Are whale watching boats really SENTINELS OF SILENCE?

The new short documentary SENTINELS OF SILENCE? explores the effect of noise on Washington's orca population. It will make it's Pacific Northwest Premiere in October at the Friday Harbor Film Festival. SENTINELS OF SILENCE? was directed by local filmmaker Mark Pedelty.

Does whale watching protect or harm whales? Whale watching companies claim that they serve as "sentinels" protecting the orca from unwary recreational boaters, ferries, and ships. A number of local conservationists and scientists have argued that whale watching boats crowd and harass whales, while adding noise to the orca's immediate environment that makes it difficult for them to survive. The Pacific Whale Watch Association has hired lobbyists and brought suit against their local opponents. SENTINELS OF SILENCE? uses dramatic imagery, peer-reviewed science, and interviews with conservationists, scientists, and industry officials to bring to light a fascinating chapter in the orca conservation story.

Friday Harbor Film Festival
Pacific Northwest Premiere
Thursday October 15 - Sunday October 25