11/18 Elwha Love, climate rallies, BC LNG, BC pipe, B'ham walkway, BC ferries, BC oil spills, extinctions

Port Hardy morning (Laurie MacBride)

If you like to watch: Day’s End at Fisherman’s Wharf
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "As a life-long west coaster, I’ve always loved the intricate and fascinating jigsaw puzzle formed by the poles, booms, gurdies, lines, drums and nets of commercial fish boats. On summer days when the fleet is in port, Fisherman’s Wharf can be hectic as skippers and crews race to repair gear, do engine maintenance, re-provision and prepare for their next departure. Morning comes very early for fishermen, though, so by dusk, things slow way down. You can almost hear the hush that falls over the docks, as dreams turn to what the next day might bring..."

Elwha River sees largest run of Chinook in decades  
The largest run of Chinook salmon in decades returned to the Elwha River this fall, according to officials with the Olympic National Park. Fish are streaming into stretches of the Elwha River and its tributaries that were formerly blocked by the Elwha Dam, park officials said Friday on its website. The Elwha Dam, one of two dams on the river, stood for nearly a century before it came down in 2012.

Paying witness to the salmon cycle
About 70 people braved Sunday’s wet weather to watch chum salmon complete their life cycle, swimming up Kennedy Creek in Mason County – about halfway between Olympia and Shelton – to spawn and die. Visitors can watch all that take place at Kennedy Creek Salmon Trail, which offers trails and 11 viewpoints along them so the curious can see the fish in action, swimming to that spot on Kennedy Creek, or the shallower Fiscus Creek, to lay eggs where they were born. Rolf Boone reports.

Climate change rallies staged across Canada
Organizers say more than 130 protests against climate change were staged across Canada Saturday, with the largest gathering held in Vancouver where participants showed their opposition to Enbridge's proposed Northern Gateway pipeline. The protests were part of a national day of action to "Defend Our Climate." Outside Vancouver's Science World, nearly 1,000 participants held colourful signs while chanting and singing slogans, while others pounded on drums and played the bagpipes.

LNG’s greenhouse-gas impact is prompting Clark to get creative with numbers
Premier Christy Clark’s government is working on a strategy to claim credit for reducing greenhouse-gas emissions outside of B.C. borders. On the same day that an internal government document surfaced showing her government expects a liquefied natural gas industry could double the province’s GHG emissions, Ms. Clark said it’s time to take a more global view of the environment. Justine Hunter reports.

Pipeline proposal through grizzly sanctuary no longer on the table: BC Environment Minister  
Industry has shelved a controversial plan to run a natural gas pipeline through a coastal grizzly sanctuary, Environment Minister Mary Polak said Friday. Larry Pynn reports.  Earlier: Provincial document suggests pipelines and power lines could run through protected areas

Bellingham seeks agreement with Lummi Nation on new park walkway
The city is trying to work out environmental issues with Lummi Nation in order to clear the way for construction of an over-water walkway between Boulevard Park and a new park planned for the Cornwall Beach area to the north... But because the walkway would require pilings and other structures across a stretch of the bay, the city needs approval from Lummi Nation. Federal court rulings have recognized that tribes with treaty fishing rights have the authority to block any encroachment on their traditional fishing grounds. That includes both obstruction of fishing activity and destruction of habitat such as eelgrass that nurtures salmon and other marine life. John Stark reports.

BC Ferries cuts expected on smaller island routes
The B.C. government is expected to announce cuts to ferry service on many smaller island routes this morning, as part of a plan to trim spending at BC Ferries. Transportation Minister Todd Stone is expected to reveal how the province plans to find $19-million dollars in savings at the provincially-owned corporation.       

Metro leaders say oil-spill prep needs to be better
Metro Vancouver leaders say plans to clean up an oil spill in Burrard Inlet are not up to snuff — and should be improved before a proposed new pipeline goes forward. Those are the views of leaders like Belcarra Mayor Ralph Drew, who is spearheading a drive by Metro Vancouver to hold pipeline proponent Kinder Morgan to the highest possible standards in Vancouver Harbour. Drew said Friday that the company which is certified for to clean up, Western Canada Marine Response Corp., is not committed to starting operations until six hours after an accident. He said that’s not good enough. Kent Spencer reports.

Hall of shame: Seven species that humans wiped out
As our ancestors spread across the globe, they were followed by wave upon wave of extinction. Countless species have died out and now there are more than 16,000 under threat, most from loss of habitat. However, only a handful of extinctions can be blamed entirely on us. Here are seven of them. Graham Lawton reports. See also: World's Most Irreplaceable Protected Areas Identified

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 900 AM PST MON NOV 18 2013
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON PST TODAY TO 6 PM PST THIS EVENING
TODAY
E WIND TO 10 KT...RISING TO 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS...BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT IN THE AFTERNOON. W
 SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS. RAIN.
TONIGHT
E WIND 10 TO 20 KT...BECOMING W EARLY. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 11 SECONDS. RAIN...THEN A CHANCE OF RAIN AFTER
 MIDNIGHT.

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