at risk species
Puget Sound Basin - A Biodiversity Assessment
The Center for Biological Diversity, with assistance from FRIENDS, has recently published the results of an extensive assessment of Puget Sound biodiversity. Based on an exhaustive search of regional taxa guides, databases, and other sources, 7,013 species were identified in the Puget Sound Basin - this is more species than are found in 31 individual states - indicating that the Puget Sound is a significant hotspot for biological diversity in the United States.
957 of these species were found to be imperiled, 285 of which are critically imperiled, 272 are imperiled and 400 are vulnerable. Puget Sound species are threatened by a multitude of factors, of which habitat destruction primarily from urban and agricultural sprawl and logging is the most severe. Other causes of species imperilment include exotic species, pollution, global climate change and over fishing. Although there is an increasing focus on protection wildlife and the habitats they depend on, these threats are - if anything- growing.
Click here to download the Puget Sound Basin - Biodiversity Assessment
Marine Mammals and Acoustic Pollution
By: Rebecca J. Bressan, Washington State University
Sponsored by, Samish Indian Nation and The FRIENDS of the San Juans
Acoustic or noise pollution in marine habitats has become an increasing concern for conservationists and policymakers. In 1972 the U.S. federal government enacted the Marine Mammal Protection Act, a law guaranteeing that marine mammals would not be detrimentally harassed by human activities.
However acoustic pollution under the marine mammal protection act is unclearly defined and nearly impossible to enforce, yet, noise pollution in our oceans is a real threat to the survival of many marine mammals. "The MMPA cannot deal broadly with the source levels that polluters generate or with the total amount of noise produced in a given area."
Click here to read the Executive Summary
Species of Concern
by Joseph K. Gaydos and Kirsten V.K. Gilardi - The SeaDoc Society
 Abstract: Species of concern are native species and sub-species that warrant special attention to ensure their conservation. Within the Georgia Basin / Puget Sound marine ecosystem, the Canadian Federal Government, the United States Federal Government, the State of Washington, and the Province of British Columbia all have different processes for assessing which species require special initiatives to ensure protection and survival of the population.
Joseph K. Gaydos and Kirsten V.K. Gilardi - The SeaDoc Society reviewed listings from all four jurisdictions and identified a total of 60 species or sub-species from the shared inland marine waters that were listed as species of concern (current on September 1, 2002). Each jurisdiction underestimated the number of species of concern within the entire marine ecosystem: Washington State identified 73%, the Province of British Columbia identified 47%, the U.S. Federal Government identified 30%, and the Canadian Federal Government identified 28%. While acknowledging that species abundance and distribution differ within the Georgia Basin / Puget Sound marine ecosystem and listing criteria differ by jurisdiction, recognition of species of concern on an ecosystem basis gives a more complete perspective on the health of our shared marine ecosystem. We propose that the identification of 60 species of concern could be indicative of ecosystem decay. Continued efforts need to be made to identify shared species of concern and plans for their recovery should occur across jurisdictional boundaries on an ecosystem basis.
Click to Read the article about our region's species of concern
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