SEATTLE TIMES CITES EARTH ECONOMICS
RESEARCH IN ARTICLE ABOUT ENDANGERED ORCAS
Earth Economics’ research is cited in a recent article in The Seattle Times about how noise from large container ships and smaller vessels affects Southern Resident Killer Whales’ ability to hunt salmon in Puget Sound. The article, “The Roar Below,” uses infographics, underwater sound recordings, and other tools to convey how underwater noise masks the sounds (echolocation clicks) that the orcas use to hunt. The article explains that Puget Sound’s robust economy would be affected by restrictions on boat traffic that state and federal policymakers are considering as a way toprotect the endangered orcas’ foraging efficiency. Citing Earth Economics’ recent report, The Whales in Our Waters, the article explains that whale watching in San Juan County (from boat-based tours and terrestrial viewing points) supports more than $216 million worth of economic activity in the Puget Sound region annually.
