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| Arrow worm [Encyclopedia of Life] |
Chaetognaths (commonly known as "arrow worms") are marine predators that typically locate their prey by detecting vibrations produced by copepods and other zooplankton, then use sharp hooks and teeth at the front of the body to grab their victims and immobilize them with neurotoxins. Chaetognaths, most of which are distinctly transparent, are important predators in many marine food webs. (Encyclopedia of Life)
Wash. tribes, First Nations unite to end Atlantic salmon net-pen fish farms across West Coast
Washington tribes on Monday joined with First Nations peoples in Canada in a declaration calling for a shutdown of Atlantic salmon net-pen farming along the West Coast of North America. The declaration was endorsed at the first of a planned annual Salmon Summit convened at Tulalip to bring together tribes, First Nations, government agencies, and conservationists to preserve Pacific salmon in the cross-boundary waters of the Salish Sea. “We congratulate you for the strong stand you have taken against this industry,” said Ernest Alfred, a traditional leader of the Namgis First Nation, which is seeking a shutdown of 20 Atlantic salmon net-pen fish farms in British Columbia, with leases that come up for renewal in June. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)
‘Working together again like we did back then’ to save fish
The late Billy Frank Jr.’s spiritual and political authority echoed through a conference room Monday where tribal leaders and others issued a call to action to revive the region’s salmon runs. The summit named in Frank’s honor took place all day at the Tulalip Resort Casino. As Frank’s visage looked down from a screen for the welcoming ceremony, students from Quil Ceda Tulalip Elementary School carried a banner with more than 600 paper fish — one for each student and staff member. Earlier this month, the school devoted a week to honoring Frank and his legacy. “We’re only as healthy as the salmon runs are,” said Shawn Yanity, the Stillaguamish tribal chairman. “So for us, extinction isn’t an option …” While Yanity was close to home, others attended the summit from up and down the Pacific Coast, from California to British Columbia. The Billy Frank Jr. Pacific Salmon Summit was organized by the Olympia-based nonprofit Salmon Defense. Noah Haglund reports. (Everett Herald)
Blog: Puget Sound Recovery—Tell the Truth
The first Billy Frank Jr. Pacific Salmon Summit was convened on Monday, March 19, at Tulalip Resort Casino. Read Kathy Fletcher's lunch time address about what's required to recover the health of Puget Sound.
High school at sea: Everett marine-biology school shines, but other districts aren't on board
On the bow of the research vessel Phocoena one crisp afternoon this fall, nine high-school students hauled up a water sample from the depths of Possession Sound and marveled at the tiny, almost transparent, creatures wriggling in the salty water. Using a zooplankton net, they’d captured the nearly-invisible bottom tier of the food chain: plankton, amphipods, krill, arrow worms and fish larvae, to name a few. Students at this public school — Ocean Research College Academy (ORCA) — have been measuring the health of Possession Sound every month for nearly two decades. The subject of marine ecology forms the overarching theme of nearly every lesson, even in classes on writing, math and history. ORCA is not like any other school in Washington, or possibly the nation. Katherine Long reports. (Seattle Times)
Reefs, rockfish and pom-pom anemones: expedition shines new light on depths off B.C.'s Central Coast
A scientific expedition exploring the depths off B.C.'s Central Coast has returned with rare pictures of reefs, rockfish, corals, sponges and basket stars. More than a dozen researchers on board the Canadian Coast Guard ship CCGS Vector spent the past week in the waters off Klemtu and Bella Bella. The group — which featured Indigenous leaders, prominent scientists and Jacques Cousteau's filmmaker granddaughter — studied deep-sea fjords that had never been explored. (CBC)
15 arrested at Trans Mountain pipeline protest site in Burnaby, B.C.
A 70-year-old man who planned to spend several days 20 metres up a tree at Kinder Morgan's Burnaby, B.C., terminal was one of 15 people arrested Monday…. Terry Christenson, a senior from Ontario who described himself as an expert on climbing and using ropes, manufactured a hammock-like perch suspended between trees and planned to eat meal supplements sparingly to make the trip last as long as possible. But it was not to be. According to a spokesperson for the protesters, Christenson was arrested around 8 p.m. PT. RCMP said in a release that Christenson's behaviour put himself and officers at risk and he and others were arrested for violating an injunction order keeping them five metres away from Trans Mountain sites. Activists are planning a week of protests against the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. (CBC)
Twinning Kinder Morgan pipeline will lead to big drop in gas prices
Blame for near-record high gas prices in the Vancouver area rests with a chronic supply shortage made worse by concurrent maintenance work on a Burnaby refinery and gas infrastructure in Washington state, says one industry expert. Half of the region’s fuel supply comes from those sources, with the remainder making its way from Alberta through Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline, said Dan McTeague of the online tech company GasBuddy. When asked what could be done to improve the region’s fuel supply, McTeague said twinning the controversial line could be the only viable option short of knocking on the doors of American suppliers. “I have no skin in the game,” McTeague said of the ongoing pipeline debate, noting that he lives in Ontario and is known for critical takes on the oil industry, including calling some of its plays “monopolistic.” Matt Robinson reports. (Vancouver Sun)
Olympic National Park Is One Of The Best Places To Bring Back Gray Wolves
One of the most ideal places in the world to bring back gray wolves is right here in the Pacific Northwest, according to a new study. Researchers have found bringing the large carnivores back to the Olympic National Park in Washington could greatly help the ecosystem — and the predators. “Sometimes the carnivores can have very profound impacts on the environment — because they sit at the very top, or apex, of the food web, their effects can ripple down,” said William Ripple, an ecologist at Oregon State University and study co-author. Courtney Flatt reports. (NW PUblic Broadcasting/EarthFix) See also: 'Rewilding¹ Missing Carnivores May Help Restore Some Landscapes (NY Times) For a complete take on the issue, read: Olympic Wolves? Maggie Smith writes. (Writing Nature: Discourses of Ecology)
Massive solar farm planned near Merritt, B.C.
The Upper Nicola Band is hoping to build the largest solar farm in the province on its land in the southern Interior. The community has partnered with Fortis BC to build a $30-million, 403,000-panel solar farm on the Quilchena reserve, near Merritt, B.C. The proposed project will generate enough power for 5,000 homes and could earn between $3.5 and $4 million in revenue per year. The power will be sold into the provincial power grid. Jenifer Norwell reports. (CBC)
Back-door ban: States fight Trump drill plan with local bans
Some coastal states opposed to President Donald Trump's plan to allow oil and gas drilling off most of the nation's coastline are fighting back with proposed state laws designed to thwart the proposal. The drilling Trump proposes would take place in federal waters offshore in an area called the Outer Continental Shelf. But states control the 3 miles of ocean closest to shore and are proposing laws designed to make it difficult, or impossible, to bring the oil or gas ashore in their areas. Wayne Parry reports. (Associated Press)
Decline In Hunters Threatens How U.S. Pays For Conservation
…. A new survey by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service shows that today, only about 5 percent of Americans, 16 years old and older, actually hunt. That’s half of what it was 50 years ago and the decline is expected to accelerate over the next decade. Meanwhile, other wildlife-centered activities, like birdwatching, hiking and photography, are rapidly growing, as American society and attitudes towards wildlife change. The shift is being welcomed by some who morally oppose the sport, but it’s also leading to a crisis. State wildlife agencies and the country’s wildlife conservation system are heavily dependent on sportsmen for funding. Money generated from license fees and excise taxes on guns, ammunition and angling equipment provide about 60 percent of the funding for state wildlife agencies, which manage most of the wildlife in the U.S. Nathan Rott reports. (NPR)
Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 222 AM PDT Tue Mar 20 2018
TODAY W wind to 10 kt in the morning becoming light. Wind waves 1 ft or less in the morning becoming less than 1 ft. W swell 4 ft at 13 seconds. A slight chance of showers.
TONIGHT W wind to 10 kt in the evening becoming light. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 12 seconds. A slight chance of rain in the evening then a chance of rain 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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