August 29, 2018
Open Letter
Re: Please Enact Emergency Measures Now!
To: justin.trudeau@parl.gc.ca; Catherine.McKenna@parl.gc.ca; marc.garneau@parl.gc.ca; Johnathan.Wilkinson@parl.gc.ca; dominic.leblanc@parl.gc.ca; andrew.weaver.mla@leg.bc.ca; elizabeth.may.c1a@parl.gc.ca; premier@gov.bc.ca; Patty_Murray@murray.senate.gov; Maria_Cantwell@cantwell.senate.gov; Governor Jay Inslee
Saving J50 must not put all orcas at risk. The Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW) must not be treated like lab guinea pigs that can result in unknown threats to them. Species at Risk Emergency Orders must include the immediate moratoriums on salmon fishing and increased enforcement to stop boat harassment. The lack of salmon caused by the broken ocean food chain and vessel harrassment continues (In 2018 Lifeforce has reported numerous boaters not adhering to the 200 meter law). Our goal must be to immediately increase protecting and restoring natural habitats.
Read our Petition with over 165,000 supporters. Save the Orca Families Now!
Lifefeforce has urged DFO and NOAA to not put any antibiotics into the salmon. The salmon cannot be targeted to be consumed by only J50. The risk to J50 is an issue but the risks to all resident orcas must not be allowed. As we know there can be severe adverse antibiotic reactions in humans and overuse has led to “superbugs”. Ototoxic drug treatments can also cause deafness. (There are five main contributing factors to hearing loss in mammals: intense chronic noise, transient intense noise (e.g. explosions), age-related hearing loss (presbycusis), congenital hearing impairment, and ototoxic drug treatment. http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0013824
I would also like to suggest that any direct administration of specific type of antibiotics to J50 should have been determined after the test results find any life-threatening health issues.
Further, the use of “collared darts” to administer antibiotics can open pathways for life threatening infections. This happen with the use of satellite “tags” (sharp barb-like blades that penetrate the skin) that led to the death of the SRKW orca L95 in March 2016. Has NOAA to still halted all such satellite "tags"for at least the SRKWs? As one of the three main threats to SRKWs is pollution using any procedures that risk such infection must not be supported. (Note: such "tagging" can be replaced by the non invasive use of the vast system of hydrophones to follow their travels.)
See Lifeforce Petition: Stop Barbaric Orca Satellite “Tags” and Skin Biopsies! Petitioning TheSec@DOC.gov > https://www.change.org/p/thesec-doc-gov-stop-barbaric-orca-satellite-tags-and-skin-biopsies
The NOAA and DFO teams are faced with doing what is in the best interests of the SRKWs. As I have always said that orcas must not be studied to death with unpredictable experiments. Direct aid with specific antibiotics for J50 may help but any experiments, such as releasing salmon with antibiotics, may harm other SRKWs.
Please Enact Emergency Measures Now!
In Respect For All Life,
Peter Hamilton
Lifeforce