12/2 Otters, perch, oysters, border, Exxon, Budd Inlet, Canadian oceans

Mom and pup [Laurie MacBride]

Otter Delights
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "Usually when we’re anchored in a quiet spot, an audio cue is what alerts me to the presence of river otters – a series of sharp, high-pitched chirps if a whole family is afloat, or more frequently, an unmistakable crunch, crunch, crunch as one of these sharp-toothed hunters chomps through a fish or crab. But that October afternoon it was a visual cue: the sight of two sleek, dark bodies against the smooth sandstone shore, lit by the low-angle sun of late afternoon... (read more)

Shiner Perch
In regard to the note yesterday on Shiner Perch, reader Don Norman writes: "Through the research of Rob Butler in British Columbia, the preference by Great Blue Herons for Shiner Perch was documented.  This makes sense, as the shiner perch are ovoviviparous (the eggs are held inside the fish and the baby fish hatch ready to swim away) and are also the highest caloric item on the intertidal buffet for the herons.  So the females are a double caloric package!  The large schools of shiner perch in eelgrass beds are the primary reason there are large colonies of herons associated with eelgrass beds."

B.C. oyster producers fighting to stay afloat financially and hold on to their farms during pandemic
While many B.C. restaurants have adapted to COVID-19 restrictions by offering home delivery, it is not likely a customer's first thought to dial up a dozen half shell oysters. Normally the providers of a delicacy enjoyed at seafood restaurants and special events, oyster farmers in the province have collectively lost millions of dollars in sales since the spring when the pandemic changed the way people live. According to the B.C. Shellfish Growers Association, it is possible some of those farmers will not survive the current situation they find themselves in. (CBC)

Canada: US border measures to last until virus under control
Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Tuesday the ban on nonessential travel with the United States will not be lifted until COVID-19 is significantly more under control around the world. Canada and the U.S. have limited border crossings since March, extending the restrictions each month.
“Until the virus is significantly under more control everywhere around the world, we are not going to be releasing the restrictions at the border,” Trudeau told the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Rob Gillies reports. (Associated Press)

Exxon Writes Off Record Amount From Value of Assets Amid Energy Market Downturn
After insisting for months that its oil and gas investments remain as valuable as ever, ExxonMobil plans to write down $17 to $20 billion in natural gas assets, in the largest such announcement the company has ever made. The assets are located in the U.S., Canada and Argentina, according to an announcement released Monday afternoon. Many of those assets in the U.S. were acquired a decade ago when Exxon struck a poorly-timed $41 billion deal to massively expand its natural gas holdings. Camila Domonoske reports. (NPR)

Budd Inlet shellfish could give you diarrhea
Public health officials have closed Budd Inlet to recreational shellfishing after finding elevated levels of a marine biotoxin in shellfish harvested there. The toxin is known as “diarrhetic shellfish poison,” and when consumed by humans can cause nausea, vomiting, and, as the name would imply, diarrhea. Brandon Block reports. (Olympian)

Canada recommits to protecting oceans, sustainable marine management
Canada is joining 13 other countries in a non-binding pledge to sustainably manage 100 per cent of its oceans by 2025, continuing the Trudeau government's international declarations on the environment. The undertaking commits — or, in some cases, recommits — Canada to a variety of measures, including protecting 30 per cent of marine waters by 2030, rebuilding fish stocks, reducing plastic in the ocean and creating a sustainability plan. Paul Withers reports. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  225 AM PST Wed Dec 2 2020   
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON   
TODAY  SE wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 7 ft  at 17 seconds. Patchy fog in the morning. 
TONIGHT  SE wind 5 to 15 kt becoming NE after midnight. Wind  waves 2 ft or less. W swell 9 ft at 19 seconds.

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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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