1/3 Dolphins, Skagit dams relicensing, ghost gear, road salt, white pelicans, Nooksack pollution, BC wildfires, week in review

Acrobatics, dolphin style [Laurie MacBride]

Dance of the Dolphins
We saw no whales on our boat trip this past summer, but some of their smaller cousins put on a surprise performance for us on one very memorable morning. We were anchored in Tenedos Bay, a popular spot in Desolation Sound—a place we would never have expected to see whales or dolphins. So you can imagine our excitement as we spotted a pod of about 20 Pacific White-sided dolphins entering the bay and heading our way. To our delight, they cruised directly over to the part of the bay where we were moored. Laurie MacBride writes with photos. (Eye on Environment)


Today's top story in Salish Current: Clyde Ford to speak on the legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. / Annual event to celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s legacy of inclusion with music, inspiration

Extension granted on process to relicense Skagit River dams
The yearslong process to relicense the three Skagit River dams has gotten longer after the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission agreed to a five-month extension. Seattle City Light’s license to operate the dams, which provide 20% of Seattle’s electricity, expires in April. The utility is asking that its license be renew for another 30 to 50 years. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Sea You Never: The Tragic Tale of Derelict Fishing Gear
Derelict crab pots are a consistent killer among crab populations. This abandoned gear leads to ghostfishing and the disappearance of the crabs. Peyton Perdue reports. (The Planet Magazine)

Road salt kills fertilized coho salmon eggs, say UBC researchers
The UBC data suggests salting roads at current levels in November or December is likely dangerous to coho and chum salmon. Tiffany Crawford reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Changes in Pacific Northwest white pelican populations puzzle scientists
White pelicans are distinctive. Their 9-foot white wings are black tipped, and can create a bit of a mirage when they fly, seemingly appearing and disappearing as they go. Their populations have increased considerably over the past few decades, and more recently, some pelicans have been spotted staying along the coast and in the Columbia River Basin for longer than expected. Allison Frost reports. (OPB)

Portage Pollution Creates Unsavory Shellfish
Fecal coliform bacterial pollutants entering the Nooksack River Watershed, leaves the Lummi Nation with uncertain access to their shellfish harvesting sites. Amanda Ferrell reports. (The Planet Magazine)

Canadian forests primed for more severe wildfire days, new research warns
Canadian forests are increasingly primed for severe, uncontrollable wildfires, a study published Thursday said, underlining what the authors described as a pressing need to proactively mitigate the "increased threat posed by climate change." The study by Canadian researchers, published in the peer-reviewed journal Science, looked at Canadian fire severity from 1981 to 2020. Jordan Omstead reports. (Canadian Press)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 1/3/25: Tolkien Day, bird flu, toxic fertilizer, Hakai farewell, orca babies, stay away zone, Skagit dams, salt kills.

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 weekend tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  245 AM PST Fri Jan 3 2025    
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON    
TODAY  E wind 20 to 25 kt, becoming SE 15 to 20 kt late. Seas  6 to 9 ft, subsiding to 5 to 7 ft this afternoon. Wave Detail: E  5 ft at 5 seconds and W 6 ft at 14 seconds. Rain.  
TONIGHT  SE wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: SE  3 ft at 6 seconds and W 6 ft at 16 seconds. Rain.  
SAT  SE wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: SE 3 ft  at 5 seconds and W 6 ft at 14 seconds. Rain.  
SAT NIGHT  SE wind 15 to 20 kt, becoming SW 10 to 15 kt after  midnight. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: SE 4 ft at 4 seconds and W  5 ft at 13 seconds. Rain.  
SUN  SW wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to around 5 kt in the  afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: SW 2 ft at 7 seconds and  W 5 ft at 12 seconds. A chance of rain.

---


"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 msato(at)salishseacom.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