Shell aids recovery of Pacific Northwest’s most iconic species

Be Whale Wise Campaign: July 1^st, 2020 Launch Date!

Southern Resident Killer Whales (also known as Orcas) are an extremely Endangered species found off the coast of Washington state and are federally protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. In partnership with NFWF, we want to help provide key information and resources to recreational boaters to help them understand what they can do to assist in protecting this iconic species.

Be Whale Wise is a partnership of governmental agencies, non-profits, and other stakeholders in the Salish Sea (Puget Sound of Washington State) that works to research, implement, and educate on best vessel practices to protect the unique and fragile marine resources in the area. Since the 1990s, the Be Whale Wise team seeks to raise awareness for local and visiting boaters on how to safely share the water with Killer Whales. These guidelines focus on maintaining a safe distance from Killer Whales and other tips. The group’s tagline is “Be Whale Wise. Give Whales Space.”

This summer, look for recreational boating tips at select Shell service stations in the greater Seattle area on how you can “Be Whale Wise” with these majestic creatures in Puget Sound. Brochures on better boating practices near Killer Whales will be distributed to retail consumers at nearly 300 fuel stations in the greater Seattle-area from July 1^st to September 30^th. The brochures will be accompanied by posters, T-shirts, and window signs. Learn more about the Killer Whale Conservation Program with NFWF that Shell funds from the video below.

Learn more about the Killer Whale Research and Conservation Program (KWRCP), which provides grants to conservation-focused nonprofits to help restore and enhance the populations of Chinook Salmon, the key prey for killer whales. Shell has been a part of the Anacortes, WA community since 1955 via the Puget Sound Refinery, and it identified the KWRCP as a key local conservation effort for the region. “We are proud to be a part of this collaborative effort through the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation,” said Shirley Yap, Shell Puget Sound Refinery’s general manager. “We are committed to supporting regional research and conservation efforts that focus on recovering a species that is iconic to the Salish Sea and the cultural heritage of the Pacific Northwest.”

Watch this new video on killer whales underwritten by Shell as part of the Partnerships in Conservation video series.