State, nonprofits warn of possible damage caused by increased boat traffic expected for the World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup was expected to bring a spike in tourism to Northwest Washington — including boat traffic — as fans travel between Seattle and Vancouver for games.
Whether that spike will materialize is yet to be seen, but local groups are encouraging safe and green boat practices to protect the region’s waters and the diverse marine life that call them home either way. Those efforts range from a campaign to protect eel grass to reminders for boaters about the legal distance boats are required to maintain from orcas.
“Right now (traffic) is a little bit in the unknown category. I do think we’ll see increased boats on the water,” said Tara Galuska, orca recovery coordinator for the Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office.
With half a dozen games in Seattle and Vancouver over the next three weeks, officials say there could be additional impacts to traffic, and depending on the boaters themselves, marine life.
“The best case scenario, I think, would be not having an overwhelming amount of boats and an audience that was interested in the information and using the resources that are available to understand how to boat responsibly in our waters,” Galuska added. “Worst case scenario, powder keg, is tons of boats and not very whale(safe)-motivated behavior.”
The state had been working hard to update Be Whale Wise materials ahead of the World Cup and usual summer boating traffic, Galuska said. That’s been especially important after a recent Canadian measure passed that requires boaters to stay 1,000 meters away from Southern Resident killer whales. That aligns with Washington’s 1,000-yard requirement, making it easier for boaters to remember. Boaters can use or watch for Whale Warning Flags when whales are nearby.
While locals likely know of the requirements, those visiting the region may be unfamiliar.
“Boaters who are already doing their part by staying 1,000 yards away from Southern Resident orcas can help set an example for new or visiting boaters,” said Julie Watson, killer whale policy lead with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, in a press release. “As we welcome the World Cup to the region this summer, help us keep orcas in the game by giving them space.”
Meanwhile, local organizations are also encouraging boater education around eelgrass in conjunction with the World Cup.
“A lot of the marinas in False Creek and throughout Vancouver have been really anticipating this and kind of preparing for it,” said Jacob Banting, the coordinator for the Georgia Strait Alliance’s Clean Marine B.C. program. “(There’s) kind of a lack of moorage in the area, so that worry about folks anchoring out in more places has definitely been on people’s minds.”
The Georgia Strait Alliance is one of the organizations partnering with the Northwest Straits Commission on an existing Anchor Out of Eelgrass campaign, which aims to educate boaters about the safety reasons for boaters to anchor outside of eelgrass as well as the environmental benefits.
Anchoring in eelgrass can mean a greater risk of drifting and damage to eelgrass beds themselves, which impacts shoreline erosion, water quality and species recovery.
“The eelgrass habitat is incredibly important for our near-shore animals, critters, so things like young salmon and herring all rely on eelgrass habitat for their home, and that in turn actually supports some of our big marine mammals, like the Southern Resident killer whales,” said Allie Simpson with the Northwest Straits Commission. “Eelgrass anchoring is one of the leading causes of damage to eelgrass beds…so really trying to prevent that damage can help preserve that fully vital ecosystem.”
Part of the campaign includes voluntary no-anchor zones. Some are marked with buoys, while others can be found on virtual navigation apps like Active Captain. Boaters can find a full map of zones in the Salish Sea on the commission’s website.
“We’re trying to exclude boaters from every single area. What we’re really wanting to do is make sure that boaters plan ahead, and we want to give them the guides to help plan ahead,” Simpson said.
What Whatcom and San Juan marinas are seeing
Officials from both the Port of Bellingham and Port of Friday Harbor did not report any spikes in boating traffic so far.
“We’re not seeing any uptick — in fact, the marina season is a little slow relative to previous years,” Todd S. Nicholson, Friday Harbor port executive director, wrote in an email.
Meanwhile, Bellingham spokesperson Michael Hogan said Squalicum Harbor and Blaine Harbor haven’t experienced noticeable increases in recreational boaters related to the World Cup but that Blaine Harbor had received a moorage inquiry from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection for a patrol boat.
That request, he added, is similar to the increased presence during the Vancouver Winter Olympics in 2010.
San Juan Sailing & Yachting managing partner Pam Steach said that while the number of charters being booked has been pretty steady, a majority were planning to come back for a game.
“The people up here are very aware of the World Cup,” she said, adding that at least one mentioned booking at this time because they have tickets to the World Cup.
Commander Daniel Delgado with the Coast Guard Sector Puget Sound said while the Coast Guard has anticipated an increase in boat traffic, it may be too early to see the full local impacts of the World Cup on boating.
The Coast Guard’s main focus, he added, has been safety around the fan zones along the state’s coast, including the one in Bellingham. That meant additional staffing around Bellingham and the San Juans, specifically about 40 or so additional employees in the area.
“We’ve been planning for the World Cup here in Seattle for over a year,” Delgado said. “We brought in extra people and extra boats to help us, and we’ve done some additional training with some of the local city, county, state and federal partners so that everybody is kind of speaking the same language when we’re out on the water.”
Ferry impacts
Washington State Ferries have also made preparations for the World Cup, including additional security and staff as well as keeping boats on standby.
“We see increased marine traffic every summer, but how much is dependent on many factors such as the daily weather conditions. We ask other mariners — especially when there are more boats on the water — to stay alert, watch out for our ferry routes and listen to VHF radio for updates,” Washington State Ferries spokesperson Justin Fujioka told the Salish Current in an email. “Our ferries are large and need plenty of time and space to slow down or change direction. Please keep a safe distance, make sure you’re easy to see and avoid crossing too close in front of or behind our vessels.”
Those preparations, however, may not be enough given the ferry system’s already existing issues with staffing.
“The conditions that cause crew shortages and canceled sailings remain unchanged,” Eric Winge, ferry system representative for the Marine Engineers Beneficial Association, the union for all engine room crew on state ferries, said in a press release.
The association is fighting for better pay, and Winge argued ferries will continue to see delays and missed sailings this summer until the state raises staff’s wages.
“Billions of dollars are being spent on new ferries, but if the state doesn’t close this wage gap, we won’t have enough licensed crew to operate and repair the new hybrid electric vessels when they come into service,” Winge said.
—By Sydnee Chapman