAUTIOUS on the water. Have your family and friends help to scan for nearby marine life, especially in areas with known or suspected marine wildlife activity, or in narrow or tight areas of navigation.

3. LOOK IN ALL DIRECTIONS and ALWAYS GO SLOW (<7 knots) when in the vicinity of any marine wildlife. If you suspect but aren’t certain marine wildlife are near, slow to a stop and assess the situation.

4. PLACE ENGINE into neutral and allow all animals space to pass if they approach your vessel or surface within the allowable distance.

5. BE PREPARED to move away or shut down if nearby animals change speed and/or direction.

6. DO NOT position your vessel in front or behind wildlife...

More at bewhalewise.org

📸 Credit: Dante Aubert, taken from shore

#orca #srkw #blackfish #boat #water by @orcanexus

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a month ago

🔊 Sound Up 🔊 Lynne Barre, who authored NOAA's Southern Resident killer whale Recovery Plan, interviewed by Rachel Feltman of Scientific American. Hear Lynne discuss changes being made by the current Federal administration that weaken protections for endangered species, including the salmon eating SRKW population.

🤝The increased importance of local action to protect endangered species and the Orca Appeal are discussed in closing at the 17 minute mark.

🎙️Hear the complete interview 🔗 in bio.

#srkw #orca #blackfish #salmon #cleanwater by @orcanexus

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2 months ago

After 10 months of public comment with the city of #Seattle about incorrect statements on #endangeredspecies we appealed.

❌They said there were no endangered species in Seattle except for two species of fish.
❌They said pollutants are almost immediately diluted to harmless levels in Puget Sound.

🚧 We asked them to correctly assess the impacts of the largest growth plan on endangered species and instead they said it's not possible for endangered species to recover.

High quality studies show that there is no loss of density when protecting the #trees and green space that reduce, cool, and filter polluted runoff. Polluted runoff is the number one source of pollution in Puget Sound and kills salmon.

The argument that trashing Seattle is necessary to protect pristine areas fails - the NMFS #salmon and #orca Recovery Plans say habitat must be protected in rural and urban areas.

SRKW 🫍📸 by @tisa.annette
🫍Census information from Center for Whale Research, 2025. by @orcanexus

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2 months ago

Streamfest hosted by #snokingwatershedcouncil
🫍🌊🎏🌲 by @orcanexus

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2 months ago

"a solution looking for a problem" 🎯

The "urbanists" have been increasingly hostile. We received a posted comment meaning 'celebrating the death of an opponent' immediately following a mass shooting at Seattle Center.

Does that sound like someone who has truth and science on their side?

CM Juarez delivered a powerful speech based in fact and data; not speculation and wishes.

It's in the mayor's hands now. If she vetoes, it will go back to Council for a second vote.

Hearing examiner appeals are faster than Superior Court or the GMHB so the claims that this will speed up housing production are false.

Last night at the Design Review Reboot we heard a respected developer explain that costs are standing in the way of housing production, nothing else was cited.

#showyourwork
#facts by @orcanexus

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3 months ago

📣 Despite the overwhelming majority of public comments being against CB 121215, five members of Council chose to ban environmental appeals of the largest type - the mayor may not have signed it yet and the mayor has the final say. If the mayor vetoes the bill, it would go back to Council and require 6 votes to pass instead of 5.

❌ This means the largest city actions will no longer be subject to appeal *before* the damage is done. Like a labor negotiation when talks break down you have the ability to strike. Nobody wants to strike. Appeals are the same way, they are to be used when talks break down and there are still massive mistakes in environmental documents. Appeals can still be filed after the damage is done through much more expensive and slower avenues limited to fish habitat (KCSC/GMHB) - this was never about "speeding up housing."

❌ We've watched years of overwhelming numbers of people trying to support the environment as we densify ignored for a handful of wealthy special interest groups that mobilize canned messages to mostly young white cis males despite scientific evidence supporting that there is no loss of density when protecting green space and trees. NOAA recovery plans recommend protecting both urban and rural areas. Salmon don't just skip over Seattle to magically pristine waters.

❌ We hear them cite opinions instead of research to support their claims.

☢️ We have been harassed, threatened with dwelling protests, veiled death threats, and mischaracterized without supporting information.

The Orca appeal was verbally spared from this ban, however, the city is embarking on yet another even larger phase of zoning than what was already not studied in the original environmental impact statement.

Support the city's last chance at correcting errors in the largest environmental impact statement the city has ever written. Orcaappeal.org

📸 @pad_meanie Thank you for your work 🫍

#blackfish
#orcas
#srkw #cleanwater by @orcanexus

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3 months ago

Amendment B or Vote No on CB121215, the bill to ban appeals like the Orca Appeal.

📍2pm July 28th Seattle City Hall
📍Comment remotely or in person

If the city ignored public comments from the retired King County Supervisor of Toxicology and Contaminant Assessment Unit regarding a large error in the environmental impact statement for the most unprecedented upzone for land use - the system is broken.

This is not the time to ban appeals when overwhelming majorities of public commenters are routinely ignored by Council and the Office of Planning and Community Development. This tends to happen regarding land use issues. The city is still meeting monthly with developers in private meetings.

#Seattle #orcas #cleanwater #salmon
#blackfish by @orcanexus

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3 months ago

We are grateful to @kuow @soundsidekuow for inviting us to respond about the appeal prohibition bill currently being proposed by a Seattle city council person. 🔗

Speak up at the next meeting, July 28th 2pm.

As Seattle embarks on the largest and most unprecedented upzone, why wouldn't they want to do a thorough and accurate environmental review?

@conserve_wa showed in their recent study that there was no loss of density 👏🏽 when protecting cooling large trees - it is not either/or.

Salmon need cool, clean water to survive.

🌲Trees are the number one antidote to the urban heat island effect.

➡️Facts from the environmental impact statement on the "preferred alternative":

🚗 higher vehicle miles traveled option
🌊 Focuses the greatest amount of "density" near water resources
⚠️ Says the stormwater code will increase peak flow control protections, yet the stormwater code decreased those protections.

A council person has been saying that development is good for water quality using an article about a study:

❌ The study focused on phosphorus and water clarity
❌ Phosphorus often decreases when green space is converted to concrete or other hard surfaces because it is mostly found in fertilizers and people do not fertilize their concrete or buildings.

Our facts checked by retired King County water toxicologist, Deb Lester.

#science #Seattle #cleanwater #salmon #orcas by @orcanexus

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3 months ago

🌊🫍@seattletimes editorial board weighs in on CB 121215.

For now, this bill has been postponed until July 28th City council full meeting. This bill should be rewritten.

Much gratitude to the @seattletimes, our supporters, and the legal team! We absolutely couldn't do this without you. To support the Orca Appeal as we continue our fight for clean water and the endangered SRKW, visit 🔗 orcaappeal.org

Massive thanks to our fiscal sponsor @orcaconservancy 🫍

#Seattle #blackfish #srkw #orca #cleanwater by @orcanexus

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3 months ago