5/23 Black Out, Speak Out; Mukilteo dock, Makah whaling, coyote denning, fish virus, Lk Whatcom land, Fraser R. marina, Fisherman's Wharf, tsunami debris, conservation games, Pt. Defiance Park

Makah whaling (The Pluralism Project)

Georgia Strait Alliance writes: ‘In recent memory, there has never been such an open attack by our federal government on our environment and the civil society that is its voice.  And that is why there has never been a more important time for us to speak up.  So on June 4th Georgia Strait Alliance is joining organizations, businesses, unions, bloggers and individuals from across the country to “Black Out, Speak Out”.’ June 4th: Silence is not an option

Cliff Mass writes: “Yes, the weather has turned cool and wet again, with snow falling in the higher passes and upper mountain slopes.  But we have a really good snow pack and lots of water for this summer.”  Snowpack, Spring Floods, and Why the Northwest is Better than California  

After years of delays and uncertainty, a major step has been taken toward building a new ferry terminal in Mukilteo. State ferry officials have picked a site: the west end of the former Air Force tank farm, just east of the waterfront business district. The site was chosen over rebuilding the ferry dock in its current location or another option of building at the far east end of the tank farm.  New Mukilteo ferry terminal site selected

A 7-year-old study on the potential environmental impact of Makah whaling is being ditched, the federal government announced. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, National Marine Fisheries Service and Department of Commerce issued a “notice to terminate” the draft environmental impact statement Monday. This is the latest development in lengthy legal battles over the Makah tribe's treaty right to hunt whales — and comes only days after the 13th anniversary of a Makah whaling crew legally killing a gray whale off Neah Bay.  U.S. halts Makah whaling study after seven years over 'new scientific information'  

Vancouver residents are being told to exercise caution around coyotes protective of newborn pups. The Stanley Park Ecology Society reports that spring is denning season for coyotes, which may become more territorial around den sites.  Coyote denning season prompts warning for Vancouver residents  And: Downtown Eastside residents who say the rat population in the neighbourhood has become unbearable will host a rat count tonight. Vancouver's rat population to be counted tonight

A Vancouver Island salmon farm says it has now emptied a site that was quarantined because of a virus. Mainstream Canada announced last week that tests confirmed the presence of an infectious virus known as IHN at its Dixon Bay site, north of Tofino.  Island fish farm gets rid of all its quarantined fish  

Whatcom County Council voted to assume ownership of thousands of acres in the Lake Whatcom watershed, land the state is now managing for timber harvesting and that the county plans to use for parkland. The move came after an unsuccessful attempt by council member Bill Knutzen to persuade the council to put the land transfer question on the general election ballot.  Whatcom County to seek 8,700 acres near Lake Whatcom for parks

A $13-million marina project in the North Arm of the Fraser River is edging nearer to construction, after revisions to the original plan and negotiations with the City of Richmond over flooding concerns. The project is in the final stages of regulatory approval and “it’s our hope to start construction very soon,” project manager Matthew Cote said Tuesday.  Fraser River marina plan afloat following regulatory revisions  

The final phase of a new look with a variety of new uses at Fisherman's Wharf Park in James Bay is on target to be finished by late summer. Improvements to the 1.56-hectare park include a mock beach with sand, dune grasses and driftwood, a rain garden that filters water as it runs into Victoria Harbour and a food garden with herbs and figs for the picking.  Final phase of Fisherman's Wharf project adding food garden, beach  

Beachcombing will get a lot more interesting this October. That's when the bulk of the flotsam unleashed by the Japanese tsunami of March 2011 will begin to arrive on the North Olympic Peninsula, oceanographer Curt Ebbesmeyer told an audience at Peninsula College in Port Angeles on Monday night. Japanese tsunami debris: Lots of flotsam by October, ocean expert warns

About 800 local students played tag and jump rope while learning the salmon life cycle, held wriggling red worms and chastised a messy, disrespectful camper camper early this week as part of the Skagit Conservation District’s Conservation Tour at the Pomona Grange Park in Burlington.  Organized since the 1980s, the tour exposes sixth-graders from schools across Skagit county to their natural resources and how they can appreciate and protect them.  Conserving for fun  

Point Defiance Park will usher in the summer season this Memorial Day weekend with two new amenities intended to encourage visitor exploration of all the park has to offer.  A visitor center opens Friday in the historic lodge located near the park’s Pearl Street entrance. Then, on Saturday, the park debuts a new shuttle service that will ferry visitors from one end of the 702-acre park to the other.  Point Defiance unveils visitor center, shuttle  

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT WED MAY 23 2012
TODAY
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 10 SECONDS. SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 7 FT AT 10 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.

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