3/27 Bird talk, BC LNG, fish farm restock, BC rivers, kids book campaign, Pruitt's EPA

Tweety (Warner Bros.)

Can Birds Really Talk?
Darvin Gebhart is a champion goose-caller. But there are also birds that use human language. Sparkie Williams was a famous parakeet, or budgerigar, that lived in England in the 1950s. He recorded commercials for bird seed and released his own hit single "Pretty Talk." Alex, the African Grey Parrot, was another notable talking bird, with amazing cognitive abilities.  Watch a video interview with Sparkie Williams and learn more about him at the British-Library.UK. (BirdNote)

Can B.C. grow LNG and meet the Greens' climate action ultimatum?
A thriving liquid natural gas industry in B.C. would require a 50-per-cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from every other sector of the economy in order to meet the province’s 2030 climate goals, according to B.C. Green Party Leader Andrew Weaver. “Emissions would have to be cut, not just by industry, but in every part of the economy,” said Weaver in a radio interview. “I do not believe that is possible.” Randy Shore reports. (Vancouver Sun) See also: Radioactive water and 'fugitive' emissions: LNG project a risky investment, critic says  Malone Mulllin reports. (CBC)

Federal court dismisses B.C. First Nation's bid to block fish farm restocking
A B.C. First Nation has lost its court bid to prevent the restocking of an open-net salmon farm in its traditional territories off northern Vancouver Island. The 'Namgis First Nation had asked the Federal Court for an injunction against Marine Harvest that would have blocked the company from transferring up to one million juvenile Atlantic salmon, known as smolts, to its Swanson Island farm…. Justice Michael Manson issued a 41-page decision on Friday agreeing there is a "real and non-speculative likelihood of harm" to the 'Namgis way of life from fish-borne disease — but he rejected an injunction on the transfer of the smolts because of its timing. He found Marine Harvest had informed the 'Namgis on Dec. 21, 2017, that it intended to restock the Swanson Island farm in early spring. The application to halt the restocking was not filed until March 9, 2018, "mere days before the transfer was set to begin," Manson wrote. He said the late notice prevented the company from finding room for the smolts in any of its other B.C. fish farms. (Canadian Press)

Outdoor Recreation Council names B.C.’s most endangered rivers
The 100,000-member Outdoor Recreation Council has identified B.C.’s critical steelhead rivers and the Heart of the Fraser, from Hope to Mission, as the most endangered rivers in the province. The council’s list of endangered rivers, produced every two years and voted upon by members, warns that steelhead stocks have dipped to precarious levels on key rivers, including just 57 fish returning to the Chilcotin River and 177 to the Thompson River this past year. Members of the public and resource professionals also contribute to the list. Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun)

SeaDoc Society: Book for Young Readers
Next month SeaDoc Society will publish a book for young readers titled Explore the Salish Sea: A Nature Guide for Kids, written by SeaDoc Science Director Joe Gaydos and board member Audrey Benedict. We're excited to announce that we just launched an Indiegogo campaign that empowers SeaDoc supporters like you to buy a copy of the book for a child in need! It takes just a few clicks and we’ll handle all distribution. Our goal is to make the book available to every 5th and 6th grader in the Salish Sea regardless of their ability to pay.

Scott Pruitt’s Dirty Politics
William Ruckelshaus, who ran the E.P.A. under Nixon and Reagan, said that Pruitt and his top staff “don’t fundamentally agree with the mission of the agency.” Margaret Talbot reports. (New Yorker) See also: The E.P.A. Says It Wants Research Transparency. Scientists See an Attack on Science.  Lisa Friedman reports. (NY Times)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  239 AM PDT Tue Mar 27 2018    
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PDT THIS MORNING    
TODAY  W wind 15 to 25 kt easing to 10 to 20 kt this morning.  Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 9 ft at 10 seconds. Rain in the  morning then rain likely in the afternoon.
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 9 ft at 11 seconds. A slight chance  of showers.

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