9/22 Equinox, newborn orca, new river channel, green crab count, glacierless peak, Elders for Ancient Trees, plastic recycling, High Seas Treaty, democracy watch

 Autumnal equinox

Autumnal equinox
On Monday, Sept. 22, at 2:19 p.m. Eastern daylight time (11:19 a.m. Pacific daylight time) autumn begins astronomically in the Northern Hemisphere, and spring in the Southern. At that moment, the sun would be shining directly overhead as seen from a point in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, 1,320 miles (2,124 km) south-southeast of Acapulco, Mexico. (Space.com) 

Today's top story in Salish Current: Award honors community organizer, rights advocate / Thoughts on these turbulent times

Newborn orca spotted with Northwest's endangered J Pod
The newborn orca has been born to the J pod, and was first in Saratoga Passage near Whidbey and Camano islands by Sean society and San Diego Zoo wildlife Alliance. is yet to be named by whale researchers. SeaDoc says it appears the mother is 18-year-old J42, also known as "Echo." Paige Browning and John Ryan report. (KUOW) 

Snohomish PUD cuts ribbon on new Sultan River side channel
The side channel project added an additional 1,900 linear feet of stream habitat, aiming to provide juvenile salmon with places to grow and rest, as well as 135,000 square feet of restored riparian area packed with over 6,000 native plants. Eliza Aronson reports. (Everett Herald) 

Invasive green crabs continue to spread
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife released its Joint Quarterly and Annual Progress Report on the green crab last week. Statewide, about 174,000 green crabs were removed this spring and summer, an increase from about 130,000 in 2024, but a decrease from 485,000 in 2023. This summer, 1,413 were found in North Puget Sound, an area that includes Rosario Strait, the Strait of Georgia, and the San Juan Islands. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald) 

Glacierless Peak? The icy realms of Washington’s North Cascades lose their cool
Glacier Peak, the 10,541-foot high point of Snohomish County, is sometimes called Washington’s forgotten volcano. The ice fields that give Washington’s Glacier Peak its name are disappearing, though few people may have noticed. “It is visibly less glaciated,” said glacier researcher Mauri Pelto. “At least a third of the area of glaciers is gone.” John Ryan reports. (KUOW) 

Logging protesters in Walbran brace for possible arrest
A group called Elders for Ancient Trees gathered at Victoria’s Centennial Square on Saturday to support the protesters in the Walbran Valley. Roxanne Egan-Elliott reports. (Times Colonist) 

How plastic fishing gear waste is being recycled into patio furniture — for now 
The Ocean Legacy Foundation, a British Columbia non-profit that operates what it calls Canada's first marine waste recycling program, converts marine plastic fishing ropes and nets to plastic pellets for reuse but has lost federal and provincial funding to continue. Jasmine Ghania reports. (CBC)  

Nations ratify the world’s first treaty to protect international waters
The High Seas Treaty is the first legal framework aimed at protecting biodiversity in international waters, those that lie beyond the jurisdiction of any single country. International waters account for nearly two-thirds of the ocean and nearly half of Earth’s surface and are vulnerable to threats including overfishing, climate change and deep-sea mining. Annika Hammerschlag reports.(Associated Press) 

Democracy Watch

• After cuts to food stamps, Trump administration ends government's annual report on hunger in America (AP) 
• Trump Nears Deal for Road Through Alaskan Wildlife Refuge (NY Times) 
• Trump asks Supreme Court to stop order on transgender passport sex markers (AP) 
• Trump pushes Pam Bondi to pursue cases against his foes (AP) 
• Trump Justice Dept. Closed Investigation Into Tom Homan for Accepting Bag of Cash (NY Times) 
• Court Rules Against Arts Endowment on Trump’s ‘Gender Ideology’ Order (NY Times) 
• Pentagon Introduces New Restrictions on Reporter Access (NY Times) 
• Trump Appointees Roll Back Enforcement of Fair Housing Laws (NY Times) 
• Many Americans can’t buy homes, get jobs or move in this stuck economy (Washington Post) 

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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  209 AM PDT Mon Sep 22 2025    
TODAY  SE wind around 5 kt, veering to W around 5 kt late. Seas  4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W 6 ft at 11 seconds. Patchy fog this  morning.  
TONIGHT  NW wind around 5 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W  5 ft at 11 seconds. Patchy fog in the evening.

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"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.



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