Declaration of the Rights of the Southern Resident Orcas
We, the peoples and natural communities of the Salish Sea, do DECLARE the following:
Eight million people and the survival of countless species depend on a healthy Salish Sea. Yet human-induced impacts such as climate change, ocean acidification, increased shipping traffic, dams and other fish passage barriers, as well as wastewater and sewage runoff have contributed to the pollution and degradation of the Salish Sea.
The Southern Resident Orcas are critically endangered with only 75 remaining at the time of this declaration (December, 2018). Their survival is dependent on healthy and functioning ecosystems, including the Salish Sea, the Fraser River Watershed, the Columbia River Basin, and the lower Snake River Watershed.
Our legal system has proven inadequate in addressing the threats to these ecosystems and to the Southern Resident Orcas. Therefore, we need to join other communities and governments worldwide in adopting a new framework for environmental protection based upon the recognition that nature has inherent rights and should be heard as a real party and interest in legal actions affecting her rights.
Despite being protected in the United States and Canada as endangered or at risk species, the Orca’s do not have a legal right to life. As a result, human interests have outweighed protection and necessary action to recover the species, and the Orca is not considered a party or stakeholder in policy decisions that may affect their health and life.
Because the Southern Resident Orcas do not acknowledge the border between the United States and Canada, or the difference between such governments and Tribal and First Nations, collective and collaborative action is needed to recover the species.
Therefore, we do PROCLAIM that:
Nature and all living beings have inherent rights to exist, flourish, evolve, and regenerate, and to restoration, recovery and preservation. This includes the Southern Resident Orcas and the Salish Sea.
The rights of the Southern Resident Orcas include, but are not limited to, the right to:
~Life
~Autonomy
~Free and safe passage
~Adequate food supply from naturally occurring sources
~Freedom from conditions causing physical, emotional or mental harm, including a habitat degraded by noise, pollution and contamination.
We have a responsibility to conserve, protect and defend Nature, the Southern Residents and the Salish Sea; and we need a transformational shift in our behavioral, societal, governance and economic relationships in order to live in harmony with Nature.
In accordance with our connection and interdependence with the Salish Sea, we DEMAND the following:
~That national, state, provincial, and local governments and their citizens follow the Tribal and First Nations in recognizing the inherent rights of the Southern Resident Orcas and the ecosystems upon which they depend.
~The immediate creation of a stewardship board for the Salish Sea based on a rights of nature framework, including guardian representation for the Southern Resident Orcas; and
~The immediate action to support the Southern Residents’ needs, and address the main threats to survival, which scientists have identified as prey availability, vessel and noise disturbance, and pollution.
Immediate actions include:
~Restoring wild Chinook salmon populations and their habitat so that the Southern Residents may enjoy their right to life and right to an adequate food supply from naturally occurring sources;
~Reducing noise and disturbance in Southern Resident Orca habitat so that the Southern Residents may enjoy their rights to life, to free and safe passage, to freedom from conditions causing physical, emotional or mental harm, and to autonomy;
~Decreasing the level of pollution and contaminants throughout the range of Southern Resident Orcas so that the Southern Residents may enjoy their right to life and right to freedom from conditions causing physical, emotional or mental harm.
The undersigned do hereby certify that the foregoing Declaration was duly adopted.
*This declaration was created collaboratively with:
Legal Rights for the Salish Sea, Gig Harbor, WA
Michelle Bender, Earth Law Center, United States
Elizabeth Dunne, Esq., Dam Sense, Port Angeles, WA
Cindy Hansen, Orca Network, Freeland, WA
Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund
Paul Petrie, Friends of Brooks Point, Pender Island, British Columbia, Canada
Peter Pare, Lisa Baile, Julia Nicholls, Gregory Nicholls, Mary Anne Pare, John Allan, Save Our Whales, Pender Island, British Columbia, Canada
Monica Petrie, Joanne Green, Pender Ocean Defenders, Pender Island, British Columbia, Canada
Shana Kelly, Rethink Captivity, Seattle, WA
Peter Holcomb, Democracy Awakening, Bellingham, WA
PLEASE HELP US GET AS MANY SIGNATURES AS POSSIBLE!
IN FACT, LET’S SHOOT FOR A MILLION, IF NOT MORE! THANK YOU!
Declaration of the Rights of the Southern Resident Orcas
1,319 signatures
Declaration of the Rights of the Southern Resident Orcas
| 1,319 | Ms Lucy W. | Montreal, QC | Canada | Jan 20, 2019 | ||
| 1,318 | Mr JOSEPH S. | UNION, MAINE | 04862 | USA | Jan 20, 2019 | |
| 1,317 | Ms Joanne A. | Durban, Kzn | 4184 | South Africa | Jan 20, 2019 | |
| 1,316 | Mr Jason M. | Lake Stevens, WA | 98258 | Jan 20, 2019 | ||
| 1,315 | Ms Ursula P. | Pender Island, BC | V0N 2M2 | Canada | Jan 20, 2019 | |
| 1,314 | Mr Miltt J. | Prospect, Oregon | 97536 | Jan 20, 2019 | ||
| 1,313 | Ms Eleanor B. | Pender Island, BC | V0N 2M2 | Canada | Jan 20, 2019 | |
| 1,312 | Mrs Stacy G. | Jan 20, 2019 | ||||
| 1,311 | Ms Emily B. | Columbus, OH | 43229 | United States | Jan 19, 2019 | |
| 1,310 | Mr daniello g. | den helder, noord holland | 1784 | holland | Jan 19, 2019 | |
| 1,309 | Ms Rie K. | Brande | 7330 | Denmark | Jan 19, 2019 | |
| 1,308 | Mr Ray H. | Pender Island, BC | V0n2m2 | Canada | Jan 19, 2019 | |
| 1,307 | Mrs Becky C. | Wickenburg, Arizona | 85390 | United States | Jan 19, 2019 | |
| 1,306 | Ms sarah m. | st. louis , missouri | 63123 | u.s | Jan 19, 2019 | |
| 1,305 | Ms Amanda L. | Oak Harbor, Wa | 98277 | USA | Jan 18, 2019 | |
| 1,304 | Ms Christina S. | Seattle, WA | 98117 | United States | Jan 18, 2019 | |
| 1,303 | Ms Agnieszka K. | Redmond, WA | 98052 | United States | Jan 18, 2019 | |
| 1,302 | Ms Nicole M. | Tacoma, WA | 98406 | United States | Jan 18, 2019 | |
| 1,301 | Mrs Julie L. | Henrietta, NY | 14467 | United States | Jan 18, 2019 | |
| 1,300 | Ms Nicole G. | Jan 18, 2019 | ||||
| 1,299 | Ms Jenny N. | Brentwood Bay, BC | V8M1B4 | Canada | Jan 18, 2019 | |
| 1,298 | Ms Angie M. | Seattle, WA | 98177 | United States | Jan 18, 2019 | |
| 1,297 | Ms Priscilla M. | Lynnwood, Wa | 98087 | United States | Jan 18, 2019 | |
| 1,296 | Mr Jeremiah B. | Logan, Ohio | 43138 | United States | Jan 17, 2019 | |
| 1,295 | Mrs Grace S. | Seattle, WA | 98122 | United States | Jan 17, 2019 | |
| 1,294 | Mr Chris C. | Jan 17, 2019 | ||||
| 1,293 | Mrs Radka C. | Redmond, WA | 98052 | United States | Jan 17, 2019 | |
| 1,292 | Ms Scarlett c. | Central islip, New York | 11722 | Usa | Jan 17, 2019 | |
| 1,291 | Ms Rachel J. | Salt Spring Island, B.C. | V8K 2G5 | Canada | Jan 17, 2019 | |
| 1,290 | Ms Mary S. | Vancouver, BC | V5V 3W8 | Canada | Jan 17, 2019 | |
| 1,289 | Dr. Jason C. | Ottawa, Ontario | K1S0W8 | Jan 17, 2019 | ||
| 1,288 | Mrs Samantha O. | Golden, CO | 80403 | United States | Jan 17, 2019 | |
| 1,287 | Ms John H. | Eugene, OR | 97405 | US | Jan 17, 2019 | |
| 1,286 | Ms Rhonda R. | Marion, Oh | 43302 | Usa | Jan 17, 2019 | |
| 1,285 | Ms Caroyn H. | Bexley, Ohio | 43209 | USA | Jan 17, 2019 | |
| 1,284 | Mr A J M. | Toledo, Ohio | Jan 17, 2019 | |||
| 1,283 | Ms June P. | Clinton , WA | 98236 | United States | Jan 17, 2019 | |
| 1,282 | Ms Elizabeth D. | Vancouver, BC | V5L 1B9 | Canada | Jan 17, 2019 | |
| 1,281 | Ms Lisa K. | Bowling Green, Ohio | 43402 | United States | Jan 17, 2019 | |
| 1,280 | Ms Ccheryl P. | Camas , WA | 98607 | USA | Jan 17, 2019 | |
| 1,279 | Mrs Valentina P. | Milan, Italy | 20135 | Italy | Jan 17, 2019 | |
| 1,278 | Ms Val d. | Victoria, BC | V8V 4Z3 | Canada | Jan 16, 2019 | |
| 1,277 | Ms Bianca T. | Heerlen, NL | 6431VD | Jan 16, 2019 | ||
| 1,276 | Mrs Am L. | S.W.Rocks, N.S.W. | 2431 | Australia | Jan 16, 2019 | |
| 1,275 | Mr Will F. | Heber City, UT | 84032 | United States | Jan 16, 2019 | |
| 1,274 | Ms Maureen M. | Langley, Wa | 98260 | Jan 16, 2019 | ||
| 1,273 | Mr Steven H. | Lantzville, B.C. | V0R2H0 | Canada | Jan 16, 2019 | |
| 1,272 | Ms Robin C. | Victoria, BC | V8t4t7 | Canada | Jan 16, 2019 | |
| 1,271 | Ms Samantha C. | North Vancouver , BC | V7P3M3 | Canada | Jan 15, 2019 | |
| 1,270 | Miss Emma U. | Victoria, BC | V9A 7K4 | Canada | Jan 15, 2019 | |
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