2019-06-03 Proclamation - Orca Awareness Month

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Office of the Mayor City of Tukwila, Washington PROCLAMATION WHEREAS, The Southern Resident orca and salmon are an essential part of our region and especially the City of Tukwila's identity, as icons of the Pacific Northwest which are also indicators of the health of Puget Sound, it's watersheds, and of the Salish Sea; and WHEREAS, the City of Tukwila's desire is to ensure that future generations have living, thriving resident orcas as part of their lives, not as a reference of what could not be saved; and WHEREAS, The City of Tukwila's many creeks, streams and the Green- Duwamish River provide valuable salmon habitat and fresh water that support all 5 salmon species including the endangered Chinook salmon, which orcas depend upon as their primary food source; and WHEREAS, The Southern Resident orcas were listed as an endangered in November 2005, under the Endangered Species Act and continue to struggle with declining numbers of now only 75 members remaining, less than half of their original numbers; and WHEREAS, The major threat facing the Southern Resident orcas is the lack of their principal food source, Chinook salmon, as a result of the degradations of salmon, forage fish habitat, noise and disturbance from ships, small boats and non -motorized vessels; and NOW THEREFORE, I, Councilmember Verna Seal, on behalf of Allan Ekberg, Mayor of the City of Tukwila, and in support of Governor Inslee's State of Washington Proclamation of Orca Awareness Month, do hereby proclaim June 2019 as: Orca Awareness Month in the City of Tukwila and encourage the Tukwila community to join with the Orca Network, Orca Salmon Alliance, Duwamish Alive Coalition partners and other local organizations working on these issues to take actions to restore, conserve and protect important habitats critical to Chinook salmon and orca, including the health of Puget Sound and the Salish Sea. Presented this third day of June, 2019 Allan Ekberg, Mayor