Orcas don't belong on the endangered species list

Oregonian ^ | August 17, 2012 | Damien Schiff and Daniel Himebaugh

[WilliamIII]

Early this month, with the help of property rights attorneys from Pacific Legal Foundation, two California farms asked federal officials to drop the Endangered Species Act listing for killer whales (orcas) in the marine waters of the Pacific Northwest.

The petition to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration quickly caused battle lines to be formed, with some environmental groups trying to dismiss it as baseless.

But fair observers shouldn't jump to conclusions about the petition before the government has a chance to review it. Everyone who favors a balanced, credible approach to environmental regulations should pause and take a look at what the petition says.

The first thing to understand is why "de-listing" what is known as the southern resident distinct population segment (DPS) of orcas is important to farmers in Central California's San Joaquin Valley. In fact, the listing's impact extends to urban and agricultural water users as far south as San Diego.

For several years now, farmers and communities in Central and Southern California have suffered dramatic cutbacks in the water they receive from the federal and state water projects. These reductions are due in part to a biological opinion, produced by federal regulators, that said the pumping of water from the Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta could interfere with killer whale prey sources, like salmon; so pumping cutbacks were necessary to benefit the orca.

[mardi59]

Well, Orca Winfrey didn’t belong on tv but they kept her around.

[Brad from Tennessee]

[For several years now, farmers and communities in Central and Southern California have suffered dramatic cutbacks in the water they receive from the federal and state water projects.]

Not only should their water be restored but they should be issued exclusive orca hunting licenses.

[Spaghetti Man]

Orcs should be on the list! When was the last time you saw one?

[Uncle Chip]

Orcas don’t belong on that list but Trainers of Orcas at Sea World sure do.

[blueunicorn6]

We have to cut water to the farmers because the killer whales might go hungry? Ahhhhhhh......law school logic.....those photos of the killer whales panhandling in front of the Target store always make me cry......”Will work for seal!”......”Laid off. Anything will help. Anyone will help. Become whale chow today.”.....

[wastedyears]

Nothing belongs on an “endangered species” list.