Camden: Maybe orcas can get a special spot on the calendar

The iconic marine mammals in Puget Sound are much in need of protection, with the Southern Resident orcas down to 73, the lowest level in decades. The Legislature took a swing at saving orcas earlier this year, with bills to increase patrols to protect the critters, particularly the young ones, during whale-watching season. But they had to settle for setting aside $1.5 million for recovery efforts, with some extra money to enforce restrictions on boat traffic around them, boost hatchery production of the fish they eat and set aside money for an “action plan” for whale recovery.

Gov. Jay Inslee wiped that money out with his veto pen, arguing that it did not “fully cover the costs of important work needed to begin the recovery of this iconic species.” But Inslee told the Department of Fish and Wildlife to use $650,000 to put up some fish screens, conduct public outreach and support a killer whale recovery task force.

After all, nothing says “we really, really care” like a task force.

So the orcas definitely could use some help from Congress, since the state’s commitment to one of its most recognizable critters could be seen as somewhat lacking. One might say that setting aside a special month for orcas is the least that Congress could do.

But one would be wrong. It can, and almost certainly will, do less. Heck and Kilmer introduced the resolution Friday to name June as National Orca Protection Month. So more than two-thirds of the month was gone before the ink on the resolution was dry. Plus the measure has to go to a committee before it can get a House vote.

Orcas can hold their breath a relatively long time, but not long enough to see any help from the resolution. Heck and Kilmer introduced a similar resolution last year to declare June 2017 National Orca Protection Month. It went to the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight, which has been keeping kind of busy trying to figure out whether the Deep State has infested the FBI, the Russians rigged the 2016 election and the head of the EPA has any scruples. The 2017 resolution sank without a trace.

Yo ho ho, skip the rum

Speaking of maritime topics, boaters should be warned that this weekend, state and local law enforcement will be taking part in a national effort of “emphasis patrols” to detect BUI.

That’s Boating Under the Influence for landlubbers.

The effort, somewhat incomprehensibly, is called Operation Dry Water. After all, if the water is dry, it’s not water at all and thus not a good medium for operating a boat.

The goal of Operation Dry Water is to make people aware of some grim statistics — drinking or doing drugs is the leading contributor to fatal boating accidents nationwide and the cause of 57 boating deaths between 2006 and 2016 in Washington.

In Washington state, it’s illegal to operate a boat when impaired by drugs or alcohol. That includes kayaks, canoes and rafts as well as motorboats or sailboats. If a law enforcement officer orders you to take a breath or blood test, you can be fined up to $2,050 for refusing. The penalty for BUI is a fine of up to $5,000 and 364 days in jail.