9/5 Atlantics, Fraser fish, Anne Shaffer, Grays Harbor oil, wildfires, shellfish, humpback, Tesoro, bluefin

Painted anemone [Jennifer Walker]

Painted anemone Urticina crassicornis
The Painted anemone measures up to 30 cm tall with a column diameter of 20 cm. While it is often blotched with red and green — which gives it the alternate common name of 'Christmas anemone' — its colour is variable, and can be any combination of red, green, yellow, brown, tan, or olive…. The Painted anemone attaches to rocks, docks, and other solid substrates in intertidal and shallow subtidal areas. It may be found hanging from underside of surfaces…. Painted anemones feed on crustaceans, bivalves, other anemones, chitons, fish, and sometimes stranded jellyfish. The candy-striped shrimp has a commensal relationship with the painted anemone - it lives on or around the anemone, gaining protection and food scraps. It appears to be unaffected by the anemone's sting. (Biodiversity of the Central Coast)

Note: This week marks the beginning of Salish Sea News and Weather's seventh year of publication. Thanks to the over 500 subscribers who receive the weekday compilation for staying informed and engaged in the protection and restoration of the Salish Sea. Got a news clip you think should be included, send me the URL. Got a comment on the news you read, share it with me. Encourage friends, family and associates to subscribe: it's free and provided as a public service. Thanks for reading.

After Atlantic salmon spill, fish farms' future under attack on both sides of border
Cooke Aquaculture Pacific knew its Cypress Island facility was “vulnerable” before the spill that sent tens of thousands of invasive Atlantic salmon into Puget Sound. Now, the future of Atlantic salmon farming in Washington is in doubt. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

National chief speaks in support of occupiers on B.C. fish farms 
The Assembly of First Nations’ national chief has spoken out in support of B.C. First Nations members currently occupying two local salmon farms. ‘I stand with First Nations in B.C. in their long struggle with federal and provincial governments to fully recognize and address the threat of salmon fish farms to wild salmon,” said AFN Chief Perry Bellegarde in a statement issued Friday. (Post Media)

At least one escaped Atlantic salmon has reached South Sound waters, tribe reports
Of the thousands of Atlantic salmon that wriggled into the Salish Sea through broken fencing at a Cooke Aquaculture Pacific farm off Cypress Island, nary a one had turned up on the hook of fishermen standing in the muddy waters of the Puyallup River Friday morning. Derrick Nunnally reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

DFO officers step up salmon fishing enforcement
Department of Fisheries and Oceans officers are stepping up their enforcement of strict salmon fishing rules this year, as the Fraser River sockeye run has hit a dangerously low level. DFO officials are relying on Canadian Coast Guard assets, like the 43-metre CCGS M. Charles M.B. to carry out inspection operations, as well as maintain an imposing presence on the ocean near the mouth of the Fraser River. According to Herb Redekopp, chief of conservation and protection for the Lower Fraser area, this year's pathetic salmon run is extraordinary. Rafferty Baker reports. (CBC)

Drought conditions prompt B.C. to push for water conservation in Lower Fraser
The province is asking all water users in the Lower Fraser region — from Hope to Vancouver — along with those on Vancouver Island to reduce water consumption by 30 per cent beginning immediately, and has announced level three drought conditions. The Similkameen, Nicola, and Salmon River watersheds are currently under level four drought conditions. Ash Kelly reports. (CBC)

Return To The Salish Sea: Nearshore Biologist Anne Shaffer
The Elwha is now free-flowing through Olympic National Park into the Strait of Juan de Fuca. And it has been quickly returning the sediment that had been held back by two dams for nearly a century…. “It’s such a beautiful place, you know, this beach, this nearshore," said marine biologist Anne Shaffer. "It’s so captivating, and with just a few images you really can give people a powerful sense of what all has happened here." Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Port of Grays Harbor officials say crude oil no longer in its plans
In its annual report to the Ocean Shores City Council this week, Port of Grays Harbor officials said the issue of shipping crude oil by rail and sea was “off the table” for the first time in four years. Port officials said that both pending crude oil proposals by current Port tenants Contanda Grays Harbor (formerly Westway Terminals) and REG (formerly Imperium Renewables) have been abandoned, and the companies are seeking to ship other products instead. Angelo Bruscas reports. (Aberdeen Daily World)

Inslee declares state of emergency for wildfire worries; red flag warning issued
As the growing Jolly Mountain Fire in Kittitas County threatens thousands of homes in Ronald and Roslyn, Gov. Jay Inslee has proclaimed a state of emergency in all counties due to wildfire concerns. Although there are currently no wildland fires on the North Olympic Peninsula, the proclamation would allow officials access to federal resources if the need arises, said Chief Sam Phillips of Clallam County Fire District No. 2. Jesse Major reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Huge wildfires in B.C. could smoulder until next spring, says official
The head of the Cariboo Regional District says he wouldn’t be surprised if wildfires that have chewed through more than 10,600 square kilometres of land won’t be fully out until next year. Al Richmond, the regional chairman, said hot spots from many of the largest fires likely won’t be doused until the spring, mirroring a Fort McMurray wildfire that Alberta officials said was finally declared extinguished on Aug. 2. (Canadian Press)

Volunteers transplant sea critters before Bainbridge dock work begins
Just a bobbing flag in the water at first. Then a stream of bubbles. Then, suddenly, the faces of three divers popped out of the water in Eagle Harbor, each smiling and laughing as one of them handed off a particularly stubborn sea star they’d been prying off the Waterfront Park dock for the last few minutes. Off the purple echinoderm went to a bucket, then to a waiting boat to be taken to its new home a few hundred feet away on a pier in the Washington State Ferries maintenance yard. Nathan Pilling reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Health Officials Urge Caution As Puget Sound Beaches Close To Shellfish Harvesting
Mild summer weather is nice for enjoying a day at the beach. But the sunny days also create favorable conditions for poisonous bacteria that can cause illness and closures for shellfish harvesting. Numerous beaches in the central Puget Sound area are closed to recreational shellfish harvesting. The presence of Paralytic Shellfish Poison, known as PSP, resulted in a new closure extending from Seattle’s Alki Beach south to the Pierce County line, including Vashon Island. It spread there from Kitsap County. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

'Just a fantastic feeling': Entangled humpback rescued off B.C. coast
It took two-and-a-half hours of work, but marine mammal rescuers were elated this week after freeing a young humpback whale tangled in fishing gear off the B.C. coast. The emaciated animal was discovered Tuesday afternoon, wrapped up in prawn gear near Cortes Island. Bethany Lindsay reports. (CBC)

State: Judge erred in dismissing Tesoro refinery fines after deadly explosion
 State regulators say a judge erred when he overturned nearly $2.4 million in penalties against Tesoro following the 2010 deadly explosion at its Anacortes refinery. The Washington Department of Labor and Industries on Thursday petitioned the state Board of Industrial Insurance Appeals to review the case and affirm the penalties. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)

Countries Pledge To Recover Dwindling Pacific Bluefin Tuna Population 
When it comes to bluefin tuna, it’s not often we have good news to share, but spin the globe today, and there’s cause for celebration in both the Pacific and Atlantic. In a joint meeting today [Friday] in Busan, South Korea, the two groups that manage Pacific bluefin tuna reached an historic long-term agreement that would put the species on the path to recovery. The Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission and the Inter-American Tropical Tuna Commission agreed to take steps to rebuild the population to 20 percent of historic levels by 2034 — a seven-fold increase from current levels. Stocks of Pacific bluefin have fallen to 2.6 percent of their historic size, with countries like Mexico, Japan, Korea and the U.S. exceeding fishing quotas within the last two years. This is a population in dire need of the protection that finally arrived today. Clare Leschin-Hoar reports. (NPR)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  243 AM PDT Tue Sep 5 2017  
TODAY  E wind 5 to 15 kt easing to 10 kt or less in the  afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 3 ft at 13 seconds.  Smoke.
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5  ft at 14 seconds. Areas of fog after midnight.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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