A collaborative program to reduce the impacts to Southern Resident Killer Whales from large commercial vessels

Purpose and Guiding Principles

The goal of the proposed Quiet Sound program is to better understand and reduce the cumulative effects of acoustic and physical disturbance from large commercial vessels on Southern Resident Orcas throughout their range in Washington State.

The program will:

  • Promote data-driven, targeted, and results-oriented projects that lead to reduction in acoustic and physical threats to Southern Resident Orcas
  • Engender the highest level of respect for treaty rights and coordinate actions with Washington State tribes
  • Promote voluntary compliance Leverage relationships with public, private, and non-profit sector partners to ensure cost-effective and coordinated utilization of resources
  • Employ “best available science” in decision-making and support data collection to fill gaps as necessary
  • Be transparent and well-documented
  • Reflect equity, diversity, and inclusion in hiring and contracting

Visit the Quiet Sound website: www.quietsound.org

The Quiet Sound program will be a voluntary effort implemented through coordination of multiple entities with a structure that supports adaptive management and continuous improvement. 

    On November 18th, 2020 the Quiet Sound Planning Team held a webinar to share the final proposal with stakeholders. Click the buttons below to get access to the video recording of the webinar.