January 9, 2020 — The Wild Fish Conservancy sent a legal notice today warning that NOAA and the US
Department of Commerce are failing to protect federally-listed salmon and Southern Resident killer whales,
as required by the Endangered Species Act.

At issue: overharvest of Chinook salmon in the Southeast Alaska troll fishery and the harm it causes to
Southern Resident killer whales and wild Chinook. Nearly all of the Chinook harvested in the fishery were
born in rivers from British Columbia to Oregon. Kurt Beardslee, executive director of Wild Fish
Conservancy (WFC) explained: “It is irresponsible for NOAA to authorize this harvest in Alaska when they
know it undermines efforts to restore imperiled wild Chinook populations in Washington, British Columbia,
and Oregon rivers, and contributes to the starvation of endangered Southern Resident killer whales and
fishing communities all along the coast.”

http://www.wildfishconservancy.org/NOAASEAKBiOp60dayPR.pdf

Immediate moratoriums on fishing must be implemented to mend the broken ocean food chain. In addtion to the lives of endangered orcas numerous other species, such as the Cook Inlet Belugas, depend on salmon!

Lifeforce hopes that the Wild Fish Conservancy wins this case to save endangered and threatened species.