Several orcas were spotted near Ballard Locks in Seattle shortly after 5 p.m. Monday. Witnesses photographed and filmed their sleek black dorsal fins; experts believe they were transient, or Bigg’s, orcas. They were likely hunting seals and sea lions that live in the area.
Ballard Locks connect the freshwater lakes Washington and Union with the saltwater of Puget Sound. Migrating salmon pass through a narrow water corridor where slow currents and concentrations of fish attract sea lions, seals, birds and other predators. The structures also provide convenient resting places for wildlife.
Scientists note that orca encounters near the locks are rare but entirely possible: the channel is deep enough even for large yachts, so the animals could have safely navigated it using echolocation. The family of Alana Lyons, who was visiting from Georgia, saw the fish and seals suddenly disappear, then heard a splash and the cries of onlookers. Lyons counted at least four orcas and thought one might have been a calf.
August is the peak season for sockeye salmon and the especially important chinook salmon to pass through the locks. At this time, predators concentrate around the structures because salmon must navigate a narrow stretch of their route. According to marine biologist Deborah Giles, the arrival of orcas that feed on marine mammals could provide a natural way to reduce pressure on salmon. In her view, there is no better deterrent than a real orca.
For more than a decade, experts, lawmakers and Indigenous representatives have discussed how to reduce salmon losses. Proposals have included acoustic deterrents, recordings of orca calls and even the culling of some marine mammals. Today, the focus is primarily on nonlethal measures: monitoring and counting animals, changing the timing or operation of the locks, installing guide structures and barriers, improving fish passageways, and using acoustic methods to temporarily drive predators away.
Indigenous representatives emphasize that restoring salmon requires protecting their entire life cycle—from improving water quality and habitat to ensuring access to spawning grounds. The killing of marine mammals remains a highly controversial and legally restricted option.
In 1996, the city of Seattle lowered a 52-foot plastic orca, nicknamed “False Willie,” into the water near the locks in the hope of scaring away marine mammals. The plan failed, and the structure itself sparked public and ethical controversy. It was removed and has been displayed near the visitor center since 2019. Now real orcas may be able to accomplish what their plastic replica could not.
Based on: Orca sighting at Ballard Locks is great news for salmon - The Seattle Times