4/22 Earth Day, orca calf, Hoko R., bird flu, dam removal, tug oil spill, NW snails, invasive bass, Suzanne Simard, drones, John Brewer

(Walt Kelly image, 1970,

used under educational fair
use via the Smithsonian)

Earth Day at 53: Pogo’s truth still resonates (April 2023)
Behind Earth Day’s local actions, policies and global trends lies a questions: Does Earth Day matter to the Earth itself? Edward Wolf writes. (Salish Current)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Always-learning leadership steers small, diverse Nooksack schools

Whale experts confident orca calf will survive, find family if rescue plan succeeds
A second attempt to rescue the orca was put on hold Friday when the young whale ate an 18-kilogram portion of provided seal meat for what was believed to be the first time since getting stranded in the tidal lagoon in Little Espinosa Inlet near Zeballos, B.C.  Dirk Meissner reports. (Canadian Press)

Hoko River project seeks salmon recovery and habitat restoration
The North Olympic Salmon Coalition is seeking to restore a half-mile of the Hoko River channel and floodplain for salmon recovery and wildlife habitat restoration and to prevent erosion of the Hoko-Ozette Road. The goal is to have 100 percent design and permitting finished by December 2026. No construction schedule has been proposed. The estimated design cost is $322,885. Brian Gawley reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Bird Flu Is Infecting More Mammals. What Does That Mean for Us?
H5N1, an avian flu virus, has killed tens of thousands of marine mammals, and infiltrated American livestock for the first time. Scientists are working quickly to assess how it is evolving and how much of a risk it poses to humans. Apoorva Mandavilli and Emily Anthes report. (NY Times)

When dams come down, what happens to the ocean?
A long-term study of the Elwha River Delta reveals lasting change — and a healthier ecosystem. Natalia Mesa report. (High County News)

An uncontained tugboat oil spill fouls Seattle waterways
A tug towing a barge out of the Duwamish River toward Ballard polluted local waters this week. The state Department of Ecology says the tug spilled up to 150 gallons of hydraulic oil on Tuesday. A propeller shaft break may have been the cause. John O'Brien reports. (KUOW)

These Northwest snails might need stronger protection than just their tiny shells
Two tiny, freshwater snails that thrive in cold, clean, oxygen-rich water have been eliminated from most of the Columbia River Basin, according to the Center for Biological Diversity. These tiny snails, less than half an inch tall or wide, still cling to the bottom of a handful of rivers like the Methow in Washington and the Deschutes in Oregon. The activist group has petitioned the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service to protect these rare little mollusks. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

Anglers urged to fish invasive bass from Campbell River lake
Fishers are asked to catch as many smallmouth bass as possible from Echo Lake, freeze their catches and report them to fisheries officials. Darron Kloster reports. (Times Colonist)

UBC prof Suzanne Simard named in Time's 'most influential' list
University of B.C. forestry professor Suzanne Simard, author of Finding the Mother Tree, was named to Time magazine's 'most influential people' list on Wednesday. David P. Ball reports. (CBC)

Both sides in lawsuit over drone use claim success in court
A Union Bay woman who has been flying drones over an industrial operation where ships are dismantled is declaring a win, after the Supreme Court of B.C. dismissed parts of a counter-claim to her lawsuit against the company. Mary Reynolds has been using a 250-gram drone with a high-resolution camera to capture footage of Deep Water Recovery’s activities that she shares on her web page and on YouTube. Carla Wilson reports. (Times Colonist)

Longtime AP journalist, newspaper publisher John Brewer dies at age 76
John Brewer, whose coast-to-coast journalism career spanned 50 years, including nearly two decades at The Associated Press, has died. He was 76. Brewer and his longtime friend Randy Johnson were on their annual fly fishing trip in Montana on Friday when the boat Brewer was in hit a submerged log and flipped over, Johnson said. Two others were rescued, but Brewer drowned, he said. Brewer retired in 2015 after nearly 18 years as editor and publisher of the Peninsula Daily News in Port Angeles. (Associated Press)

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  209 AM PDT Mon Apr 22 2024    
TODAY  E wind to 10 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 9 seconds.  
TONIGHT  NW wind 5 to 15 kt becoming E after midnight. Wind  waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 10 seconds.

---


"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. It is included as a daily feature in the Salish Current newsletter. Click here to subscribe. Questions? Email mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate



Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told