Recreational boaters and whale-watching vessels must now stay at least 300 feet from orcas in Puget Sound in Washington state, officials said.
The National Marine Fisheries Service issued new regulations Friday aimed at protecting the remaining population of orcas, also known as killer whales, in the sound, The Seattle Times reported. The rules double the no-go distance around the orcas and ban boaters from cutting ahead of them.
The rules do not affect commercial fishing vessels and large ships using established shipping lanes.
The southern population in Puget Sound, which includes both U.S. and Canadian waters, is now believed to be 86, half what it once was. While a decline in the salmon population and water pollution also are stressing the whales, scientists say noise from boats — even those without motors — interferes with the orcas' sonar system.
The government has proposed banning all boating and fishing from the waters west of Orcas Island, the largest of the San Juans. The proposal was put on hold because of opposition from boaters and recreational fishermen.
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