7/24 Orca rescue, Blue rockfish, spill response, port alliance, closures, discharge fee, barred owl

The original Blue Marble, left, and the new image, right. (NASA/NYTimes)

Comparing Two 'Blue Marble' Photos of Earth  (New York Times)

If you like to watch: Stranded orca saved by volunteers who kept it cool for hours until high tide
An orca that was stranded on some rocks was kept alive for eight hours by a dedicated team of whale researchers and volunteers on the North Coast of B.C.  (CBC)

On the subject of orcas in captivity living as long as those in the wild, a reader wrote: “What a ridiculous argument to make on behalf of Orcas in captivity.  It's also possible to make the argument that some people in prison live longer than those outside of the walls.  The longevity records for captive species almost always suggests that they have longer life spans than their wild relatives.  I can think of half a dozen reasons why this may be a fact, but the greater consideration is comparing QUALITY of life with QUANTITY  of life.  Your news report [ SeaWorld orcas live as long as whales in the wild, new study says ] is just one more example of an organization skewing the content to sustain their ill conceived practices. Good news in the Orca birth dept eh?  How many births does Seaworld have recorded for these species?  Not that even one birth would be a good argument for captivity and what that means to truncating a wild animals range of learning and activity.”

Researchers conclude popular rockfish is actually two distinct species
A new analysis confirms that the Blue Rockfish (Sebastes mystinus), a popular and commercially significant rockfish sought by anglers primarily off the California and Oregon coasts, is actually two separate and distinct species. Previous studies had discovered some genetic differences between two groups of Blue Rockfishes, but their status as distinct species had never been proven until researchers at Oregon State University, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the California State University, Los Angeles, demonstrated distinguishing differences in anatomy, coloration, geographic distribution and genetics. (Phys.Org)

Feds step up efforts to improve Vancouver’s oil spill response time
Following a fuel spill in April that drew widespread criticism of the coast guard’s response time, the federal government has announced it will set up a new office dedicated to pollution risks in the harbour. Office space for a new environmental response office will be set aside in the HMCS Discovery at Coal Harbour, headquarters for the Canadian Coast Guard inshore rescue boat station. Yvonne Zacharias reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Federal Maritime Commission gives its blessing to Northwest Seaport Alliance
An alliance designed to bolster the competitive stance of Puget Sound’s two largest ports has won the blessing from the Federal Maritime Commission in a unanimous vote. Under the alliance proposal approved Wednesday, the ports of Tacoma and Seattle, historic rivals for the business of major shipping lines, will merge the management, operations and marketing of their largest container terminals under a joint operating agency known as the Northwest Seaport Alliance. Implementation of that alliance plan now only awaits formal approval from both ports at an Aug. 4 meeting. John Gille reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Vashon’s Quartermaster Harbor closed to recreational shellfish harvesting
Vashon-Maury Island’s Quartermaster Harbor has been closed to recreational shellfish harvesting because of unsafe levels of paralytic shellfish poison (PSP). (Seattle Times) See also: Swimmers advised to avoid Owen Beach water after sewage spill Alexis Krell reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

State may increase fees for water discharge permits
The state Department of Ecology is considering increasing annual fees for stormwater and wastewater discharge permits and is accepting public comment through Sept. 9. Local governments and some industries are required to have the permits, which limit how much pollution can be released into the environment, Ecology said in a news release. The fees for the permits help the state recoup the costs of running the program. The agency oversees about 6,000 discharge permits. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Judge Clears Barred Owl Removal Study
Killing barred owls to study the potential effects on threatened spotted owls does not violate federal environmental laws, according to a federal judge. Populations of the northern spotted owl, which is protected under the Endangered Species Act, have continued to decline in recent decades despite strict limits on logging. Federal scientists believe the problem is partly due to the barred owl, a rival species that’s more adaptable, occupies similar habitats and competes for food. Mateusz Perkowski reports. (Capital Press)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT FRI JUL 24 2015
TODAY
SE WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING S IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 12 SECONDS. RAIN LIKELY IN THE
 MORNING...THEN RAIN IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SAT
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SAT NIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT IN THE EVENING...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
SUN
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS.

--
"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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7/13 Eulachon, farm drought, research trawl, BC LNG debate, oil train monitoring, Ketron Is estate

Eulachon (Northword)

‘Salvation Fish’ That Sustained Native People Now Needs Saving
…. This is the last great eulachon fishery on Earth, near the mouth of the Nass River in British Columbia, just at the tip of the Alaska Panhandle. Eulachon are a species of smelt, each fish a bolt of silver-blue not much longer than a ballpoint pen. In lean years the eulachon's arrival meant the difference between life and death…. Today, the fish that used to safeguard native people from starvation is itself in need of a lifeline. J.B. MacKinnon reports. (National Geographic)

Farmers’ profits could sustain a hit reaching the millions
Hot, dry weather and a shortage of water are taking their toll on the county’s agriculture industry. Some crops may never recover. The yield loss in Skagit County this year could be 30 percent, said Don McMoran, director of the Washington State University Skagit County Extension. If that happens, local farmers could lose $6 million in profits. While many county farmers get their water from wells — and the majority can take as much as they need up to their permit amount — others have restricted water rights. Then there are those who have no access to irrigation, making them especially vulnerable to the early warm weather. Shelby Rowe reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

If you like to watch: Studies of bottom fish help fill in key portions of Puget Sound food web
n a new video, Dayv Lowry of the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife does a great job explaining how scientific trawling provides information about the kinds of creatures that hang out on the bottom of Puget Sound. The video shows a big net being brought to the surface filled with crabs and all sorts of strange creatures, which are then sorted and measured right on the deck of the Chasina. This research, which has been going on for years, provides information about how populations of marine species are changing over time. Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways)

B.C. legislature to debate law on 25-year LNG deal
The B.C. legislature will hold a rare summer sitting Monday to debate an unprecedented 25-year liquefied natural gas agreement projected to be the cornerstone of the province's financial future. The government plans to pass legislation enabling the $36 billion deal with Pacific NorthWest LNG, a consortium led by Malaysian energy giant Petronas. The consortium wants to build an LNG export terminal near Prince Rupert. The agreement would protect the business from tax increases made specifically to target the LNG industry. (CBC) See also: LNG protest attracts dozens of boaters to Horseshoe Bay  Coalition of citizens groups says Howe Sound wrong place for an LNG plant (CBC)

Whatcom County environmentalists want to monitor oil trains
Whatcom County environmentalists want to step in as watchdogs and keep tabs on the trains rolling through their backyards. For a few months, RE Sources for Sustainable Communities staff members have asked people who are interested in environmental activism if they own property near the tracks, and if they’d be willing to host a camera there to document train movements. Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Landmark Ketron Island estate sells to Lacey couple
A 5-acre estate with 1,000 feet of waterfront, commanding views of Puget Sound and the Olympics and a midcentury home built in the style of renowned architect Frank Lloyd Wright on the northern tip of Ketron Island has sold to a Lacey couple.... The new owners are Thurston County restaurateurs Nicole Pham and her husband Jim Porter, according to Karen Vincent who handled the sale for Morrison House Sotheby’s International Realty. The estate originally was listed for $1.77 million. Then it was reduced to $1.299 million. It sold for $1.1 million. John Gille reports. (Tacoma News Tribume)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON JUL 13 2015
TODAY
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING NW 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 9 SECONDS. A SLIGHT CHANCE OF
 SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 3 FT AT 9 SECONDS.

--
"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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6/19 Oil transport, oil trains, US Open, cleanup, sturgeons, rockfish, Vic sewer, goose cull

 Play Chambers Bay (Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images/CBS)

Increasing oil transport threatens orcas with extinction, Vancouver conference told
Increased transport of oil in the Salish Sea — including from the planned expansion of Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain pipeline — is putting endangered southern resident killer whales at risk of extinction from a spill, a Washington state official said Thursday. Don Noviello, a biologist with the Washington department of fish and wildlife, said the worst-case scenario would be a spill occurring when three pods get together to form a “superpod” representing the majority of the estimated population of 80. “They’re on the brink and need all the protection they can get,” he told the Clean Pacific conference, a spill-prevention and response convention in Vancouver. “One ill-timed oil spill could be the event that pushes this population over the brink to extinction. Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Battle Over New Oil Train Standards Pits Safety Against Cost
The federal government's new rules aimed at preventing explosive oil train derailments are sparking a backlash from all sides. The railroads, oil producers and shippers say some of the new safety requirements are unproven and too costly, yet some safety advocates and environmental groups say the regulations aren't strict enough and still leave too many people at risk. David Schaper reports. (NPR)

Environmentalist Group Plans To Protest Chambers Bay U.S. Open
….Besides the criticism about the actual layout of the golf course, much fodder has been drawn from the fact that freight trains run through the golf course on a popular route along the Puget Sound. Reports have stated that an average of 60 trains per day make their way through the course and will continue to do so at their usual rate throughout the duration of one of golf’s biggest tournaments. While this might be quirky of flat out funny for some, it’s troublesome and a major point of contention for others. The People’s Climate Action Fleet, an environmentalist group based in Seattle, Washington, have organized a protest, specifically targeting the trains that carry oil and other potentially damaging materials through the the area. The protest is scheduled to take place in the Puget Sound on Sunday, June 21. Bryan Altman repots. (CBS)

If you like to watch: Western Canada Marine shows how it cleans up oil spills in B.C.  
There have already been two oil spills this year in and around B.C., and the unfortunate reality is it will likely happen again.  CBC got a look at Western Canada Marine, the company commissioned with cleanup of environmentally dangerous slicks, as it showed off some of its technology. (CBC) See also: Anacortes refineries practice oil spill response  Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Sturgeon scientist battles huge fish in Fraser River to implant tracking device
You might call Erin Stoddard the surgeon to the sturgeon. The B.C. government biologist often finds himself chest deep in the mighty Fraser River, scalpel in hand, carrying out operations on live fish weighing hundreds of kilograms. It's all part of his job solving the mysteries of the province's largest freshwater sport fish. The white sturgeon and its relatives are remarkable survivors. They've endured 200 million years of global climate change and continue to eke out an existence in the face of serious modern day threats. Greg Rasmussen reports. (CBC)

Research on rockfish in Puget Sound reveals intriguing findings
Chris Dunagan writes; "This week’s announcement that the coastal population of canary rockfish had dramatically rebounded got me to wondering what new information might be coming from research on the threatened and endangered rockfish of Puget Sound. Dayv Lowry, research scientist at the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, shared some intriguing new information about Puget Sound rockfish that could link into the coastal population. In fact, if limited genetic findings hold up, a delisting of one type of Puget Sound rockfish could be in order." (Watching Our Water Ways)

Now the westside: 20 potential sewage-plant sites selected
Twenty “technically feasible” sewage treatment sites on the westside were identified on Thursday by Esquimalt Mayor Barb Desjardins and Colwood Mayor Carol Hamilton, who now want the public to weigh in on the options. The mix of private, public and First Nations properties includes two sites in Langford, 12 in Colwood, one in View Royal, four in Esquimalt and one on Esquimalt First Nations property. Bill Cleverley reports. (Times Colonist)

Capital region’s goose cull a first — but probably not the last
This month’s planned cull of 250 resident Canada geese represents a first for Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland, Capital Regional District directors have been told. But if some of them have their way, it won’t be the last. Some are so keen to clear Canada geese from parks and playing fields, they are willing to use gas tax grants to pay for culls. Bill Cleverley reports. (Times Colonist)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 230 AM PDT FRI JUN 19 2015
TODAY
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT. W SWELL 2 FT AT 9 SECONDS. CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
TONIGHT AND SAT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT. W SWELL 2 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
SAT NIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 5 SECONDS.
SUN
VARIABLE WIND 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 5 SECONDS.

--
"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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6/17 Rockfish recover, Pope's climate, Shaw nun, BC LNG, B'ham coal cost, green action, SeaAquarium

Canary rockfish (Oceana/Seattle Times)

Canary rockfish, petrale sole rebounding off West Coast
Populations of canary rockfish and petrale sole off the West Coast  have rebounded from low levels and are now considered rebuilt, according to a statement released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council. The canary rockfish is a long-lived species that was declared overfished in 2000 and was not expected to be rebuilt until 2057. Fishery managers credit good ocean conditions and conservation efforts with a six-fold increase in the canary populations. The petrale sole was declared overfished in 2011, and its harvest limit was cut by half. It was rebuilt a year ahead of schedule, according to the council statement. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

Pope Francis warns of destruction of Earth's ecosystem in leaked encyclical
Pope Francis will this week call for changes in lifestyles and energy consumption to avert the “unprecedented destruction of the ecosystem” before the end of this century, according to a leaked draft of a papal encyclical. In a document released by an Italian magazine on Monday, the pontiff will warn that failure to act would have “grave consequences for all of us”. Francis also called for a new global political authority tasked with “tackling … the reduction of pollution and the development of poor countries and regions”. His appeal echoed that of his predecessor, pope Benedict XVI, who in a 2009 encyclical proposed a kind of super-UN to deal with the world’s economic problems and injustices. Stephanie Kirchgaessner and John Hooper report. (Guardian) Leak of Pope’s Encyclical on Climate Change Hints at Tensions in Vatican Jim Yardley and Elisabetta Povoledojune report. (NY Times)

Prayer and Work: the life of a Benedictine nun on Shaw Island
On Shaw Island, the smallest and least populated San Juan Island reached by ferry, is Our Lady of the Rock, a monastery and self-sustaining farm. It's home to seven Benedictine nuns who wear the traditional, long black and white habit and spend much of their days tending to their 300 acres, raising animals and praying. Now let's clear one thing up straight away: these are not the nuns in the brown habits, and orange safety vests, who worked the ferry dock for 27 years. Those were the Franciscan nuns, and in 2004 the four remaining retired and left Shaw Island for Oregon. But Our Lady of the Rock, established in 1977, stands solid, despite the fact that the average age of the nuns is 70.Rachel Belle reports. (My Northwest/KIRO)

Shell-led B.C. LNG project nears environmental approval
A liquefied natural gas consortium led by Royal Dutch Shell PLC is expected to receive B.C. environmental approval within days as the group positions itself to be one of the first LNG exporters in the province. LNG Canada’s plans to export from Kitimat are being reviewed by two B.C. cabinet ministers, who are slated to announce by Monday whether they will grant a provincial environmental assessment certificate. Brent Jang reports. (Globe and Mail)

Cherry Point coal terminal study questions economic value
If a proposed coal terminal is built at Cherry Point, it could end up impeding the economy in Bellingham and Whatcom County, according to a new report commissioned by Communitywise Bellingham. The report got a warm reception during a presentation by one of its authors Tuesday, June 16, in the Leopold retirement home’s ballroom. It was not so well received by the proponents of the Gateway Pacific Terminal, who dismissed the report as biased “advocacy research.” Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Coal ports: Will they cost communities their “second paycheck”?  …. Opponents tossed some new terminology on the table Tuesday — the term “Second Paycheck.” Its roots are in the region, having been coined by University of Oregon economist Ed Whitelaw and two colleagues five years ago. It was re-introduced  by David Eichental, a managing director of PFM – a large national consultant based in Philadelphia – who conducted an economic impact study on the coal ports …. The term refers to quality of life amenities such as outdoor recreation, clean air and water, scenic vistas, local food and culture, and livable neighborhoods. These amount to a “paycheck” that can’t be cashed at your bank. However, they are so important to people that they accept  lower-paying jobs or small, expensive living spaces in order to experience the benefits of a particular place. Floyd McKay reports. (Crosscut)

Green Activism Really Does Pay Off
In states with strong environmental movements, greenhouse gas emissions are inching lower. Social scientist Thomas Dietz and Kenneth Frank, professor of sociometrics at Michigan State University, have teamed up to find a way to tell if a state jumping on the environmental bandwagon can mitigate other human factors—such as population growth and economic affluence—that are known to hurt the environment. Sue Nichols blogs. (Futurity)

Seattle Aquarium rides $1M wave of success in 24th-annual 'Splash!' fundraiser
Seattle Aquarium’s 24th-annual fundraiser made quite a splash, raising more than $1 million to help in the conservation of the marine environments of the waters of Puget Sound. Calling it a fundraising milestone, Seattle Aquarium President and CEO Bob Davidson thanked the more than 600 donors to the “Splash!” fundraiser for their support. Patti Payne reports. (Puget Sound Business Journal)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT WED JUN 17 2015
TODAY
W WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING NW 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. SW SWELL 3 FT AT 13 SECONDS.
--
"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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

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4/9 Bird worth, Vic sewer, owl ESA, BC LNG, tribe treaty, fishing whales, water price, flatfish, BC spill, coral reefs

(PHOTO: Bari Bookout/Flickr)

Surveys Put A Price Tag On Urban Birds
Rather than asking people about the economic value of charismatic or endangered species, a new study asks city-dwellers about birds in their backyards and parks. Researchers compared two types of common birds—finches and corvids—in Seattle and Berlin, asking residents how much they would pay to conserve the species and what they spend, if anything, on bird food. In Seattle, the answer is $120 million a year and in Berlin, $70 million. Michelle Ma reports. (UW News)

Federal funding extended for Greater Victoria sewage and bridge
Greater Victoria’s two biggest infrastructure projects have been granted extensions on federal funding offers, giving local government officials a bit of relief. Both the Johnson Street Bridge and the Capital Regional District’s wastewater-treatment projects were given an extra year to meet deadlines before losing a combined $104.4 million in support. Nils Jensen, chairman of the CRD core-area liquid-waste management committee, said the extension was crucial to wastewater treatment plans. The extension was granted based on an aggressive work plan with key objectives and milestones. Amy Smart and Lindsay Kines report. (Times Colonist)

Wildlife Officials Consider Endangered Listing For Spotted Owl
The Northwest’s most iconic bird could get a conservation boost in the coming years. On Wednesday the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is announcing it will review the protection status of the Northern Spotted Owl. The result could be an endangered species listing. The owl was first listed as threatened in 1990. It was the height of the “Timber Wars” in the Northwest and the listing became a pivotal moment in the region’s cultural and economic history. It led to a temporary ban on logging in federal old growth forests and eventually to the Northwest Forest Plan, which cut logging on national forests and other federal land by more than 80 percent. Jes Burn reports (EarthFix)

Opposition to Woodfibre LNG heats up in Squamish
Opposition to the proposed Woodfibre LNG plant is escalating in Squamish and Howe Sound, where a protest — not the first — involving hundreds of opponents marched through downtown Squamish Sunday venting their rage at the plan. Although the plant’s supporters value the project’s potential tax base and promised jobs, critics believe the future of Squamish — recently cited as one of just two Canadian destinations in the New York Times’s list of 52 best places in the world to visit in 2015 — is largely in tourism and outdoor recreation, and that Woodfibre LNG’s alleged negative environmental impacts don’t square with that.  Brian Morton reports. (Vancouver Sun)

First Nations to sign tentative treaty deal but future of process in doubt
A group of five First Nations on southern Vancouver Island is expected to sign a tentative treaty settlement on Thursday – even as some of the key participants reconsider the slow and costly process of settling modern-day treaties. The agreement-in-principle between the Te’Mexw Treaty Association, Ottawa and Victoria is being inked in the B.C. capital with all the ceremony that is expected after almost 21 years of negotiations. But the talks are not over – the parties will now move to the “final agreement” stage. Meanwhile, the future for other First Nations that are further behind in the treaty process is in question. Justine Hunter reports. (Globe and Mail)

Fish-stealing whales take bite out of black-cod harvest
Frustrated Alaska fishermen have tried tactics like blasting heavy metal music from their boats to keep whales from stealing fish from their lines. To protect their catch, they are now talking about abandoning hooks and lines in favor of baited traps. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

Putting A Price On Water
When you turn on the tap and water comes out, there’s a tendency to think it’s free. But increasingly, there’s a push to recognize water as the precious commodity it is, by putting a higher price on it. Water as the oil of the 21st Century was the headline on an event in Seattle put on by the Clean Tech Alliance. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KPLU)

Plan would reopen fishing for flatfish in Hood Canal
Flatfish have recovered enough in Hood Canal that the state Department of Fish and Wildlife is proposing a limited renewal of fishing for flounder, sole and other species in Quilcene Bay and the northern portion of Dabob Bay. Recreational fishing would be opened for flounder, sole and other flatfish except halibut. The state Fish and Wildlife Commission will hear public testimony on the proposal at 10:15 a.m. Friday during its meeting at the Capital Events Center, 6005 Tyee Drive S.W. in Tumwater. The commission meeting begins today. This issue is on Friday’s agenda. (Peninsula Daily News)

Crews investigate apparent oil spill in English Bay
Crews are working to clean up what appears to be an oil spill in English Bay. An emergency response team was called in to deal with an oily substance coating the water on the east side of the bay at about 5 p.m. Wednesday. Port Metro Vancouver received multiple reports about the spill before calling in the coast guard. The coast guard and marine response teams worked into the night co-ordinating efforts to recover the substance and pinpoint its source. (Canadian Press)

Recipe for saving coral reefs: Add more fish
Fish are the key ingredients in a new recipe to diagnose and restore degraded coral reef ecosystems, according to scientists from the Australian Institute of Marine Science, WCS, James Cook University, and other organizations in a new study in the journal Nature. For overfished coral reef systems, restoring fish populations that perform key roles will in turn restore ecological functions critical to recovery. For moderately or lightly fished reefs, the recipe requires knowing which fish to catch, how many, and which to leave behind. (Science Daily)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT THU APR 9 2015
TODAY
W WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING NW IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING SW 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. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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4/2 Rockfish, BC sockeye, oil train, OR coal, BC tanker bill, Salish Sea, sand shrimp, Green Diamond trees

Snow Trains Bring Water to the West
Today (April 1), Governor Inslee made an important announcement that will put a smile on the faces of local environmentalists: many of the coal trains that have been plying our region will be adapted to carry snow from the eastern and central U.S. to the Pacific Northwest.   Coal trains will be turned to snow trains, and as shown below, the first snow trains are rolling. Cliff Mass winks. (Weather Blog)

New study highlights the value of local knowledge in recovering endangered species
A new study highlights the value of local knowledge in recovering endangered species. The collaborative research, co-authored by NOAA Fisheries, the University of Washington, and researchers from the University of Alaska, Fairbanks, is specifically designed to incorporate the knowledge of recreational anglers into recovery planning for three rockfish species in Puget Sound—bocaccio, canary rockfish, and yelloweye rockfish, each of which was listed under the Endangered Species Act (ESA) in 2010. The study explores how recreational anglers' understanding of the ecosystem and fishing practices influence their views of conserving Puget Sound rockfish. Through surveys of 443 recreational boat-based anglers, which included scoping questions related to their knowledge of rockfish biology, fishing practices, perceptions of threats to rockfish, and preferences for rockfish recovery measures, several key findings arose. (Pyys.org)

More bad news for B.C.’s wild sockeye
Nations around the Pacific Ocean may have to cap the number of hatchery salmon they release if sockeye salmon runs are to return to sustainable levels, according to a new study. Record high numbers of pink salmon in the North Pacific coincided with the disastrously small 2009 Fraser River sockeye return, while the unexpectedly large 2010 sockeye return interacted with 40-per-cent fewer pinks, said Brendan Connors, co-author of the article published by the Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences. The findings have implications for fisheries management and hatchery programs in Russia and Alaska that produce most of the five billion hatchery fish released into the Pacific each year. Randy Shore reports. (Vancouver Sun)

BNSF: State rail regulators wrong in saying company failed to report leaks
BNSF claims that Washington state rail regulators were mostly wrong when they said the company failed to properly report more than a dozen hazardous materials spills. In an email newsletter Monday, March 30, the company said it wants to “set the record straight” regarding claims made by the Washington Utilities and Transportation Commission staff in a March 19 report. The report outlines 14 releases of hazardous materials between Nov. 1, 2014, and Feb. 24 that the state says were not properly called in to a state hotline within the required half hour of learning about them. In some cases BNSF did call the hotline, but not within 30 minutes, according to the report. In other cases, it states BNSF never called the hotline and only submitted a copy of a federal report required within a month of any hazardous material spill…. But the company stated it had found inaccuracies with “more than 90 percent of the alleged violations.” Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Coal export terminal gets water-quality approval from Oregon
Oregon environmental regulators have ruled that proposed coal export terminal on the Columbia River meets state and federal water-quality standards, but the project still faces an adverse ruling from another state agency and questions about its economics in a slumping coal market. The state Department of Environmental Quality issued a water-quality certification Tuesday to the proposed Coyote Island Terminal at Boardman, The East Oregonian reported. The terminal would receive coal arriving by rail from Montana and Wyoming and put it on barges. Downriver, the barges would be offloaded at another terminal, and the coal put on oceangoing vessels, bound for Asia. Shipments to the Boardman terminal could total 8.8 million tons a year. (Associated Press)

B.C. MP's anti-tanker bill not expected to pass
Members of Parliament will vote on a private member's bill on Wednesday afternoon that would keep crude oil tankers off of British Columbia's North Coast. However, Bill C-628, introduced by New Democrat MP Nathan Cullen, likely has next to no chance of passing due to the fact that not a single Conservative MP in B.C. appears to support it. Daybreak North reports. (CBC News)

The Northwest’s Salish Sea comes alive in new book
Perhaps you remember the squabbles a few years ago over the effort to incorporate a new name, “the Salish Sea,” into the cartography of inland waters running from Olympia up to Campbell River, British Columbia. This was an international issue of identity – or lack thereof. As Audrey DeLella Benedict and Joseph K. Gaydos suggest in their new book, “The Salish Sea: Jewel of the Pacific Northwest,” the matter arose when environmentalists, concerned by the impact of oil tankers on the inland waters, found it hard to gain traction with their arguments – it was difficult to assert there could be a problem in a place that doesn’t even exist on a map. A professor of environmental and marine science at Western Washington University, Bert Webber, proposed that the waters of Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and the Strait of Georgia be given a single moniker to reflect the fact that, despite political boundaries, they are an integrated ecosystem. Barbara Lloyd McMichael reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Sand shrimp may be unavailable due to whales
Herring, sand shrimp, Power Bait, cured roe, nightcrawlers. Eliminate any of those baits and you’ve made a major portion of the western Washington sport fishing public very unhappy. So expect howls of outrage when the word gets around that sand shrimp may be unavailable — or at least hard to find — for anglers anticipating fishing that big run of pinks due this summer in our local rivers. Or steelhead, Dolly Varden, cutthroat, and several other species…. The problem stems from the fact that leases to harvest sand shrimp on public beaches along parts of Saratoga Passage were cancelled last summer by the Washington Department of Natural Resources.... But whales have entered the picture…. Recently, questions have been asked, often by folks in the Langley area, about whether or not commercial shrimp harvest is negatively impacting whale behavior. Wayne Kruse reports. (Everett Herald)

Green Diamond plants its 100 millionth tree, more or less
In the midst of a 40-acre clearcut Wednesday just east of Taylor Towne in Mason County, about 75 people with ties to the state’s timber industry watched Green Diamond Resource Company Chairman Colin Moseley plant what was proudly called the family-owned forestry company’s 100 millionth tree….The Douglas fir seedling that gained so much attention was surrounded by about 16,000 slightly larger Douglas fir and Ponderosa pine trees that were planted in 2011 on the 40-acre parcel, which was harvested in 2010. On all four sides of the reforested area, Green Diamond timber stood in age classes ranging from 15 years old to 80 years old., symbolizing the fact that the company, which began as S.G. Simpson & Company has been around a long, long time — since 1890 to be exact. John Dodge reports. (Olympian)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 301 AM PDT THU APR 2 2015
TODAY
LIGHT WIND...BECOMING SW TO 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
SW WIND 10 KT...BECOMING SE 15 TO 25 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS. RAIN LIKELY.
--
"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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2/9 Elwha, shellfish poacher, Navy pier, Kalakala, oil trains, bird kill, flu, rockfish, Quinault Lk., golf course water

John Gussman at work (Cath Hickey/PDN)

If you like to watch: Flooding on the Elwha 2/6/15
Short clip of the river flooding, taken from the park entrance up to the Elwha campground area. John Gussman shares. (Peninsula Daily News)

Is Winter Over?
Bulbs have been pushing out of the ground for weeks, cherry blossoms are bursting open at some locations on the UW campus, forsythia are starting to flower, weeds are beginning to grow, and the temperatures are at least 1-1.5 months ahead of normal.  Skiing is reminiscent of late April conditions. Cliff Mass writes. (Weather Blog) See also: It’s a bad snow year in the NW; possibly record-setting bad Erik Lacitis reports. (Seattle Times)

Shellfish poacher sentenced to 5-plus years in prison
A poacher responsible for one of the largest illegal shellfish-harvesting operations ever investigated in the state was sentenced Friday to 5½ years in prison. The value of Rodney Clark’s illegal catch is conservatively estimated at around $700,000. Rodney Clark, 50, pleaded guilty last month to 17 counts of first-degree trafficking in stolen property and one count of reckless endangerment for selling uncertified shellfish to restaurants, fish markets and seafood wholesalers in the Seattle area and other parts of Western Washington. Clark, owner of the now-closed G & R Quality Seafoods based in Quilcene, and 11 employees were charged in 2011 for illegally harvesting clams and oysters from beaches in Jefferson and Kitsap counties between 2008 and 2010. Sara Jean Green reports. (Seattle Times)

Navy holds open house on Ediz Hook submarine-escort plans
Navy officials recently unveiled preliminary plans for constructing a pier and support facilities for berthing submarine-escort vessels on Ediz Hook. Several of those at a Thursday night open house on those plans expressed concerns about one of the three options — Alternative 1 in the Navy's proposal — to build a pier on top of an artificial reef near the entrance of the Port Angeles Coast Guard base (officially known as Air Station/Sector Field Office Port Angeles). The 35- to 90-foot-deep reef is teaming with fish and shellfish and has become a magnet for Pacific Northwest scuba divers. Rob Ollikainen reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

After two weeks of demolition, iconic ferry Kalakala is gone
The Kalakala is no more. The only thing left of the iconic art deco ferry that bears any resemblance to its original rounded-steel hull is the pilot house. Now sliced in half, the rusted, elongated dome rested Saturday on a flatbed trailer with a noticeable dent, waiting to be delivered to its new owner. Private buyers bought some of the more prestigious pieces of the boat, including the pilot house, bulkheads with windows, rudder and cargo doors to preserve a small piece of the state’s maritime history. Brynn Grimley reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Oil train regulations hit final stage
A much-anticipated regulation to improve the safety of crude oil and ethanol trains was sent to the White House for review Thursday, the final stage in a process some government and industry officials say has moved too slowly. The U.S. Department of Transportation submitted the rulemaking package to the Office of Management and Budget nearly a week after its self-imposed deadline of Jan. 30. The move came a day after a train carrying ethanol derailed along a remote stretch of the Mississippi River in Iowa, igniting a fire and spilling a yet-to-be-measured quantity of the flammable liquid into the river. Curtis Tate reports. (McClatchy) See also: Big Trainloads Of Tar Sands Crude Now Rolling Through NW  Tony Schick reports. (OPB)

Corps Finalizes Plan To Kill Thousands Of Columbia River Cormorants
A final cormorant management plan released by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Friday calls for the killing of around 26,000 birds to protect threatened and endangered salmon and steelhead.  The agency’s preferred plan would involve shooting around 11,000 double-crested cormorants nesting on East Sand Island in the Columbia River. That plan also includes killing around 15,000 unborn chicks through a technique known as egg oiling – spraying vegetable oil on eggs to block the intake of oxygen so the chicks never hatch. Cassandra Profita reports. (OPB)

Highly pathogenic bird flu confirmed for first time in wild raptors in Whatcom, Skagit
Two hawks in Whatcom and Skagit counties are the first confirmed cases of highly pathogenic bird flu in wild raptors in North America. The Cooper’s hawk was collected in Whatcom County on Dec. 29 and the red-tailed hawk in Skagit County on Jan. 9. Tests confirmed Jan. 26 that both had the H5N2 strain of bird flu. Highly pathogenic means the strains can be deadly to domestic chickens and turkeys. Kie Relyea reports. (Bellingham Herald) See also: Bird Flu Unlikely To Fly Out Of The Northwest Anytime Soon  Anna King reports. (KPLU) And: Avian influenza hits another backyard chicken coop in Fraser Valley: industry group  (Vancouver Sun)

For Rockfish, A Tale Of Recovery, Hidden On Menus
For West Coast commercial fishermen and seafood lovers, there is reason to cheer. Rockfish, a genus of more than 100 tasty species depleted decades ago by excessive fishing, have rebounded from extreme low numbers in the 1990s. It's a conservation and fishery management success story that chefs, distributors and sustainable seafood advocates want the world to hear. The rub? It's hard to communicate this success if purveyors continue to misidentify the fish, as many do. (NPR)

Health Department: Don’t swim or wade at Jack Hyde Park
The Tacoma-Pierce County Health Department announced Friday that people should not swim or wade at Jack Hyde Park on Ruston Way. Officials said high levels of bacteria found in the water show an increased risk of gastrointestinal illness. The agency posted advisory signs at the park. Officials said the signs will be removed when bacteria levels no longer show increased risks to public health. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Lawsuit challenges tribe’s control of Lake Quinault
A civil lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Tacoma challenges the Quinault Indian Nation’s jurisdiction over Lake Quinault, a body of water the tribe has controlled for 140 years. The plaintiffs in the case, North Quinault Properties LLC and Thomas and Beatrice Landreth, have asked the federal court to determine the “status of Lake Quinault, the property rights of non-tribal property owners abutting the lake and … the public’s right to access to the lake, its shore and lake bed.” The Quinault Indian Nation regulates recreational use of the lake for non-tribal members and also has enacted regulations affecting lakeshore property owners. It has even implemented fishing and boating bans on the lake in the last few years, though the tribe eventually lifted most of those restrictions. Jack Schild reports. (Aberdeen Daily World)

Kingston wastewater could be valuable for watering golf course
Kingston’s sewage treatment plant could provide irrigation water for the nearby White Horse Golf Course and possibly other uses under a plan now in development. Kitsap County commissioners recently signed a $325,000 “predesign” contract with Brown and Caldwell engineers. The firm was hired to answer a host of questions about the feasibility of producing high-quality effluent at the plant and then putting the clean water to good use. Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST MON FEB 9 2015
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 10 AM PST THIS MORNING
TODAY
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT...BECOMING NE 10 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 FT OR LESS IN THE AFTERNOON.
 SW SWELL 6 FT AT 12 SECONDS. SHOWERS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. SW SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS. SHOWERS LIKELY.

--
"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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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1/8 Rockfish eyes, BC quake, train rules, pipeline conversion, girl orca, wildlife director, longhouse

(PHOTO: Danny Kent/Seattle Times)

If you like to watch: Rockfish get glass eyes, with assist from Seattle Aquarium
One-eyed fish are picked on by their tankmates, so a Seattle veterinarian is fine-tuning a procedure to fill those empty sockets with fake taxidermy eyes. Sandi Doughton reports. (Seattle Times)

Magnitude 4.8 earthquake near Tofino, B.C., rattles houses
Vancouver Island residents reported houses rattling after an earthquake struck shortly after 6 p.m. PT Wednesday. The 4.8 magnitude quake hit 18 kilometres east-northeast of Tofino, B.C., at a depth of 24 kilometres. A tsunami is not expected and there were no reports of damage. (CBC)

MV Council resolution seeks tougher oil-by-rail rules
The City Council passed a resolution expressing its concern for the transportation of oil by rail just in time for the 2015 legislative session. Resolution No. 879 details expectations for the rail and oil industry. Copies of the resolution will be sent to state legislators and the state Department of Ecology. Shannen Kuest reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

B.C. regulations ban oil and bitumen from natural gas pipelines
A proposed network of pipelines from natural gas fields in British Columbia's northeast to liquefied natural gas export plants in the northwest will not be permitted to pump oil and diluted bitumen, the provincial government says. The Natural Gas Development Ministry said a new regulation prohibits the B.C. Oil and Gas Commission from allowing any conversion of a natural gas pipeline supplying an LNG facility. Dick Meissner reports. (Canadian Press)

J-pod’s new orca baby is female, researchers say
It’s a girl! Though the identity of its mother is still unclear, researchers have confirmed that the newborn orca spotted in the Salish Sea on Dec. 30 is female, the Center for Whale Research announced Wednesday. The southern resident killer whale is the newest member of the J-pod and its celebrated birth brought the total number of southern resident killer whales to 78. Paige Cornwell reports. (Seattle Times)

New Fish-Wildlife director to be named Saturday
The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission is scheduled on Saturday to select one name from candidates being considered to succeed retiring Department of Fish and Wildlife Director Phil Anderson. (Spokesman Review)

Longhouse build at Francis Point park halted over land ownership
The Sechelt Indian Band has halted construction on what it describes as a community longhouse after learning the structure was being built on land that is privately owned, not – as the band had mistakenly believed – on Crown land. But the band plans to build more longhouses at other locations, citing a recent Supreme Court of Canada decision related to aboriginal title and the Sechelt band’s long-standing concerns about what they see as unjustified infringements on their claimed territory. The band, which has been self-governed since 1986, is currently in treaty negotiations with the province of B.C. Wendy Stueck reports. (Globe and Mail)

Now, your tug weather--

WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 900 PM PST WED JAN 7 2015
THU
E WIND 20 TO 30 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 17 SECONDS. AREAS OF FOG.
THU NIGHT
E WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 15 SECONDS. PATCHY FOG.
--
"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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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1/7 Barotrauma, changing the world, Lummi treaty rights

(NOAA)

How Anglers Are Learning To Save Fish That Get 'The Bends'
Each year, sport fishermen unintentionally kill millions of deep-water fish they don't want or can't keep. These fish die even though they are handled gently and released quickly. The reason: a condition called barotrauma, which divers know as "the bends." The problem occurs in fish that have a swim bladder, an internal balloon that helps them control their buoyancy. When a fish is pulled up, "that balloon rapidly begins to expand as the pressure from the water decreases," says Chris Lowe, a marine scientist at California State, Long Beach. So by the time a deep-water fish reaches the surface, he says, "its eyes could be popped out of its head, its stomach is pushed out of its mouth and it looks absolutely horrific." Jon Hamilton reports. (KPLU)

Janicki invention turns human waste into drinking water, electricity
A local manufacturer has created a machine that its creators believe could change the world. The Omniprocessor, from Peter Janicki and his wife Susan’s new company*, Janicki Bioenergy, turns feces into electricity, clean drinking water and a little bit of ash. Created with funding from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, the machine could provide sanitary waste disposal and vital resources in developing countries that lack the sewer infrastructure and treatment plants of developed nations, Janicki said. Mark Stayton reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Lummi Nation: Pacific Gateway Terminal would violate our treaty rights
Buoyed by a recent Environmental Impact Statement, the Lummi Nation has released its strongest statement yet on a proposed coal terminal near Bellingham. Floyd McKay reports. (Crosscut)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 900 PM PST TUE JAN 6 2015
WED
SE WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. SW SWELL 7 FT AT 12 SECONDS. AREAS OF FOG IN THE MORNING.
WED NIGHT
SE WIND 10 TO 20 KT...RISING TO 15 TO 25 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. SW SWELL 6 FT AT 12 SECONDS. PATCHY
 FOG AFTER MIDNIGHT.
--
"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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

11/21 Burnaby protest, 'Green the Green,' rail gridlock, BC LNG, hatchery plan, Navy e-warfare

“Extinction is not an option” Puget Sound Chinook listed 1999 (NOAA/ Jeff Kozlowski)

Kinder Morgan pipeline protesters resisting police efforts to move them
The situation atop Burnaby Mountain heated up again after Kinder Morgan crews began arriving Thursday afternoon to start work, leading to the arrest of 24 people by the end of the day. The arrests began on Thursday morning shortly after 8 a.m. PT, when more than a dozen police officers arrived  and once again read out the injunction issued earlier this week. Police then began arresting protesters who remained in the camp in violation of the injunction. Many of the remaining protesters appeared to move across the road to an area designated by the police, but some protesters remained in the camp. (CBC)

If you like to watch: Video 'Green the Green' raises awareness about important watershed
The Green/Duwamish and Central Puget Sound Watershed Forum has released a video, “Green the Green,” to raise awareness about protecting this vital watershed. The Green/Duwamish watershed stretches from the Pacific Crest Trail in the Cascades to Elliott Bay in Puget Sound, and comprises Water Resource Inventory Area 9 – with 16 cities and 700,000 residents. The watershed provides drinking water to the City of Tacoma, fish and wildlife habitat, miles of recreational areas, and is home to billions of dollars of commerce….The release of the video coincides with the 15th anniversary of the listing of chinook salmon as threatened under the Endangered Species Act. (Tukwila Reporter)

New blog: Got Barotrauma? Watch This.
"Barotrauma is what happens to deep water Puget Sound rockfish when are caught and brought to the surface: gases in their swim bladder expand causing their stomachs and eyes to bulge. So what? They’re endangered-- you’re not supposed to catch them. And throwing them back with barotrauma means they most likely will die. We don’t want them to die; we want them to recover from the brink of depletion…."

BNSF to spend $6 billion in 2015 to ease rail gridlock
BNSF Railway Co., the railroad owned by Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway Inc., plans to spend a record $6 billion next year to help speed trains and improve service crimped by surging grain and oil shipments. Almost $1.5 billion will go for expansion projects, BNSF said Thursday, with a third of that for the northern U.S. region where the carrier collects oil from North Dakota’s Bakken shale formation and grain. BNSF said this year’s capital budget will be $5.5 billion, up from $5 billion announced in February. Thomas Black and Jennifer Kaplan report. (Bloomberg News)

Nisga'a sign LNG pipeline benefits deal with B.C.
The Nisga'a Nation has signed an agreement with the B.C. government to receive benefits from proposed liquefied natural gas projects. The band from the northwest coast would get at least $6 million from the province for a proposed natural gas pipeline that would pass through parts of its treaty lands. The Prince Rupert Gas Transmission Pipeline would service the proposed multibillion-dollar Petronas Pacific Northwest LNG project at Lelu Island.(Canadian Press)

More time to comment on feds' plan for Puget Sound salmon hatcheries
The public will now have until 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 23, to comment on the draft environmental impact statement for Puget Sound hatcheries. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced the public comment period extension Thursday. The agency decided to grant the extension in response to a formal request.... The draft report is available online.  Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Navy defends electronic warfare training project in Pacific Beach public meeting
The town with the most direct impact from the Navy's proposal to expand electronic warfare training in Olympic National Forest had its first public meeting on the plan this week. More than 175 residents of Pacific Beach in Grays Harbor County attended the Wednesday night meeting, with many voicing opposition. A five-person team from the Navy — the U.S. Forest Service declined an invitation to attend — defended the military agency's finding in August that the project would have no significant environmental impact. Angelo Bruscas reports. (North Coast News)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PST FRI NOV 21 2014
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
TODAY
S WIND 10 TO 20 KT RISING TO 20 TO 30 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT BUILDING TO 3 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 13
 SECONDS. RAIN.
TONIGHT
SW WIND 20 TO 30 KT BECOMING W 15 TO 25 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 5 FT. SW SWELL 8 FT AT 9 SECONDS BUILDING
 TO 10 FT AT 10 SECONDS. RAIN IN THE EVENING...THEN SCATTERED SHOWERS AFTER MIDNIGHT.
SAT
W WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT. W SWELL 10 FT AT 15 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS.
SAT NIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 15 KT BECOMING SW 15 TO 25 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 OR 2 FT BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 9 FT
 AT 14 SECONDS.
SUN
W WIND 20 TO 30 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 5 FT. W SWELL 10 FT AT 13 SECONDS BUILDING TO 14 FT AT 13 SECONDS.
--
"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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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11/14 Eagles, B'ham port, Oly Pipeline, biz climate action, Sound rockfish, Navy Growlers, 'British' Columbia

(PHOTO: Jim Lawrence/CBC)

If you like to watch: Bald eagles descend on southwestern B.C. for salmon, overwintering
Thousands of bald eagles are expected to return to the Fraser Valley this year to feast on salmon along the banks of the Harrison River. Eagles that had been living in northern B.C., Alaska, and Yukon have started arriving in Harrison Mills, B.C. for the winter. (CBC)

New blog: Bring Out Your Dead
“I thought about Ebola early last month flying at 35,000 feet with a plane full of people I didn’t know. Liberian Thomas Duncan had entered this country by air, took ill with what was diagnosed as Ebola in Dallas, was eventually quarantined and treated, and died. Makes one look around and want to see what all the coughing is about in the seat three rows back….”

Bellingham port close to waterfront deal with Irish developer Harcourt
By the end of the year, the Port of Bellingham could reach a deal with an Irish development group that hopes to help rebuild some of the city’s waterfront. Port Executive Director Rob Fix has been working with Dublin-based Harcourt Developments since February to pen a development agreement that meets the port and city’s expectations for style and speed of improvements on the waterfront while suiting the firm’s needs. Samantha Wohlfeil reports. (Bellingham Herald)

BP's Olympic Pipeline repaired at Burlington
The pipeline that connects four north Puget Sound oil refineries with Seattle and Portland is operating again after a small leak at Burlington was repaired. The 400-mile Olympic Pipeline is operated by BP and runs from Blaine to Portland, carrying diesel and gasoline for fuel customers as well as jet fuel for Sea-Tac Airport and Portland International Airport. BP spokesman Scott Dean says the line was shut down Nov. 5 and resumed full operations Monday. He says the fuel had leaked from a half-inch valve fitting. About 60 gallons of mixed fuel spilled. (Associated Press)

What’s in a name? Time to move beyond “British”?
While former colonies like British Guiana (Guyana since 1966), British Honduras (Belize since 1973), and the Thirteen Colonies (United States of America since 1776), all opted to throw off the colonial lexical yoke and exorcised “British” from their names, the shameful epithet of colonial enterprise still follows us like a shadow in BC. Small, encouraging steps were made in 2010, with the official renaming of the Queen Charlotte Islands as Haida Gwai, and an unofficial renaming of the Georgia Straight and Puget Sound as the “Salish Sea.” The next logical step in recognising BC history of BC as distinct from an Anglo-Teutonic monarchy is to rename the province to reflect its past and present history and demography…. So, with this mind, what about choosing a new name? Hamish Stewart writes. (Vancouver Observer)

Washington businesses unite on climate action
With a snow-capped Mount Rainier as their poster child, Washington businesses have joined forces to take a stand on climate change. More than 100 businesses — from REI and Virginia Mason to Taylor Shellfish and Microsoft — launched a declaration calling for “climate action.” While they didn't know what the outcome of the November election would be when they came together, their message remains the same. “Tackling climate change,” a declaration from the group says, “is one of Washington's greatest economic opportunities of the 21st century. And it's simply the right thing to do.” Martha Baskin reports. (Crosscut)

Agency lists critical habitat for endangered Puget Sound rockfish
National Marine Fisheries Service has designated more than 1,000 square miles of Puget Sound as “critical habitat” for rockfish — a colorful, long-lived fish decimated by over-fishing and environmental problems. In Hood Canal, we know that thousands of rockfish have been killed by low-oxygen conditions, and their populations have been slow to recover because of low reproductive rates. Elsewhere, rockfish are coming back with mixed success, helped in some locations by marine protected areas. Chris Dunagan reports. (Saving Our Water Ways)

Public meeting set in Port Townsend to discuss proposal to add 36 Growlers at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island
The Navy plans a public meeting in Port Townsend in December on a proposal to increase the number of jets originating from its base on Whidbey Island. Navy officials will take public input on a proposed increase of up to 36 EA-18G Growler aircraft at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. An earlier proposal called for an additional 14 jets. The Port Townsend meeting will be from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. Dec. 4 at Fort Worden Commons. It will be the first held on the proposal on the North Olympic Peninsula. Charlie Bermant reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
 WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 257 AM PST FRI NOV 14 2014
TODAY
E WIND 10 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 2 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
E WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
SAT
E WIND 20 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 3 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
SAT NIGHT
E WIND 15 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 2 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
SUN
E WIND 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
--
"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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

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11/13 Rockfish protection, pipeline benefits, landslide guidelines, pipeline lead retiring

(Laurie MacBride)

Wind in the Willow
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "After a month of rain and overly warm temperatures, we’ve entered into a time of cool, bright, windy days – each one, a power failure waiting to happen. But there’s an upside to this weather pattern: the sunny afternoons call me out of doors, and now that my garden chores are mostly finished for the year, I finally have some time to wander and explore. The semi-abstract photo above is an attempt to convey my impressions of being amid all the tremendous natural energy that Mother Nature is throwing at us these days…."

Feds to protect Puget Sound habitat for rockfish
The National Marine Fisheries Service is set to designate about 1,000 square miles in Puget Sound as critical habitat for three species of imperiled rockfish. The habitat protection follows a 2010 decision to list yelloweye, canary and bocaccio rockfish under the Endangered Species Act. The agency says the rockfish are vulnerable to overfishing because they have long lives and mature slowly with sporadic reproduction. The designation will require federal agencies to make sure their actions don't harm rockfish habitat. The rule is scheduled to be published on Thursday. The protected area will cover about 340 fewer square miles that originally proposed, excluding some tribal lands and military areas. (Associated Press)

New blog: The Chief Business of the American People...
"“The chief business of the American people is business.” That’s Calvin Coolidge in 1925 and the quote came to mind right after Hallowe’en when the Christmas (we say ‘Christmas’) decorations began appearing in stores and Black Friday special offers started filling the inbox…"

Kinder Morgan president says B.C. pipeline benefits fair
Duelling reports about job-creation numbers and oil spill cleanup costs for the proposed Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion from Edmonton to Burnaby, B.C., have prompted the company to defend the benefits it has forecast for the project. Kinder Morgan’s president Ian Anderson said estimates of a high number of jobs in British Columbia during the proposed expansion of its Trans Mountain pipeline are based on fair and reasonable assumptions. Dirk Meissner reports. (Canadian Press)

New guidelines adopted to help spot landslide risks
A state board has approved expanded guidelines to help identify potentially dangerous landslide areas, a move that comes eight months after the devastating Oso slide. Some timber companies criticized the guidelines as expensive and unnecessary. Joseph O'Sullivan reports. (Seattle Times)

Janet Holder, Enbridge pipeline project leader, to retire
News that the Enbridge executive in charge of leading the company's controversial Northern Gateway pipeline project is retiring comes just weeks after doubt was raised over a 2018 startup date. Executive vice-president Janet Holder will retire on Dec. 31, after more than 20 years with Enbridge, having been the lead on the pipeline project since 2011. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 241 AM PST THU NOV 13 2014
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON
TODAY
E WIND 25 TO 35 KT...EASING IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 8 TO 9 FT WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 11 SECONDS...SUBSIDING TO 4 TO 7 FT
 WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD OF 15 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
NE WIND 15 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 14 SECONDS.

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