Sailor fined for close encounter with killer whale

Go away. That’s the message from orca advocates across the state as videos show boaters within feet of killer whales.

New NOAA video shows a boater passing a pod of killer whales near the San Juan Islands. The owner of the 51-foot vessel was later fined for violating regulations that prohibit boats from approaching the orcas.

Matt Ryan of Bellingham agreed to a $1,000 civil penalty for his 2022 actions.

But Ryan isn’t the only boater caught on camera getting too close to the orcas. Orca advocate Whitney Neugebauer says people are eager for a front-row seat. She founded the organization Whale Scout.

“The killer whales in the southern part of our world are like stars, so they need a lot of help,” says Neugebauer.

Research suggests boats can be a stressor for killer whales, affecting their reproduction and survival.

“Killer whales use sound to navigate and find prey. And if there’s a lot of ship noise in the water, that can make things a lot more difficult. So that’s what managers are concerned about, whether the ships are interacting with the animals and limiting their ability to find salmon,” Neugebauer said.

That’s why state law requires boaters to stay at least 200 yards from any killer whale and at least 300 yards from southern residents. In January, that distance increases to 1,000 yards.

“We realized that for southern residents, the current restrictions on how close boats can get aren’t doing enough to provide the support they need,” says Julie Watson of the Department of Fish and Wildlife. “So we’re expanding the distance regulations to keep boaters even further back.”

Watson says law enforcement is making it a priority to educate boaters about distance regulations, especially before January.

“I think the message is that if you see a killer whale anywhere in the water, you need to keep your distance. And if you really want to see whales, I recommend watching from shore and staying in your own environment,” Neugebauer says.