Salish Sea Science Prize awarded

Salish Sea Science Prize Award Speech
February 8, 2009
Seattle, Washington

Although Congressman Dicks has always been a big fan of science-based policy and we are now fortunate to have a President of the United States who has pledged to restore integrity to US science policy, our government has not always been known for valuing science or for basing important decisions on scientific information. As we all look at the huge task before us to design a healthy Salish Sea, it is clear that many of the untold thousands of decisions that we need to make must be based on science.

The SeaDoc Society created the Salish Sea Science Prize to recognize the importance of science in providing a foundation for designing a healthy Salish Sea ecosystem. Every two years this prize will be given to a prominent scientist or team of scientists whose work has resulted in the marked improvement of management or policy related to the conservation of marine wildlife and the Salish Sea marine ecosystem. A $2,000, no strings attached prize comes with this prestigious and one of a kind award, which is given in recognition of, and to honor the spirit of Ms. Stephanie Wagner, who loved the region and its wildlife.

Among many worthy individuals and groups that were nominated for consideration by the Award committee this year, the life work of this year's winner embodies the essence of the prize. This person's work has been collaborative and transboundary, drawing on the help of both US and Canadian Scientists. It also has been scientifically rigorous and the results have changed the way we think about, manage and protect marine wildlife.

Although the first live capture of a killer whale occurred in 1961, the development of a netting technique and large-scale commercial demand lead to large increases in capture efforts in Washington and British Columbia in 1967. Before the captures ceased in 1977, more than 300 whales were likely captured, of which 55 were transferred to aquaria, while many others died.

During this time period this year's winner, collaborating with Canadian colleagues, pioneered the use of photo identification to study and individually identify killer whales. This work provided many new revelations:
•    That killer whales could be individually identified
•    That the Salish Sea was not home to unlimited killer whales free for the taking for display
•    That Salish Sea killer whales belonged to 2 ecotypes – fish eaters and marine mammal eaters
•    That resident fish eating whales had a non-dispersing matrilineal society

While many of these ideas were not initially accepted by the scientific community, this person's persistence in conducting an annual census of the Southern Resident killer whale population, one of the only true censuses conducted on any wildlife population, has come to make these facts known by school kids and citizens throughout the region and the world.

This annual census, conducted since 1975 and usually with little financial support, has become the basis of the population assessments that ultimately lead to the Canadian and US listing of the Southern Resident Killer Whale community as endangered. Additionally this person's work has served as a foundation for our understanding of resident killer whale longevity, toxics loading in killer whales, and the implications of disease on the long-term viability of this population. This person's work formed a critical foundation for both the US and the Canadian killer whale recovery plans, as well as for new legislation such as that which creates a no-vessel zone around these animals to minimize anthropogenic impact on these animals as they feed and communicate.

Without a doubt, this person's long-term research and commitment to documenting the killer whales of the Salish Sea has contributed substantially to conservation initiatives and policy in the Salish Sea, and has served as an example for the world on why science is important for designing healthy ecosystems. It is with great pleasure tonight, that the SeaDoc Society awards the prestigious Salish Sea Science Prize to Mr. Ken Balcomb.