Press Category: Species Protection

The Species at Risk Act (SARA) was first introduced into the House of Commons in February of 2001. The new Act is the result of numerous cross-Canada consultations and built on the policy of previous legislative proposals over a nine-year period. The overall goal of the Species at Risk Act is to prevent wildlife species from becoming extinct or lost…

June 26, 2007 VANCOUVER, BC – After a year’s delay and a threat of legal action, the federal government has released the long-awaited recovery strategy for BC’s endangered Southern resident killer whales and threatened Northern resident killer whales. Environmentalists, who prompted the recovery strategy’s release by threatening a lawsuit, offered cautious praise. They noted that the most essential component of…

October 3, 2002 For immediate release Victoria, BC — TheSouthern Strait of Georgia National Marine Conservation Area (NMCA), announced today in Ottawa, will add significant protectionfor the marine environment of British Columbia’s south coast, according to a leading BC marine conservation group. The Georgia Strait Alliance applauds Prime Minister Jean Chretien and Heritage Minister Sheila Copps for setting in motion…

Conservationists Fight Determination that Southern Residents Are “Not Significant” December 18, 2002 News release Today a coalition of environmental groups filed suit against the National Marine Fisheries Service to fight the Bush administration’s determination that Puget Sound’s Southern Resident killer whales are not ‘significant,’ precluding protection for the whales under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. The lawsuit was filed in…

Canadian groups make plea to protect transboundary whale population MEDIA RELEASE November 17, 2003 SEATTLE – Canadian conservation groups are joining their American allies in U.S. federal district court today in an attempt to protect the endangered ‘Southern Resident’ population of killer whales that share the international waters between British Columbia and Washington State. A coalition of American conservation groups…

Festive news for imperiled Killer Whales MEDIA RELEASE For immediate release  December 18, 2003 VANCOUVER, BC – Canadian conservation groups are overjoyed by yesterday’s U.S. Federal Court decision that will greatly improve the Southern Resident orca whales’ chance of survival. United States District Court Judge Robert Lasnik overturned a controversial July 2002 National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) decision that found…

Festive news for imperilled Killer Whales December 16, 2004 VANCOUVER, BC – Canadian conservation groups are overjoyed by today’s announcement by the U.S. Federal government to list the Southern Resident population of Killer whales (Orcinus orca) under the US Endangered Species Act (ESA). Last year Sierra Legal, the Georgia Strait Alliance and the Western Canada Wilderness Committee joined their American…

Aug. 22, 2006 Killer Whale Facts Orcas, also known as Killer Whales, are actually members of the dolphin family.  Orcas are highly intelligent and are the highest predators in the food chain. Orcas live in matriarchal units comprised of a mother and one or more of her offspring. These units congregate into larger social groups known as pods. Biologists classify…

US Court to hear Canadian views on Endangered Southern Resident Orcas Media Release August 22, 2006 VANCOUVER, BC – The US Federal Court ruled last Friday that it will grant Canadian environmental groups the right to participate in a lawsuit brought by industry groups. The industry groups are challenging the American government’s decision to protect the Southern Resident Orcas as…

Vancouver, BC – BC environmental groups are applauding the decision of Canada’s Natural Science and Engineering Research Council (NSERC) to withdraw funding for a harmful seismic blasting project proposed for the North Coast waters, which is home to a rich diversity of marine life, including humpback whales, orcas, and many stocks of migrating salmon. “We are pleased that NSERC decided…