Salish Sea News and Weather

Monday, March 20, 2023

3/20 Lamb, 'Filthy Four,' owl habitat, oil train derail, Isi Lisims LNG, 'carbon bomb,' women on water, Bowen Is park, Eva Shulte, ocean farming, ocean plastics

Lamb

Lamb
A baby sheep is called a lamb. A baby goat is called a kid. A ewe can have a single lamb or twins. Triplets sometimes occur. A nanny can have a single kid or twins. Triplets occur fairly often.

‘Filthy Four’ — state targets Tacoma site with 1,200 polluted pilings for cleanup
On Friday, state Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz and other dignitaries gathered at Dickman Mill Park on Ruston Way to announce support for two companion bills making their way through the Legislature that remove abandoned, human-made structures in state aquatic lands and restore habitat... The mill is one of the so-called “Filthy Four” that DNR has put on top of their clean-up to do list. The other three are Ray’s Boathouse pier in Seattle, the Triton-America pier in Anacortes and the High Tides Seafood pier in Neah Bay on the Makah reservation. Craig Sailor reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Canada’s Trans Mountain pipeline destroys spotted owl habitat feds have vowed to protect
Even as federal Environment Minister Steven Guilbeault recommends an emergency order to protect the spotted owl from Canadian extinction, the pipeline his government owns is destroying the owl’s habitat. Sarah Cox reports. (The Narwhal)

Oil train derailed to avoid plunging into Puget Sound, tribal leader says
Samish Nation tribal chief Tom Wooten said the incident commanders at the BNSF train derailment and oil spill site on the Swinomish Reservation told him how the train track derailer device had pushed the train off the rails to prevent it from going into the water at the Swinomish Slough. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

$10 billion Nisga'a-led LNG project gets greenlight to enter environmental review
The Nisga’a-led $10-billion Ksi Lisims LNG project has been given the greenlight to enter the province’s environmental review process. The decision on the export facility in northwest B.C. was announced by the B.C. Environmental Assessment Office last week, just days after the B.C. government gave final approval to the $2.4-billion Haisla Nation’s Cedar LNG project. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Canada is sitting on 12 'carbon bombs.' Here's where they are.
Just under the surface of B.C. and Alberta, in a rock formation known as the Montney Play, lies enough potential greenhouse gases to blow past Canada's 2030 emissions targets 30 times over. It's one of 12 fossil fuel reserves researchers in the journal Energy Policy have identified in Canada — called "carbon bombs" — that would each release a billion tonnes or more of carbon into the atmosphere if their resources were extracted and burned. But development in the Montney is set to ramp up in the next few years, and government subsidies for the natural gas industry mean many of these projects have been earmarked to make important contributions to the economy. Dexter McMillan and Tara Carman reports. (CBC)

Women on the Water
Women and non-binary fishers along the northwest coast are working toward a future of safety and resilience at sea. Madeline Sweet reports. (The Planet Magazine)

Bowen Island residents still waiting for answers on proposed $40M park
Eight months after Metro Vancouver announced plans to create a new, $40-million campground and park on Bowen Island, residents say concerns about traffic, overcrowding and gentrification as a result of the proposal remain unaddressed...A petition opposing the proposed park on change.org has generated more than 500 signatures as of Saturday and a Facebook group called Bowen Islanders Concerned About the Park has more than 300 members. Bowen Island has a population of about 4,300 people, according to government statistics. Nathan Griffiths reports. (Vancouver Sun)

New Executive Director to lead Friends of the San Juans
Eva Schulte is the new executive director of Friends of the San Juans. She leaves her position at Executive Director for Whatcom Community College Foundation. She is an Executive Committee Board Director for the Sierra Club Foundation and chairs that Foundation’s national Grants Committee. (News Release)

The next frontier in farming? The ocean
Today, seaweed is suddenly a hot global commodity. It’s attracting new money and new purpose in all kinds of new places because of its potential to help tame some of the hazards of the modern age, not least climate change. Somini Sengupta reports. (New York Times)

Plastic Bags Are Leaving Their Mark on the Deep-Sea Floor
...In 2021, Alan Jamieson, a marine biologist at the University of Western Australia, Deo Florence L. Onda, a microbial oceanographer at the University of the Philippines Marine Science Institute, and their crew descended into the third-deepest trench in the world. The place was swarming with plastic bags... As the scientists watched, the deep-sea current was dragging plastic bags along the seafloor, scraping it with parallel lines like tire tracks. Jamieson and Onda named these tracks müllspuren. It’s a nod to a German word, lebensspuren, which refers to the trails left by seafloor life. Janine Peralta reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Have you read the Salish Current?
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Catch the Current here.

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 244 AM PDT Mon Mar 20 2023
TODAY SE wind to 10 kt becoming N in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 3 ft at 8 seconds. Rain likely in the morning then a chance of rain in the afternoon.
TONIGHT Light wind becoming SW to 10 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 3 ft at 8 seconds. A chance of rain.

--
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Friday, March 17, 2023

3/17 Narcissus, Intalco, train derail, climate escape, renewable energy siting, Tla-o-qui-aht, dog detectives, Padden Cr

Narcissus

Narcissus
Narcissus is a genus of predominantly spring flowering perennial plants of the amaryllis family, Amaryllidaceae. Various common names including daffodil, narcissus, and jonquil are used to describe all or some members of the genus. Wikipedia

Idled Whatcom County Intalco smelter closure announced by Alcoa
The Intalco aluminum smelter west of Ferndale has been permanently closed, according to a news release Thursday, March 16, from Alcoa Corporation. Julie Shirley, Robert Mittendorf and Jack Belcher report. (Bellingham Herald)

Train derails near Anacortes, spills up to 3,100 gallons of diesel
A train derailed on the Swinomish Reservation, near Anacortes, Washington, just after midnight Thursday morning, spilling diesel fuel between the shore of Padilla Bay and an RV park next to the Swinomish Casino and Lodge. Dyer Oxley, John Ryan and Natalie Akane Newcomb report. (KUOW)

Species Are Seeking Higher Ground to Escape Climate Change
Species are heading up steep slopes on land and underwater to escape the effects of climate change. But there are hard limits on how far species can migrate upwards — mountains peak and eventually the water meets the shore, meaning plants and animals that are adapting now may not be able to do so in the future. Michelle Gamage reports. (The Tyee)

WA bill could help ease renewable energy development tensions
In the Pacific Northwest, conversations about renewable energy can get pretty heated. Residents often raise concerns about fragmented wildlife habitats, disturbed cultural resources, and cluttered viewsheds... House Bill 1216 would set up a formal process for “least conflict siting” which would help identify the least controversial places to build – and avoid common issues with renewable developments. Courtney Flatt reports. (NW News Network)

‘Legacy of bold resistance’: how the Tla-o-qui-aht are protecting 100% of their territory
Fighting American colonizers in the 1800s. Setting the foundation for Canada’s first major anti-logging action. Trailblazing tribal parks and sustainable logging practices. How the Tla-o-qui-aht continue to take stewardship of their territory back into their own hands. Steph Kwetásel'wet Wood reports. (The Narwhal)

Dog detectives are helping endangered butterflies
On the Oregon coast, Rogue Detection Teams recruit four-legged friends to sniff out silverspot larvae. Sarah Hoffman reports. (Crosscut)

Shedding Daylight on Padden Creek
Restoration on Padden Creek in Bellingham seeks to improve salmon habitat, water quality and tie the broader community together. Connor Garrod reports. (The Planet Magazine)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 3/17/23: Sleep Friday, sunflower sea star, Kiska, seaweed, methane, orca hunting, 'forever chemicals,' Haisla LNG, Audubon name, BC LNG, TM pipe, Intalco.

Have you read the Salish Current?
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Catch the Current here.

Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 211 AM PDT Fri Mar 17 2023
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM PDT THIS AFTERNOON
TODAY SE wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 3 ft at 8 seconds.
TONIGHT SE wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 2 ft at 8 seconds.
SAT S wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 2 ft at 9 seconds.
SAT NIGHT SE wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. SW swell 3 ft at 10 seconds.
SUN SE wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. SW swell 3 ft at 9 seconds.

Thursday, March 16, 2023

3/16 Skunk cabbage, San Juan Monument, herring, BC spotted owl habitat, BC LNG, sunflower star, downwind pollution, BC pipe, mountain goats, rights of orcas

Western skunk cabbage
[Martin Bravenboer/WikiMedia]

Western skunk cabbage Lysichiton americanus
Western skunk cabbage is found in wet areas along streams and in swamps. Its range extends from Cook Inlet, Alaska, south through British Colombia and the Pacific Northwest states to Santa Cruz county, California, with isolated populations in Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. (US Dept. of Agriculture)

Management plan in place as San Juan Islands monument turns 10
Remember the Barack Obama era? When he was president 10 years ago, he signed a proclamation establishing the San Juan Islands (SJI) National Monument on March 25. A celebration of the San Juan Islands National Monument 10th anniversary by federal officials and locals is planned for March 25 at Friday Harbor Grange Hall. Nancy DeVaux reports. (Salish Current)

Herring only live in Craigflower Bridge memories
The herring — once so abundant that the Gorge appeared black with them — are largely gone. Jack Knox reports. (Times Colonist)

Old-growth spotted owl habitat removed from federal maps after talks with B.C., docs reveal
Federal scientists mapped core critical habitat for the endangered spotted owl. Almost half of it, including old-growth, disappeared during negotiations with the B.C. government, internal documents reveal. Sarah Cox reports. (The Narwhal)

Is BC LNG Really Green?
Industry says exporting gas will cut emissions. Not true, say experts. Andrew MacLeod reports. (The Tyee)

Pizza-sized predators to get federal protection
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has proposed listing the sunflower star as a threatened species, which could lead federal agencies to block projects that would harm its habitats and unlock funding for research on how to save the species. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

The EPA's new 'good neighbor' rule targets downwind pollution by power plants
A new "good neighbor" rule issued by the Environmental Protection Agency will restrict smokestack emissions from power plants and other industrial sources that burden downwind areas with smog-causing pollution they can't control. Nearly two-dozen states will have to cut harmful industrial emissions of nitrogen oxide and other pollutants to improve air quality for millions of people living in downwind communities. (Associated Press)

Why Canada likely won't need any more big new oil pipelines after Trans Mountain
Construction of the Trans Mountain expansion project is set to wrap up later this year, and it's likely the last new oil export pipeline the country will ever need. The pipeline has faced many obstacles over the years, including protests, court challenges and massive cost overruns. Last week, the cost of the federally owned project was updated to more than $30 billion. Kyle Bakx reports. (CBC)

An Enigmatic Beast
David B. Williams in Street Smart Naturalist writes: "I have long been interested in names so it was with particular delight when I learned of the wonderful naming odyssey of mountain goats, one of the animals I am writing about for my book on the Cascades. They are known scientifically as Oreamnos americanus—from the Ancient Greek, óros, meaning mountain, and amnós, or lamb, plus americanus, in reference to their limited distribution to Alaska, Canada, Washington, Idaho, and Montana." (Street Smart Naturalist)

Rights of Orcas now protected by City of Des Moines
During the Feb. 23, 2023 City Council Meeting, Des Moines resident Lloyd Lytle asked Council to support a proclamation in honor of the rights of Southern Resident Orcas. Just two weeks later, an official proclamation was issued...Des Moines joins a growing number of cities and counties issuing such proclamations, in a movement that is working toward statewide protective action. Local resolutions and proclamations are an effective tool in the move to State action. Organizers hope to have a state bill addressing this issue by 2024. Mellow DeTray reports. (Waterline Blog)

Have you read the Salish Current?
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Catch the Current here.

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 249 AM PDT Thu Mar 16 2023
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH FRIDAY AFTERNOON
TODAY SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 9 seconds.
TONIGHT E wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SE 15 to 25 kt after midnight. Wind waves 2 ft or less building to 2 to 4 ft after midnight. W swell 3 ft at 9 seconds.

Wednesday, March 15, 2023

3/15 Quince, 'forever chemicals,' sunflower sea star, Haisla LNG, derelict gear, Audubon name, Island Trust, Salish Sea wonders

Flowering quince [Monrovia]

Flowering quince
Flowering quince, (genus Chaenomeles), genus of three species of flowering plants in the rose family (Rosaceae), native to eastern Asia. Flowering quince is cultivated primarily as an ornamental for its showy flowers, though its astringent applelike fruit can be used in preserves and liqueurs and holds some potential as an alternate fruit crop. (Britannica)

EPA moves to limit toxic 'forever chemicals' in drinking water
The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday proposed limiting the amount of harmful "forever chemicals" in drinking water to the lowest level that tests can detect, a long-awaited protection the agency said will save thousands of lives and prevent serious illnesses, including cancer. (Associated Press)

WA lab scrambles to save sunflower sea star, which may get listed as threatened
Once an ubiquitous delight of the Salish Sea, the sunflower star may soon be listed as threatened. A small lab at Friday Harbor could breed a new generation of the species. Isabella Breda reports. (Seattle Times)

BC Approves New LNG Plant, Introduces Oil and Gas Emission Caps
Haisla Nation welcomes green light, but critics sound warning on threat to province’s climate plan. Andrew MacLeod reports. (The Tyee)

Program searches for derelict crab pots, solutions
Throughout the Salish Sea, thousands of derelict crab pots still collect Dungeness crabs, leaving the creatures trapped and reducing the harvest. The Northwest Straits Foundation...is in the second year of a program to find and remove derelict crab pots. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

National Audubon Society, pressured to remove slave-owning naturalist’s name, keeps it
The prominent bird conservation group weighed — but decided against — shedding its ties to John James Audubon, a famed naturalist who was also an unabashed enslaver. Dino Grandoni reports. (Washington Post)

Islands conservancy receives funding to address biodiversity loss
The Island Trust Conservancy has received a $660,000 funding boost to address biodiversity loss in the Island Trust area. The money, from the federal government via Environment and Climate Change Canada, will ensure the conservancy’s species-at-risk program can continue over the next three years. (Vancouver Island Free Daily)

Islands Trust passes nearly $10 million budget for upcoming year
Islands Trust finalized the $9.7 million budget at their early March council meeting. It’s an approximate $600,000 increase from last year’s $9.1 million total. Most of this, $8.6 million, will go toward operations, with $651,296 designated for special projects and $134,300 to buy capital assets. Alex Kurial reports. (Bowen Island Undercurrent)

Wonders of the Salish Sea
Wonders of the Salish Sea is back for its 7th year. Join in to learn about magnificent marine mammals - and a dog, beaked creatures (including octopuses!), small fish that have a big impact, and giants - in the seaweed world that is, as well as the many stories that bring this wondrous ecosystem to life. March 27, April 3, 17 & 24, 7 to 9pm. Online via Zoom. Suggested $25.00, subsidies available. All welcome! (Wonders of the Salish Sea)

Have you read the Salish Current?
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Catch the Current here.

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 244 AM PDT Wed Mar 15 2023
TODAY NW wind 10 to 20 kt becoming W 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 4 ft at 9 seconds building to W 7 ft at 10 seconds in the afternoon.
TONIGHT W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming N to 10 kt after midnight. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 7 ft at 10 seconds.

Tuesday, March 14, 2023

3/14 Pussy willow, orcas, seaweed, methane, Quimper Corridor, hot forests, fed killers

Pussy willow [Brooklyn Botanic Garden]

Pussy willow
The species most commonly called pussy willow in the Northeast, Salix discolor, is a small, shrubby species of willow that can be found dotting wetlands and moist woods throughout much of North America. Most other willows make similar flowers, and since they’re among the very first to bloom, they’re especially delightful—they signal the last throes of winter and the brink of spring. (Brooklyn Botanic Garden)

What researchers learned studying PNW orcas hunting for salmon
In a first-of-its-kind study of the hunting behaviors of salmon-eating orcas, researchers found stark differences in two populations of killer whales that may have implications for their survival. Isabella Breda reports. (Seattle Tines)

Eavesdropping on orcas: love, grief, and family
Research has revealed that orcas have parts of their brains that are more physically developed that human brains - the parts that have to do with language, emotion and memory. What can we learn by eavesdropping on orcas? Chris Morgan and Lucy Souk report. (KUOW)

Banking on the Seaweed Rush
Seaweed farmers promise to feed us, combat climate change, support coastal communities, provide wildlife habitat, and more. Can seaweed do it all? Nicola Jones reports. (Hakai Magazine)

An invisible climate killer is lurking behind B.C.’s LNG boom
Notoriously difficult to track, methane emissions disproportionately fuel the climate crisis. As B.C. prepares for an uptick in gas projects, stricter regulations and existing technologies could help the province stick to its reduction targets. Matt Simmons reports. (The Narwhal)

Parcels to be added to Quimper Wildlife Corridor
The Board of Jefferson County Commissioners voted Monday to purchase the two parcels of about 107 acres — known as Quimper West and Quimper East — from DNR and put them under the stewardship of the Jefferson County Land Trust. Peter Segall reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Pacific Northwest forests are heating up and drying out
Extreme heat and drought present foresters and tree farmers with distinct challenges that require unique solutions. Sarah Trent reports. (High Country News) See also: Climate is changing too quickly for the Sierra Nevada's 'zombie forests' Some of the tall, stately trees that have grown up in California's Sierra Nevada are no longer compatible with the climate they live in, new research has shown. Joe Hernandez reports. (NPR)

‘Hired gun’ federal agency kills 100,000 animals in WA every year
They shot them down from the sky. It happened two winters ago in Adams County, but the federal government won’t say where. A pilot and gunner did it from a plane while flying low over wheat stubble on the Palouse or some desolate expanse in the Scablands...Exactly who wanted the animals dead and how much the killing cost is a mystery, but on Feb. 24, 2021, a little-known agency within the U.S. Department of Agriculture killed 67 coyotes to protect cattlemen’s herds. Colin Tiernan reports. (Spokesman Review)

Have you read the Salish Current?
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Catch the Current here.

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 238 AM PDT Tue Mar 14 2023
TODAY SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. SW swell 5 ft at 10 seconds. A chance of rain in the morning then rain in the afternoon.
TONIGHT SE wind 10 to 20 kt becoming W after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 4 ft at 8 seconds. A slight chance of rain in the evening then rain after midnight.

Monday, March 13, 2023

3/13 Hellebore, saving sea stars, WA lege, Kiska, NC beach erosion, sewage plant fix, forest initiative, California Cr, fentanyl disaster, Biden's AK oil

Hellebore [Myatt Nursery]

Hellebore
The common name hellebore is assigned to several species of plants in the Helleborus genus of the Ranunculaceae family, which also includes monkshood, delphinium, and anemone. Hellebore foliage is thick, evergreen, and forms a low lying clump with leaves that are lobed and palm-like. Hellebores are among the earliest perennial flowers to bloom, welcoming spring with their rose-like blossoms. (The Spruce)

Deadman Island
Friday's item describing the island as "uninhabited" drew the following comment: "Please be more thoughtful when using the term uninhabited as applied to an island such as Deadman. From dinning river otter to nesting oystercatchers and glaucous winged gulls, the island has a habitat and occupants that are very much present, some of which is year around." The person who commented identified himself as "used to dive for the pinto abalone that thrived there years ago and would frequently see an octopus or two amid the rocky intertidal areas of Deadman."

Oregon researchers develop new treatment for endangered sea stars
Oregon researchers have developed a new treatment for sea stars with a fatal disease. Courtney Klug is with the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport. For this new treatment, researchers at the aquarium place a sea star in cold water, feed it probiotics and provide medicated baths. According to Klug, they’ve saved 17 specimens so far. Nathan Wilk reports. (KLCC)

WA lawmakers pass housing, firearm bills ahead of cutoff, leave rent control, recycling bills behind
Wednesday marked the final day for legislators to pass bills from the chamber they originated in, meaning most bills that didn't receive a vote on the floor will no longer be considered this session. Jeanie Lindsay reports. (NW News Network)

Kiska, the last captive killer whale in Canada, has died
The Ontario government says Kiska, the last captive killer whale in Canada, has died. A spokesperson for the solicitor general says Marineland — the Niagara Falls, Ont., theme park where Kiska lived — told the province she died on Thursday. Kiska is believed to have been 47 years old and was captured in Icelandic waters in 1979. (Canadian Press)

Retreat in Rodanthe
Along three blocks in a North Carolina beach town, severe erosion is upending life, forcing hard choices and offering a glimpse of the dilemmas other coastal communities will face. Brady Dennis and Jahi Chikwendiu report. (Washington Post)

Fixing errors at North Shore sewage plant
Fixing errors at North Shore sewage plant to cost Metro Vancouver an extra $85 million. Previous errors and repairs could increase the cost of “early works construction” by $85 million on Metro Vancouver’s delayed and over-budget North Shore wastewater treatment plant. Glenda Luymes reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Forest Initiative sets New Precedent in Nooksack River Basin
Counteracting the region’s previously unsustainable forestry habits, the Stewart Mountain Community Forest Initiative offers an approach to revive hydrologic function in the South Fork Nooksack River watershed and restore salmon populations. Kate Lincoln reports. (The Planet Magazine)

California Creek Estuary Park addition will protect shoreline
Blaine’s California Creek Estuary Park has a new addition: 12 acres of land for habitat preservation and recreation in waters vital for salmon and migratory bird populations. The addition, sold to the Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2 by the Whatcom Land Trust (WLT), will help protect roughly 900 feet of saltwater shoreline on Drayton Harbor and 1,800 feet of freshwater shoreline along California Creek. Julia Lerner reports. (CDN)

Cascade River nominated to receive more water quality protections
The Cascade River may receive additional environmental protections later this year. Under the federal Clean Water Act, states can designate certain bodies of water as Outstanding Resource Waters, which gives them the highest level of water quality-based protection in the state. Three rivers, including the Cascade, and one lake are being considered. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

No easy answers to Whatcom fentanyl health disaster
Fentanyl is involved in an increasing number of deadly overdoses and getting treatment for addiction to the synthetic opioid is a complex process — creating a local health disaster. Matt Benoit reports. (Salish Current)

Biden will approve Alaska oil project, alongside Arctic protections
The administration will approve three pads for the Willow drilling project, according to people familiar with the matter. The move comes after announcing a new ban on U.S. oil and gas leasing in the Arctic Ocean. Maxine Joselow and Timothy Puko report. (Washington Post)

Have you read the Salish Current?
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Catch the Current here.

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 242 AM PDT Mon Mar 13 2023
TODAY W wind 10 to 20 kt. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 4 ft at 8 seconds. A chance of rain.
TONIGHT SW wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 4 ft at 10 seconds. Showers and a slight chance of tstms in the evening then a chance of rain after midnight.

Friday, March 10, 2023

3/10/23 Deadman Is, climate change, Billy Frank, Jr, WA lege bills, Skagit coho, bats, week in review

Deadman Island [Amy Nelson/Salish Current]

Deadman Island
Deadman Island, San Juan County, is an uninhabited, rocky island with a land area of 3.5 acres. It is part of the Geese Islets, a collection of rocky islands and reefs near the southwest shore of Lopez Island. (Wikipedia)

Climate Change Is Decimating Our Once Common Bumble Bee
B.C.’s once most common bee has been devastated by climate change, according to a report created for the U.S. government to determine whether the insect should be protected under the country’s Endangered Species Act. Michelle Gamage reports. (The Tyee) See also: Climate change is posing a serious threat to Canada — and B.C. in particular, intelligence service says Significant parts of the province could be lost to rising sea levels, according to CSIS. (CBC)

It's a good day to celebrate Billy Frank Jr. (March 9)
On March 9, each year, several Northwest tribes, schools, and public agencies celebrate Billy Frank Jr. Day. Billy Frank Jr. led protests for tribal fishing rights across Washington in the 60s and 70s. He was arrested more than 50 times for his activism and defiance starting at age 14. His efforts helped lead to a landmark Supreme Court decision that honored tribal treaty rights. Gustavo Sagrero Álvarez reports. (KUOW)

Rifle ban, housing bills and more advance in the WA Legislature
At the midpoint of the 2023 legislative session, here are the winners and losers so far. Joseph O'Sullivan and Donna Gordon Blankinship report. (Crosscut) See also: Legislative Bill Tracker (Crosscut)

Skagit River coho estimate plummets
State biologists have released the 2023 forecasts for returning coho. Across Puget Sound, coho numbers are expected to increase, reaching above the 10-year average. However, for the Skagit River, the coho estimate is about half of the 2022 estimate. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Human Elements: Going to bat for a misunderstood mammal
Bats Northwest educator Niki Desautels wants to correct the nocturnal animal's spooky stereotype. Sarah Hoffman reports. (Crosscut)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 3/10/23: Mario Day! ocean treaty, wave energy, Skagit lawsuit, hot-water fish, BC reefs, plastic ban suit, BC coal mines, salmon farm shutdown, Billy Frank Jr, climate threat.

Have you read the Salish Current?
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Catch the Current here.

Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 842 AM PST Fri Mar 10 2023
TODAY SE wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SW in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less. SW swell 6 ft at 9 seconds becoming S 4 ft at 8 seconds in the afternoon. Rain in the morning then a chance of rain in the afternoon.
TONIGHT SW wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. SW swell 5 ft at 9 seconds becoming W 3 ft at 8 seconds after midnight. A slight chance of rain in the evening then rain likely after midnight.
SAT SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 2 ft at 6 seconds. Rain.
SAT NIGHT SE wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 2 ft at 6 seconds.
SUN SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 1 to 2 ft. SW swell 3 ft at 6 seconds.