Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The daily Astorian. (Astoria, Or.) 1961-current | View Entire Issue (March 8, 2019)
A7 THE DAILY ASTORIAN • FRIDAY, MARCH 8, 2019 Scientists discover different kind of killer whale off Chile cil when it comes to assess- ing the fi sheries in light of declining killer whale populations. Some on the coun- cil want to make sure any investigation takes into account a wide amount of factors that could be impact- ing salmon populations and, as a result, impacting orcas. “Often fi sheries become the fi rst knob to turn and the easiest knob to turn,” said Brett Kormos, a council des- ignee for Chuck Bonham of the California Department of Fish and Wildlife. “We know the fi sheries themselves have not been robust and healthy,” Thom said. Nor is it clear if sim- ply providing more food means the Puget Sound orcas would rebound given other pressures in the environment. One of the biggest chal- lenges for salmon abun- dance — as well as orca abundance — is habitat, Thom said. Fishery managers and state and tribal partners are working on habitat protec- tion and recovery and to negotiate harvest reductions on salmon runs. “But we do need to make sure fi sh management is doing the right things in the right places to move us for- ward,” he said. The consultation is a long-term plan, unlikely to provide information for the 2019 fi sheries. But the National Marine Fisheries Service asked the council to begin tak- ing steps to develop a long- term approach. The agency will be evaluating informa- tion about projections for the abundance of Chinook salmon in 2019. Future planning will likely be dis- cussed at a council meeting in April. Continued from Page A1 By SETH BORENSTEIN Associated Press WASHINGTON — For decades, there were tales from fi shermen and tour- ists, even lots of photos, of a mysterious killer whale that just didn’t look like all the others, but scientists had never seen one. Now they have. An international team of researchers says they found a couple of dozen of these distinctly different orcas roaming in the oceans off southern Chile in Janu- ary. Scientists are waiting for DNA tests from a tissue sample but think it may be a distinct species. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Adminis- tration felt confi dent enough to trumpet the discovery of the long rumored killer whale on Thursday. Some outside experts were more cautious, acknowledging the whales are different, but saying they’d wait for the test results to answer the species question. “This is the most differ- ent looking killer whale I’ve ever seen,” said Robert Pit- man, a NOAA marine ecol- ogist in San Diego. He was part of the team that spotted the orcas off Cape Horn at the tip of South America. How different? The whale’s signature large white eye patch is tiny on these new guys, barely noticeable. Their heads are a bit more rounded and less sleek than normal killer whales and their dorsal fi ns are narrower and pointed. They likely mostly eat fi sh, not marine mammals like seals, as other killer whales do, Pitman said. Fishermen have complained about how good they are at poaching off fi shing lines, snatching 200-pound fi sh Orcas: Agency is looking at an overall management framework Paul Tixier Scientists are waiting for test results from a tissue sample, which could give them the DNA evidence to prove the type D killer whale is a distinct species. away. Pitman said they are so different they proba- bly can’t breed with other killer whales and are likely a new species. At 20 to 25 feet long, they are slightly smaller than most killer whales. In the Southern Hemisphere, killer whales are considered all one spe- cies, classifi ed in types A through C. This one is called type D, or subantarc- tic killer whales. Michael McGowen, marine mammal curator at the Smithsonian, said call- ing it a new species without genetic data may be prema- ture. Still, he said, “I think it’s pretty remarkable that there are still many things out there in the ocean like a huge killer whale that we don’t know about.” Scientists have heard about these distinctive whales ever since a mass stranding in New Zealand in 1955. Scientists initially thought it could be one fam- ily of killer whales that had a specifi c mutation, but the January discovery and all the photos in between point to a different type, Pitman said. He said they are hard to fi nd because they live far south and away from shore, unlike most killer whales. “The type D killer whale lives in the most inhospita- ble waters on the planet. It’s a good place to hide.” Pitman got interested in this mysterious killer whale when he was shown a pho- tograph in 2005. When he and others decided to go fi nd them, they followed the advice and directions of South American fi shermen, who had seen the whales poaching their fi sh. After weeks of waiting, about 25 of the whales came up to the scientist’s boat, looking like they expected to be fed. Equipment prob- lems prevented the scien- tists from recording enough of the whale songs, but they used a crossbow to get a tis- sue sample. Pitman said the whales are so big and their skin so tough that it didn’t hurt them, saying the arrow “is like a soda straw bounc- ing off a truck tire.” Pitman said he’ll never forget Jan. 21, when he fi nally saw his fi rst and then a bunch of the type D orcas. “For 14 years I was look- ing for these guys. I fi nally got to see them,” Pitman said. He acknowledged that he did sound like the revenge-seeking cap- tain in the classic novel “Moby-Dick.” “I guess I know how Ahab felt, but for a good rea- son,” Pitman said. management perspective, (that what we do) doesn’t impede their recovery mov- ing forward,” said Barry Thom, regional administra- tor for the National Marine Fisheries Service . At a Pacifi c Fish- ery Management Council meeting Thursday, Thom announced the agency’s intention to re initiate an Endangered Species Act consultation to reassess the effects of fi sheries on the orcas. The council helps set ocean salmon harvests of Oregon, Washington state and California. The agency is also look- ing at an overall manage- ment framework that would help fi shery managers make decisions in years when, for example, environmental conditions — such as warm- er-than-average waters — might impact the availabil- ity of salmon and pose a risk to orca recovery. A National Marine Fish- eries Service consultation in 2009 concluded that fi sher- ies overseen by the c ouncil did not jeopardize the sur- vival and recovery of the w hale population. The Wild Fish Conser- vancy and the Center for Biological Diversity have fi led an intent to sue, argu- ing that coastal salmon fi sh- ing impacts the orcas’ sur- vival, Thom said. Chinook salmon runs throughout the year are an important part of the orcas’ diets. Certain fi shed runs, including those that return to the lower Columbia River, are especially critical. But many West Coast fi sheries have seen decreased salmon stocks over the years — a con- cern to some on the Pacifi c Fishery Management Coun- Rentals: ‘Please do not take away these tools from the communities’ Continued from Page A1 “Reasonable restrictions on short-term rentals are essential to prevent Astoria from suffering the fate of other coastal communities whose residents are slowly but steadily being driven out in favor of commercial rental property owners,” Astoria Mayor Bruce Jones wrote in a letter. “Astoria has taken steps to create reasonable restric- tions on short-term rent- als through a public pro- cess, and prohibiting our ability to take such steps will result in a more rapid increase in the cost of per- manent housing for res- idents, and a signifi cant degradation of the unique small town qualities which make Astoria a desirable location for visitors and residents alike.” The legislation would impact cities like Gearhart and Manzanita, which have both capped the number of rentals , and interfere with Seaside’s practice of only allowing vacation rentals in certain zones as a condi- tional use. “Please do not take away these tools from the Colin Murphey/The Daily Astorian Markers on a map at Gearhart City Hall indicate the location of vacation rental properties. communities. Each com- munity has unique issues that make an over-arch- ing prohibition even more contrary to the livability goals that are identifi ed in each town’s c omprehen- sive p lan,” Seaside City Councilor Tom Horning wrote . “SB 621 protects outside real estate inves- tors and corporate interests at the expense of commu- nity livability and afford- ability, and it heads off potential solutions to these problems. “Allow us to handle our problems without outside interference.” Proponents of the bill argue that the role vaca- tion rentals play in the housing crunch is over- stated, and that the vaca- tion rental industry creates jobs, brings in tax revenue and allows people to afford their homes. Colleen Easlon, who operates vacation rent- als out of Port Orford, told the S enate businesses like hers play an integral role in supporting a local tourism economy. “The industry has been fantastic for our little com- munity,” Easlon said. But organizations like the League of Oregon Cit- ies and the Oregon Coast Alliance are concerned about the broader impli- cations the bill could have for livability and long-term land use planning. Gutting a local gov- ernment’s control over how it can resolve or mit- igate disputes between vis- itors and residents will lead to more community tension, said Cameron La Follette, executive direc- tor of the Oregon Coast Alliance. “It would eliminate the ability of residents and local governments to regu- late livability, which is ter- rible for a land use program and a disaster for people on the coast,” La Follette said. Taking away a city’s ability to decide where and how vacation rentals should operate reduces the ability to keep the integ- rity of commercial and res- idential zones, said Erin Doyle, an i ntergovern- mental r elations a ssociate with the League of Oregon Cities. “There’s an expectation when you buy a home in a residential area it will be residential, not a commer- cial area … and (vacation RV rentals) are businesses,” Doyle said. Many cities have spent years working on regu- lations that address these issues, and that indepen- dence should be respected, Doyle said. “To have it all undone would reopen a lot of wounds for cities who adopted policies they are now getting used to ... and those cities who don’t want (vacation rental reg- ulations) just don’t have them,” she said. “There’s no need for a state pre-emption.” AND BOAT LOANS We’ll Fetch You a Great Rate for your next camping trip % APR * No payment for 60 days! 4.49 Karen • Loves to camp with her dog, Sparky • Financed a travel trailer to save big • Fibre Family member since 2009 EMERALD HEIGHTS APARTMENTS Astoria, OR Small and Large Unfurnished 2 Bedroom Units Now Available! NEWLY REMODELED NEW APPLIANCES, NEW LIGHTS NEW CARPET/VINYL FLOOR NEW BATHROOM VANITIES & MIRRORS 2-BEDROOM APARTMENTS Mar 9 th All Rents Include: Electricity · Garbage · Water www.tlcfcu.org 503.842.7523 • 866.901.3521 85 W. Marine Dr. Astoria 2315 N. Roosevelt Dr. Seaside for more information call 503-325-8221 Monday - Friday 9-5 • NO APPOINTMENT NECESSARY AN AFFORDABLE PLACE TO CALL HOME EQUAL HOUSING OPPORTUNITY Email: emeraldheights@charter.net or visit our website: emeraldheightsapartments.com A DIVISION OF CREDIT UNION *Annual Percentage Rate effective 3/1/19 to 5/31/19. Ten year old recreational vehicle or newer. 84 month term at this rate. Extended term available at different rate.