Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility recently described the die-off as a “Catastrophic Mortality Event.” However, John Calambokidis, a senior research biologist with Cascadia Research, said no such formal designation has been made.
PEER is also urging federal action. It is pressing NOAA to act on a 2023 petition aimed at reducing ship strikes and has filed a separate petition seeking to return gray whales to the federal endangered species list.