Protect yourself and whales while boating with this simple action
Fourth of July weekend is one of the highest traffic times of the year for boaters on Puget Sound and the Salish Sea, and San Juan County officials are urging folks to use whale-warning flags when out on the water.
The area is critical habitat for the endangered Southern Resident killer whale, a species that is highly sensitive to disturbances from water vessels.
The purpose of a whale-warning flag is to alert other boaters when there is a whale or group of whales nearby. The flag is white, red and yellow, with a black image of a whale tail. Boaters should fly their whale flags when they see whales or spot other boats grouped together already flying the whale warning flag, officials advise.
Boaters can purchase a whale flag at WhaleFlag.org. Small flags are $15, and medium flags are $20. Boaters should run the flag up their rigging, zip tie it to a pole in order to deploy from a railing or use suction cups that stick to flat surfaces, San Juan County officials advise.
Your whale warning flag should remain up while whales are within a half-mile of your boat. The San Juan County Environmental Department advises boaters to follow the following guidance when they are in the vicinity of whales:
▪ Slow down to 7 knots or less.
▪ Turn off fish finders and depth sounders.
▪ Maintain a minimum distance of 300 yards from whales’ sides and 400 yards from their path of travel in either direction.
▪ Avoid cutting in front of or following behind whales if possible.
“One of the best ways for boaters to help is to be proactive and familiarize themselves with the regulations and guidelines before getting underway,” said Alanna Frayne, Soundwatch and Be Whale Wise program coordinator at The Whale Museum, in a statement. “One of the biggest concerns with recreational boaters is excessive speed (over 7 knots) when in the vicinity of Southern Residents.”
This story was originally published June 28, 2021 at 11:57 AM with the headline "Protect yourself and whales while boating with this simple action."
