2020 GRANT SLATE

Killer Whale Research and Conservation

NFWF CONTACTS Michelle Pico Program Director, Marine Conservation [email protected] 262-567-0601

PARTNERS

Orca breaching in Puget Sound OVERVIEW ABOUT NFWF The National and Wildlife Foundation (NFWF), SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc., Chartered by Congress in 1984, Shell Oil Company, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Oceanic Atmospheric the National Fish and Wildlife Administration announced a 2020 round of funding for Research and Foundation (NFWF) protects and Conservation projects. Eight new grants totaling $918,713 were awarded. The eight restores the nation’s fish, wildlife, awards announced generated $3,200,186 in grantee matching contributions for a total plants and habitats. Working with conservation impact of $4,118,899. federal, corporate and individual partners, NFWF has funded more The following eight projects address three threat categories that were prioritized by the than 5,000 organizations and Washington Governor’s Orca Task Force in 2018: 1) prey availability, 2) vessel impacts, generated a total conservation and 3) toxins/pollutants. All three of these priorities are connected. Vessel sounds and impact of $6.1 billion. disturbance reduces success for prey (Chinook salmon) that are already in low abundance and of sub-optimal size. Reduced nutrition means lowered immunity and a Learn more at www.nfwf.org release of fat stores that may contain toxics that get released into the blood stream.

NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS Therefore the 2020 awards focuses heavily on increasing prey availability which will 1133 15th Street, NW take the longest to achieve, while also minimizing other risks to whale health while these Suite 1000 salmon stocks recover. Washington, D.C., 20005 202-857-0166 (continued) 2020 GRANT SLATE

Orca with

Restoring Habitat for Chinook Salmon in the South Fork of Bolster Protection of Habitat to Increase the Skagit River (WA) Survival of Juvenile Chinook Salmon (WA) Grantee: Skagit County Public Works Grantee: Friends of the San Juans Grant Amount:...... $200,000 Grant Amount:...... $84,797 Matching Funds: ...... $2,315,700 Matching Funds: ...... $84,798 Total Project:...... $2,515,700 Total Project:...... $169,595 Complete construction and restoration of 5 acres of off- Foster relationships with public and private landowners channel pool habitat along the South Fork of the Skagit River in Washington. Project will create vital rearing habitat salmon habitat from shoreline hardening in San Juan County, for juvenile Chinook salmon, ultimately increasing prey Washington.to prevent further Project loss will of engage forage fishlandowners and juvenile through Chinook site availability for Southern Resident killer whales. visits, feasibility studies and preliminary design to protect and restore vital rearing and feeding habitat for out-migrating Restoring Habitat for Chinook Salmon in Port Susan Bay Chinook salmon. Estuary (WA) Grantee: The Nature Conservancy Protecting Chinook and Steelhead Salmon from Harbor Grant Amount:...... $200,000 Seal Predation (WA) Matching Funds: ...... $250,000 Grantee: Long Live the Kings Total Project:...... $450,000 Grant Amount:...... $152,538 Restore 150 acres of rearing habitat and monitor the effect Matching Funds: ...... $165,000 of restored hydrologic connectivity on salmonids and Total Project:...... $317,538 marsh habitats at Port Susan Bay, Washington. Project will Test an innovative seal deterrent technology, the GenusWave improve habitat connectivity, lower site salinity, and support acoustic startle device, in the Nisqually Estuary, Washington. vegetation growth for Chinook salmon, a vital source of food Project will test the effectiveness of the acoustic startle device, for Southern Resident killer whales. reducing predation-related mortality of juvenile Chinook and providing a nonlethal option to address predation. 2020 GRANT SLATE

Juvenile Coho salmon

Reducing Disturbance of Southern Resident Killer Whales Engaging Puget Sound Developers to Increase Water from Vessel Traffic (WA) Quality to Benefit Killer Whale Populations (WA) Grantee: Wise Conservation Association Grantee: Salmon-Safe Grant Amount:...... $100,000 Grant Amount:...... $75,000 Matching Funds: ...... $169,441 Matching Funds: ...... $100,000 Total Project:...... $269,441 Total Project:...... $175,000 Reduce physical and acoustic disturbance of southern Implement best management practices for stormwater runoff resident killer whales caused by vessel traffic in on 25 high priority development sites in the Puget Sound Washington State waters. Project will increase the use and region. Project will expand the “Clean Water for Salmon, functionality of the WhaleReport Alert System in British Clean Water for Killer Whales” campaign to reduce water Columbia and Washington State to employ voluntary quality impacts on the Puget Sound via strategic application measures to benefit killer whales. tools. Improving Recreational Boater Behavior and Compliance of certification, developer incentives, and other market-based Around Southern Resident Killer Whales (WA) Developing Standards for Early Indicators of Change in Grantee: San Juan County WA Public Works Killer Whale Health (WA) Grant Amount:...... $52,812 Grantee: Matching Funds: ...... $55,000 Grant Amount:...... $53,566 Total Project:...... $107,812 MatchingPacific Funds: Marine. . . . . . . . . Center ...... $60,247 Improve recreational boater regulatory compliance around Total Project:...... $113,813 Southern Resident killer whales in the Salish . Project will Evaluate the feasibility of remotely assessing early indicators of change in Southern Resident killer whale health while in habitat areas and develop new and innovative outreach campaignsexpand the towhale increase warning awareness flag program of regulations to additional with targetedcritical of declining or improving health of whales and understand audiences known to have high non-compliance. relationshipsthe Salish Sea. in Project body condition, will enhance fecundity the early and identification survivorship.