Project SeaWolf Coastal Protection (SCP) was initially chartered in December 1997 to work on issues related to the protection of southern resident killer whale population roaming the waters off British Columbia and Washington State . In 1998, SCP obtained federal 501(c)3 status as a non-profit society, and expanded its focused based on the strategic vision of a council of advisors assembled from a community of local, northwest orca whale advocates. Our founding objective was to identify, investigate, document, educate, and, if possible, to enforce against (by promulgating legislative protections) any threats to the ecological integrity of rich Northwest ecosystems.    

Our first significant initiative involved our leading role with a group of organizations and researchers to petition for a federal ‘endangered species’ status listing for the declining southern resident orca whale stock.  Working diligently through the legislative process, we collaborated to form a coalition, lead by the Center for Biological Diversity, which would work to obtain the ESA listing for orcas, until that goal was reached in 2005.  Concurrently, SCP also worked independently to promulgate a Washington State ‘Endangered Species’ listing for these orcas – a successful effort that helped to progress our collective efforts on the federal level. The multi-year process helped shape our identity as an advocacy group.

Over the recent years, SCP’s objectives expanded to include creating broadcast television documentary films, to program grassroots conservation programs and youth educational workshops, and to promote those ‘green’ businesses that play a role in advocating and protecting biodiversity in the Canada-US border region of the Pacific Northwest .  SCP accomplishes this by presenting relevant articles related to ecological issues, and by hosting ECOS, a database & review of environmentally-responsible eco-tourism businesses operating in this region. ECOS will grow in the coming months, and SCP recommends that readers who are concerned about environmentally responsible eco-tourism activities specifically patronize these businesses. (Please note that SCP receives no compensation to publicize any of these businesses; all recommendations are made through objective evaluation by SCP volunteers).

Accordingly, at all times since our establishment, SCP has committed to remaining a 100% volunteer-driven and operated organization. Contributions are never used to compensate, or provide stipends to, any of our advisors, directors, researchers, or volunteers – we are committed to remaining a lean, fully volunteer group. Click here to learn more about our specific past and present campaigns.

In 2008 and 2009, SCP will also launch a separate research wing, called SeaWolf Coastal Research (SCR), which will include a separate and specific board of advisors engaged almost entirely in conducting field research on coastal wildlife species.  SCP’s advisor Robert McLaughlin will lead this wing of our operations, which is anticipated to come online in the early part of 2009.

The Future

A long-term vision of our organization is to continue our current advocacy program, and to eventually establish a full-time marine patrol program to help monitor environmental issues in the coastal Northwest. One element of this program involves the acquisition & deployment of a dedicated patrol vessel, which will sail the Northwest Straits region in the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Haro, and Georgia Strait . As a satellite venture, SeaWolf Marine Operations (SMO) will provide self-sustaining marine patrol services which are not dependent on federal funding, nor subject to government budget cuts. A SMO marine vessel will be tasked to conduct the following primary duties;

• Conduct advocacy for international wildlife/environmental protection laws;
• Document & enforcement against violations of ecological protection laws;
• Provide a platform for regional scientists & researchers;
• Guard & monitor southern resident orca whale pods roaming the Northwest Straits year-round;
• Deliver marine ecology & environmental stewardship programs;

Combined with our future marine patrols, Project SeaWolf will also make efforts to secure a permanent, land-based public education headquarters. This office is anticipated to be situated somewhere in either Bellingham , Washington or Vancouver , British Columbia , and will be run by volunteers. The office will be used as a headquarters for coordinating regular presentations and workshops on marine environmental matters.

Since Project SeaWolf expects to operate on a self-funded, non-profit basis, all the above programming will be delivered free of cost to the public. For more specific information, please feel free to contact our volunteer director Michael Kundu at (425) 879-4676.