Salish Sea News and Weather

Tuesday, October 15, 2024

10/15 Fairy ring mushroom, SRKW decline, fin whales and ships, giant hornet

Fairy ring mushroom

Fairy ring mushroom Marasmius oreades
The fairy ring mushroom, fairy ring champignon or Scotch bonnet, is a mushroom native to North America and Europe. Its common names can cause some confusion, as many other mushrooms grow in fairy rings, such as the edible Agaricus campestris and the poisonous Chlorophyllum molybdites.

Today's top story in Salish Current: Will ranked choice voting come to Whatcom County?

Lack of salmon may not be the problem after all for endangered orcas, report suggests
A key assumption about dwindling numbers of southern resident killer whales pins the blame on a lack of salmon, but a study out of the University of British Columbia has found they have twice the number of chinook available in summer as their much healthier cousins, the northern residents.... Nono Shen reports. (Canadian Press)

The Coming Collision Between Whales and Tankers on British Columbia’s Coast
Decades after they were hunted to local extinction, fin whales are recovering in the Kitimat fjord system—only to be threatened by a booming LNG industry. Laura Trethewey report. (Hakai Magazine)

Possible invasive hornet reported in South Kitsap, state now investigating
A report of a potential northern giant hornet, the invasive species sometimes referred to as "murder hornets" when they surfaced in Washington state nearly five years ago, is being investigated in South Kitsap. David Nelson reports. (Kitsap Sun)

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- 246 AM PDT Tue Oct 15 2024
TODAY W wind around 5 kt, veering to E this afternoon. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 13 seconds. A slight chance of showers early this morning.
TONIGHT SE wind 5 to 10 kt, becoming S 10 to 15 kt after midnight. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 12 seconds. Showers likely in the evening, then rain after midnight.

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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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Monday, October 14, 2024

10/14 Morels, L128 ailing, cyanide, forest feud, tree jargon, BC forest futures, oyster reefs, dogs, Wiley Slough, I-2066, Great White Shark, new MPA

Morel

Morel
Morchella, the true morels, is a genus of edible sac fungi closely related to anatomically simpler cup fungi in the order Pezizales. These distinctive fungi have a honeycomb appearance due to the network of ridges with pits composing their caps. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: ‘The Velocity of Autumn,’ a play in one act, comes to Orcas Island / Concerns re rights, housing, millennials’ futures surface at debate watch / Debate night out at Nelson’s Market

Baby orca in L pod is ailing
The newest southern resident baby orca is ailing, and researchers dread a devastating blow to its first-time mom and the struggling population of orcas. ...[T]he Center for Whale Research...reported Friday morning that on Oct. 5 field staff member Mark Malleson saw the calf in an obvious state of decline. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Too much cyanide in Puget Sound? EPA to review state regs
Federal officials have agreed to take another look at how Washington state regulates a deadly poison — cyanide. The lethal substance is often used to make metals, plastics, dyes, and pesticides and to extract gold and silver from mineral ores. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

Forest Feud: WA’s fight over the old growth of tomorrow
The conflict now playing out across Washington is over the old-growth forests of tomorrow. These are second-growth forests originating before 1945 and never sprayed with herbicide or replanted to a dense monoculture of nursery-grown seedlings. Linda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

'Legacy' forests. 'Restoration' logging. The new jargon of conservation is awash in ambiguity. And politics
Among enviros, government agencies and logging interests, a war of words is raging over the future of our forests. Nathan Gilles reports. (Columbia Insight)

Why the future of B.C.'s forests has become a huge election issue
The province's trees are connected to concerns about the economy, climate change and reconciliation. Chad Pawson reports. (CBC)

How millions of oysters could protect coastlines against climate change
Restoring oyster reefs can reduce the blow of waves on our shorelines, experts say. Catherine Zhu reports. (CBC)

Doggie doo-doos and don'ts. Best etiquette for dog decorum, according to experts
There are now more dogs than children in Seattle, and with all those canines sharing space, things can get tense. Complaints run rampant about dogs off-leash in public, whether businesses allow animals, and poop-disposing etiquette. Libby Denkmann and Hans Anderson report. (KUOW)

Wiley Slough area reopens after delayed construction
The Skagit Wildlife Area Headquarters Unit, also known as Wiley Slough, reopened Friday after a 19-month-long closure. The area first closed in March 2023 for repairs after repeated incidents of water overtopping the dike damaged the infrastructure that protects nearby farmland from flooding. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Correcting the Record on Initiative 2066
The Seattle Times editorial board recently endorsed Washington state Ballot Initiative 2066. The board’s reasoning consists of misleading information and gas industry talking points, while eschewing critical facts. Emily Moore writes. (Sightline Institute)

Four-metre-long Great White Shark washes up on B.C. beach
The male shark, which was found on a Haida Gwaii beach, had been feeding on seals, a common prey for great whites. (Canadian Press)

The U.S. gets a new national marine sanctuary, the first led by a tribe
More than 4,500 square miles of ocean will soon be protected by the federal government off the Central California coast, creating a new national marine sanctuary, which will be the third largest in the U.S. The new Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary will be managed in partnership with tribes and Indigenous groups in the area. Lauren Sommer reports. (NPR)

‘They keep coming up’: A banner year for mushrooms
Mushroom fruiting on the Island started in August, and cycles of dry and wet conditions have made for a prolific season. Darron Kloster reports. (Times Colonist)

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- 225 AM PDT Mon Oct 14 2024
TODAY SE wind around 10 kt, veering to W this afternoon. Seas 5 to 7 ft. Wave Detail: S 2 ft at 7 seconds and W 7 ft at 15 seconds. Patchy fog this morning. Rain this morning, then a chance of rain early this afternoon.
TONIGHT W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W 6 ft at 14 seconds.

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Friday, October 11, 2024

10/11 Pumpkin, northern lights, Stanley Park trees, Cama Beach cabins, Bainbridge tribal pole, week in review

Pumpkin

Pumpkin
A pumpkin is a cultivated winter squash in the genus Cucurbita. The term is most commonly applied to round, orange-colored squash varieties, though it does not possess a scientific definition and may be used in reference to many different squashes of varied appearance. The use of the word "pumpkin" is thought to have originated in New England in North America, derived from a word for melon, or a native word for round. The term is sometimes used interchangeably with "squash" or "winter squash." (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Initiative backers hit with $20,000 fine by Washington campaign finance watchdog

A powerful geomagnetic storm is underway that could trigger intense northern lights tonight
Last geomagnetic storm to be this intense was on May 10-11. Nicole Mortillaro reports. (CBC)

Vancouver park board to keep removing dead trees from Stanley Park
The park board heard from dozens of citizens and experts opposed to the plan to log thousands of trees killed by looper moth larvae. David Carrigg reports. (Vancouver Sun)

WA State Parks won’t reopen Cama Beach cabins
The Washington State Parks Commission voted unanimously Thursday not to reopen the Cama Beach cabins on Camano Island due to risks from sea-level rise and the presence of Indigenous human remains. The 33 cabins have been closed since Feb. 26 when a winter storm damaged a seawall and compromised the park’s septic system. Gregory Scruggs reports. (Seattle Times)

Bainbridge welcomes tribal pole at Sound to Olympics Trail
About 200 people gave a warm welcome to a new piece of public art Oct. 9 that will mark the start of the Sound-to-Olympics trail: a 14-foot carved cedar pole. The totem on Bainbridge Island depicts Shweabe (shway-bay), father of Chief Sealth (known as Seattle) and a historic leader of the Suquamish tribe. Molly Hetherwick reports. (Kitsap News Group)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 10/11/24: Egg Day, SRKW, Canada goose, declining orca population, shipping containers, CO2 pollution, quakes, Climate Commitment Act, BC pipe, bees.

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- 240 AM PDT Fri Oct 11 2024
TODAY E wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: E 2 ft at 4 seconds and W 3 ft at 10 seconds.
TONIGHT E wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: E 2 ft at 4 seconds and W 2 ft at 9 seconds.
SAT E wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: E 2 ft at 4 seconds and W 3 ft at 11 seconds.
SAT NIGHT SE wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 11 seconds. A chance of rain after midnight.
SUN SE wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 11 seconds. Rain likely.

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Thursday, October 10, 2024

10/10 Orange, PDC penalty, WA voters guide, Climate Commitment Act, BC pipeline, terramation, deep-sea droid

Orange

Orange
The orange, also called sweet orange to distinguish it from the bitter orange (Citrus × aurantium), is the fruit of a tree in the family Rutaceae. The orange originated in a region encompassing Southern China, Northeast India, and Myanmar; the earliest mention of the sweet orange was in Chinese literature in 314 BC. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Secrets — revealed — of Whatcom County artists

Initiative backers hit with $20,000 fine by WA campaign finance watchdog
The Public Disclosure Commission ruled Let’s Go Washington failed to report payments to vendors involved in signature gathering and was too slow providing documents to investigators. Jerry Cornfield reports. (Washington State Standard)

WA Statewide Voter Guide 2024
Welcome to your one-stop shop for Washington’s 2024 election. (Cascade PBS)

(Re)explaining Washington’s Climate Commitment Act
Understanding the cap-and-invest law that Washington Initiative 2117 would repeal. Emily Moore reports. (Sightline Institute)

Unravelling the complicated past of B.C.’s newest pipeline conflict
B.C. has until the end of November to decide if the Prince Rupert Gas Transmission line requires a new environmental assessment. That means taking on a decade-old quagmire involving Indigenous Rights, climate promises and the province’s industrial future. Matt Simmons reports. (The Narwhal)

Conservation effort uses soil from terramation
Auburn-based human composting company Earth Funeral is seeking to make a third option available, as an alternative to cremation or traditional burial. Earth Funeral owns a 5-acre piece of old logging land in Quilcene, said Morris. The company is using the land for restoration and conservation efforts supported by soil coming from the terramation process. Elijah Sussman reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Canada’s newest deep-sea droid embarks on multi-day sea trial along our coastline
Plunging into the Pacific Ocean along the Island’s west coast, a deep-sea droid dubbed ‘Jenny’ has embarked on its first major expedition to collect ocean-floor data this fall with Ocean Networks Canada (ONC) and Canpac Marine Services Inc. Jenny, a roughly $8 million remotely operated vehicle (ROV) capable of reaching depths of 6K metres, is off completing key maintenance tasks on ONC’s offshore subsea 800-kilometre-long cabled observatory infrastructure. Norma O'Malley reports. (Capital Daily)

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- 211 AM PDT Thu Oct 10 2024
TODAY E wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: E 2 ft at 4 seconds and W 5 ft at 11 seconds.
TONIGHT E wind 5 to 10 kt, rising to 10 to 15 kt after midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: E 3 ft at 4 seconds and W 4 ft at 10 seconds.

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Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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Wednesday, October 9, 2024

10/9 Orange roughy, prize photo, CO2 pollution, BC forest companies, schools and quakes

Orange roughy

Orange roughy Hoplostethus atlanticus
The orange roughy , also known as the red roughy, slimehead and deep sea perch, is a relatively large deep-sea fish belonging to the slimehead family (Trachichthyidae). It is bathypelagic, found in cold (3 to 9 °C or 37 to 48 °F), deep (180-to-1,800-metre or 590-to-5,910-foot) waters. The orange roughy is notable for its extraordinary lifespan, attaining over 200 years. Like other slimeheads, orange roughy is slow-growing and late to mature, resulting in a very low resilience, making them extremely susceptible to overfishing. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Browning, Brocksmith face off over fish, farms and dams in Skagit commissioner race

Canadians win prestigious Wildlife Photographer of Year award
A photo of a swarm of western toad tadpoles swimming in the waters of Vancouver Island has netted a Canadian photographer a prestigious international award. Shane Gross's The Swarm of Life has been named the Adult Grand Title Winner in the annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards by the U.K.'s Natural History Museum. Andrew Kurjata reports. (CBC)

Carbon dioxide pollution in the West could drop with expansion of electrical grid, report says
Planet-warming carbon dioxide pollution could dramatically drop in the West if a dozen electrical energy transmission projects currently proposed or being built are completed in the next five years, a new report found. It said that the 12 projects – adding 3,000 miles of new energy transmission across 14 states – could reduce carbon dioxide emissions from electricity in the region by 73% compared with 2005 levels once complete. This is because the expanded grid would spur the development of renewable energy projects powered by wind and solar. Alex Baumhardt reports. (Oregon Capital Chronicle)

BC Forest Companies See a Future. In the US
Fast-growing southern forests, low labour costs and tax breaks are driving an exodus. Ben Parfitt reports. (The Tyee)

Are WA schools ready for earthquakes? We don't know
Seismic data helps prioritize building improvements and inform emergency planning. But the data is inconsistent, incomplete and difficult to access. Emily Keller-O'Donnell reports. (Washington State Standard)

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- 214 AM PDT Wed Oct 9 2024
TODAY S wind 5 to 10 kt, veering to W late. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 12 seconds. A chance of showers.
TONIGHT W wind 5 to 10 kt, veering to NW after midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 12 seconds. A chance of showers in the evening.

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Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

  Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told 

Tuesday, October 8, 2024

10/8 Marigold, orca census, raccoons, shipping containers, quagga mussels, pipeline safety

Marigold

Marigold Tagetes
Tagetes is a genus of 50 species of annual or perennial, mostly herbaceous plants in the family Asteraceae. They are among several groups of plants known in English as marigolds. The genus Tagetes was described by Carl Linnaeus in 1753. These plants are native to Mexico, growing naturally from Mexico's valley down to the south and even reaching several other Latin American countries, but some species have become naturalized around the world. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: How islands respond to threats of climate change / Review: A new approach to maternal health in America

Orca census shows declining population; researchers discuss risk of extinction
Three deaths and one birth among the southern resident killer whales have been documented over the past year. Those are the numbers included in the official census report submitted this week by the Center for Whale Research. The total population of the three southern resident pods drops from 75 to 73 for the census year, which runs from July 1, 2023, to July 1, 2024. But a new birth in September — after the census period — brings today’s actual population to 74. Christopher Dunagan reports. (Puget Sound Institute)

Deputies called after dozens of raccoons descend on North Kitsap home
A North Kitsap woman who says she's fed wildlife for decades called 911 for help last Thursday afternoon after being surrounded in her home an estimated 100 raccoons. David Nelson reports. (Kitsap Sun)

What happens to shipping containers when they have been lost at sea?
More than 20,000 shipping containers have tumbled overboard in the last decade and a half. Their varied contents have washed onto shorelines, poisoned fisheries and animal habitats, and added to swirling ocean trash vortexes. Most containers eventually sink to the sea floor and are never retrieved. (Associated Press)

Idaho will again attempt to kill invasive mussels in Snake River
State officials and contractors will begin using a copper-based chemical in the Snake River near Twin Falls on Tuesday in an effort to kill off invasive quagga mussels that were detected again last month. Clark Corbin reports. (Washington State Standard)

Tacoma City Council member joins state pipeline safety committee
Twenty-five years ago, the Olympic Pipeline ruptured in Bellingham, Washington, killing three people. In the aftermath, Washington state created its Citizens’ Committee on Pipeline Safety, meant to advise on regulation to keep communities around pipelines safer. The committee still functions today, but Amanda McKay, who serves on it, said that increased interest and awareness of pipeline safety issues in the early 2000s has now fallen. Groups that advocate for pipeline safety and regulations, like hers, want to change that. Lauren Gallup reports. (NW Public Broadcasting)

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- 212 AM PDT Tue Oct 8 2024
TODAY SW wind 10 to 15 kt, becoming W 5 to 10 kt this afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 12 seconds. Patchy dense fog early this morning. Showers likely this morning. A chance of showers early this afternoon, then a slight chance of showers late.
TONIGHT W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 12 seconds.

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Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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Monday, October 7, 2024

10/7 Lantern plant, snowberries, J-pod, Dabob Bay, Tulalip hatchery, Canada Goose, floating clinic, marine carbon sequestration

Lantern plant [H.Zell]

Lantern plant Alkekengi
The bladder cherry, Chinese lantern, Japanese-lantern, strawberry groundcherry, winter cherry, alchechengi berry, or Klabuster cherry is a species of flowering plant in the nightshade family Solanaceae. Physalis alkekengi has been used for a wide range of purposes in traditional medicine for around two millennia. It was used to heal fever, induce mental serenity, and assist in childbirth. In Japan, its bright and lantern-like fruiting calyces form a traditional part of the Bon Festival as offerings intended to help guide the souls of the dead. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Recycling isn’t a scam. Plastics recycling is.

Snowberries
Regarding Friday's flora feature, Don Norman from Go Natives Nursery writes: "While snowberry can be quite invasive, it is so important as a pollinator, with it's long seasonal flowering for so many bees and beneficial insects, that outweighs is unruly behavior. It is also an important nesting substrate for many birds. A few birds will eat the fruit in late winter, especially in freezing weather, but it's fruit value is very low."

Endangered Southern Resident orcas return to Puget Sound
Whale researchers on Saturday spotted orcas that are part of the endangered Southern Resident pod. They’re back in Puget Sound, for the first time since April. Observers say the whales are members of the “J Pod.” It’s the first sighting of the autumn season. It’s also the first time the killer whales have been seen south of Admiralty Inlet since April 11. Tom Brock reports. (KIRO)

Dabob Bay conservation area expands by nearly 4,000 acres
State, local partners collaborate on preservation effort. Elijah Sussman reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

‘A blessing’: Tulalip celebrates money to improve hatchery
The Tulalip Tribes celebrated $2 million of federal money to boost its fisheries programs Thursday at the Tulalip Resort Casino. The funding, made available via the Inflation Reduction Act, was part of $240 million distributed to 27 tribes across the Pacific Northwest and Alaska to support native fisheries. Each tribe initially recieved $2 million, a total of $54 million, with the remainder of the money available through competitive grants. Will Geschke reports. (Everett Herald) Will Geschke reports. (Everett Herald)

Have you considered the Canada Goose?
Giant Canada geese, so ubiquitous today in cities across the country, were once considered extinct. What can we learn from watching them up close? Julia-Simone Rutgers writes. (The Narwhal)

Whidbey Island floating clinic hopes to save orcas
Scientists have transformed a dinghy into a mobile health clinic to assess the health of orcas. Luisa Loi reports. (Whidbey News Times)

Marine Carbon Dioxide Removal is About to Go Big
Following its Singaporean pilot project, carbon sequestration start-up Equatic aims to build a massive plant in Quebec. Ramin Skibba reports. (Hakai Magazine)

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- 234 AM PDT Mon Oct 7 2024
TODAY SE wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 13 seconds. A slight chance of rain this afternoon.
TONIGHT SE wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 12 seconds. A chance of rain in the evening, then rain after midnight.

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Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

  Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told 