Stricter whale watching rules to take effect in 2021
Published
MOUNT VERNON, Wash. - New regulations for whale watching in Washington waters will take effect in 2021 in an effort to protect endangered orcas, according to the state Fish and Wildlife Commission.
According to the rules approved by the commission last week, from July through September, commercial whale watching companies can view orcas during two, two-hour periods daily, The Skagit Valley Herald reported. The rules restrict the number of commercial vessels to three within a half-mile of the whales and include penalties for violations.
The commission’s decision follows a public comment session Dec. 4 and a special meeting to discuss details Dec. 15. It goes against recommendations from the Orca Conservancy, a nonprofit working to protect and restore the southern resident orca population.
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December 18, 2020 7:31 am
MOUNT VERNON, Wash. Thanks to a donation, Skagit Regional Health will be able to store its anticipated shipment of COVID-19 vaccine.
The Skagit Valley Herald reports Puget Sound Energy donated a freezer that gives the facility the ability to store 975 doses of the recently-approved Pfizer vaccine, which requires a temperature of -94 degrees Fahrenheit.
The freezer had been used by PSE’s Fish and Wildlife Program as part of a study at Baker Lake.
The county’s first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine are expected to arrive this week.