Sport fishing, tourism and business leaders are warning that new federal efforts to protect endangered southern resident killer whales could threaten almost 10-thousand jobs on Vancouver Island. The federal government has extended a five-thousand square kilometre critical habitat zone off the island that could result in fishing closures to protect the whales, whose population stands at 74. About two dozen business leaders told a news conference in Esquimalt today that an extension of federal fishing closures would also put at risk the survival of several small coastal communities that base their economies on recreational fishing and tourism. B-C Chamber of Commerce president Val Litwin says its member organizations across Vancouver Island have formed a coalition to protect their cities, towns and villages.