Harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)

Photo courtesy Stefan Jacobs

Harbor porpoise are candidates for listing by Washington state. They occur year-round and breed in the inland waters of Washington and British Columbia. They once were considered common in central and southern Puget Sound, but are now rarely seen. Reasons for their decline in this area are unknown, but pollutants, heavy vessel traffic, and fishing net entanglement have been suspected. Anecdotal evidence suggests that harbor porpoise populations in southern British Columbia also have decreased. More research is needed on the diseases, movements, and stock structure of harbor porpoise in the inland waters. Harbor porpoise are candidates for listing by the State of Washington and are considered vulnerable in British Columbia (blue list). For more information on harbor porpoise natural history visit the Whale Museums' Marine Mammals of the Salish Sea compiled by Albert Shepard.