Make your voice heard! Actions are being considered at the local, state and national level that affect marine animals in the wild and their habitats—as well as the future Seattle Aquarium. Help further our mission of Inspiring Conservation of Our Marine Environment by becoming an advocate for our one world ocean and the animals that live there, and the Seattle Aquarium itself.
Join the movement against single-use plastics!
Plastic pollution is impacting the health of our ocean, rivers, and lakes—and the aquatic animals we love— at an increasing rate. But your everyday decisions have the power to change this. The Seattle Aquarium and other Aquarium Conservation Partnership (ACP) members across the country are working to make the right decisions easier.
We hope you will join us by making a commitment to reduce single-use plastics to make a lasting impact for our ocean. We use these plastic items for a moment, but they last for generations. The solution is in our hands.
- Take our #FirstStep seven-day plastic challenge
- Skip the straw and find alternatives to plastic
- Bring your reusable bag
- Learn how the Aquarium has eliminated single-use plastic
Making our voices heard on ocean policy
Incredibly important decisions that impact ocean health are being made by our elected leaders at the federal, state and local levels. The Aquarium is lending its voice to help influence public policy to ensure stronger protections for our local waters, marine species and the greater ocean.
Whether it is global challenges like climate change, warming waters and ocean plastics, or more local challenges related to the health of our southern resident orcas and salmon populations, it is important we all make our voices heard. Check back often to learn about the issues that the Aquarium is working on or subscribe to our policy & advocacy email list to receive important news on ocean-related policy.
Actions in the state legislature
In 2019, we worked with partners to pass state policies that will help reduce plastic pollution in our ocean and recover the endangered southern resident orcas. Read more on our blog.
Orca emergency response:
- SB 5577: Reducing vessel noise and disturbance so the orcas have an easier time foraging for the scarce salmon.
- SB 5135: Reducing toxic pollution to clean up our waters and improve survival rates for orca calves.
- HB 1579: Protecting salmon and forage fish habitat by clarifying and expanding WDFW’s enforcement capacity over shoreline armoring permits under the Hydraulic Code.
- HB 1578: Reducing oil spill risk by establishing tug escort requirements for oil-laden vessels in the waters around the San Juan Islands.
Reducing plastic pollution:
- SB 5397: Responsible management of plastic packaging.
- We will be continuing our work to get the Reusable Bag Bill across the finish line next year.
Save Animals from Extinction (SAFE)
As an accredited member of the Assocation of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA), the Seattle Aquarium is proud to partcipate in Save Animals from Extinction (SAFE), a new commitment by the AZA's 229 accredited zoos and aquariums to harness our collective resources and work to save specific endangered species from extinction by restoring healthy populations in the wild. People like you, who visit the Seattle Aquarium and/or other AZA-accredited institutions, are an important element of this critical effort!