Thursday, March 28, 2024

3/28 White-crowned sparrow, orca calf rescue, barred owl shoot, high marine heat, harbor pilots

 

White-crowned sparrow
[Wolfgang Wander/Wikipedia]

White-crowned sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
White-crowned Sparrows appear each winter over much of North America to grace our gardens and favorite trails (they live in parts of the West year-round). The smart black-and-white head, pale beak, and crisp gray breast combine for a dashing look – and make it one of the surest sparrow identifications in North America.

Today's top story in Salish Current: Reliable ferry service, tourism and the question of balance

Orca calf rescue team considers changing tactics to save stranded B.C. whale: DFO
A rescue team working to coax a stranded killer whale calf from a lagoon off northern Vancouver Island is prepared to change tactics to save its life, including the possibility of lifting the orca out to the open ocean, says a Fisheries Department marine mammal co-ordinator. Paul Cottrell said Wednesday that all contingencies will be considered over the coming days after efforts by a team of experts and First Nations members failed to get the two-year-old to leave the remote lagoon through a narrow passage during high tide. (Canadian Press)

Animal advocacy, wildlife groups oppose plan to shoot barred owls
A coalition of animal and wildlife advocacy groups submitted a letter to Interior Secretary Deb Haaland on Monday to oppose a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service plan that would start a yearslong effort to shoot nonnative barred owls in the range of the northern spotted owl in Washington, Oregon and Northern California. Sage Alexander reports. (Times Standard)

Scientists Are Sweating Over Freakishly High Marine Heat
While some experts believe global temperature anomalies adhere to climate crisis predictions, others are alarmed by the speed of change. Jonathan Watts and Tural Ahmedzade report. (Hakai Magazine/The Guardian)

Baltimore bridge crash puts new focus on role of ship pilots
The tragedy has put focus on the people who pilot ships in ports, a job that is little known outside the maritime industry but is extremely important. anessa Misciagna reports.(ABC News)

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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  613 AM PDT Thu Mar 28 2024    
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT
   
TODAY
 SE wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. SW swell 9 ft  at 12 seconds.  
TONIGHT
 SE wind 10 to 20 kt. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell  11 ft at 12 seconds.

---

"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 mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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Wednesday, March 27, 2024

3/27 House sparrow, stranded orca, new orca names, BC gas, Power Plant sale, coastal martens, plastic trash buttons

 

House sparrow [Adam Jackson]

House sparrow Passer domesticus
You can find House Sparrows most places where there are houses (or other buildings), and few places where there aren’t. Along with two other introduced species, the European Starling and the Rock Pigeon, these are some of our most common birds. (All About Birds)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Children of the Setting Sun Productions receives $2 million gift from Yield Giving

Stranded orca was pregnant, while efforts to save her other calf go on

The young whale, which has been in the area since Saturday, has so far resisted their efforts to leave the lagoon. Dirk Meissner reports. (Canadian Press)  A community pulls together in efforts to save orphaned orca The Ehattesaht/Chinehkint First Nation is pulling together amid the death of a stranded orca and efforts to save its orphaned calf. Darren Kloster and Dirk Meissner report. (Times Colonist)

Under a new proposal, our local orcas — resident and Bigg’s killer whales — would each become a new species
This single-species convention could soon undergo a decisive change, thanks to advanced genetic techniques used to discern evolutionary patterns. Following years of study and consideration, scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have proposed two new species of killer whales, Orcinus ater for residents and Orcinus rectipinnus for Bigg’s. Christopher Dunagan reports. (Salish Sea Currents Magazine)

Meet the Killer Whales You Thought You Knew
The iconic marine mammals may not belong to one species but several. Surprise! Craig Welch reports.(Hakai Magazine)

BC Has Ambitious Climate Goals. Do They Leave Room for Gas?
Natural gas giant FortisBC drew a plan the regulator has ruled ‘a reasonable first step towards a low carbon future.’ What’s in it? Zoë Yunker reports. (The Tyee)

Cancellation of Power Plant sale celebrated
On. Dec. 18, State Commissioner of Public Lands Hilary Franz publicly announced the cancellation of the Power Plant timber sale totaling 126 acres located in the Elwha River basin 7 miles west of Port Angeles. A total of 69 acres were nominated for permanent conservation while the future of the other 57 acres remains unclear. [On Sunday] more than 50 people gathered at a parking area on Colville Road to celebrate the cancellation. Brian Gawley reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Conservationists to sue for better protections of Oregon’s coastal martens
A conservation group says it’s going to sue the U.S. Forest Service for failing to protect a rare and endangered species in Oregon. There are fewer than 400 coastal martens in the wild, according to estimates from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The small, weasel-like animal was federally recognized as a threatened species in 2020. Nathan Will reports. (KLCC)

Trash to treasure: Victoria fashion brand makes use of ocean plastic waste
While work has been done to get plastic out of the ocean, where it ends up after removal continues to be a problem without a solution. This is the issue that Victoria clothing brand ANIÁN looks to address in its partnership with the Ocean Legacy Foundation, a non-profit that removes plastic from the ocean. They’ve teamed up to create buttons made entirely of recycled oyster trays found in the Salish Sea. Robyn Bell reports. (Capital Daily)

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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  235 AM PDT Wed Mar 27 2024    
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM PDT THIS MORNING
 
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM THIS EVENING THROUGH
 THURSDAY AFTERNOON    
TODAY
 E wind 15 to 25 kt becoming S 5 to 15 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 4 to 6 ft subsiding to 1 to 2 ft in the  afternoon. W swell 5 ft at 15 seconds.  
TONIGHT
 SE wind 10 to 20 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell  2 to 7 ft at 14 seconds building to 5 to 10 ft at 13 seconds  after midnight.

---

"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 mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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Tuesday, March 26, 2024

3/26 Purple finch, rising temperatures, testing shellfish, culverts, Seattle Fault

Purple finch [Henry Trombley]

Purple finch Haemorhous purpureus
The Purple Finch is the bird that Roger Tory Peterson famously described as a “sparrow dipped in raspberry juice.” For many of us, they’re irregular winter visitors to our feeders, although these chunky, big-beaked finches do breed in northern North America and the West Coast. (All About Birds)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Another explosive year for gun bills in Washington Legislature

Rising temperatures from climate change depleting oxygen in coastal waters, threatening marine life
During the summer of 2021, half of coastal waters from northern California to the Canadian border had oxygen levels too low to support marine life. Alex Baumhardt reports. (Washington State Standard)

Who's to blame for contaminated shellfish? Researchers follow the fecal matter to find out
Molecular testing can help determine which type of animal poop is contaminating oyster-rich areas. Rafferty Baker reports. (CBC)

Light at the End of the Tunnel
Millions of killer culverts lurk beneath North American roadways, strangling populations of migratory fish. Now with a nationwide project, the United States is trying to fix them. Ben Goldfarb reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Waiting for the Big One: What Duwamish Taught Us About Earthquakes
In December, 1992, five articles published by geologists Brian Atwater and Allan Moore in Science magazine, announced the discovery of the Seattle Fault, a narrow zone of faults reaching from the Olympics across Seattle and Lake Washington to Lake Sammamish and the Cascades..A 2019 Post-Intelligencer article marveled that the quake had gone undiscovered for a millennium.  But the Duwamish knew about it only too well and had shared their knowledge. David Buerge writes. (Post Alley)

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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  225 AM PDT Tue Mar 26 2024    
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM LATE TONIGHT THROUGH
 WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON    
TODAY
 W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 1 to 2 ft. W swell 3 to  7 ft at 12 seconds subsiding to 5 ft at 17 seconds in the  afternoon.  
TONIGHT
 S wind to 10 kt becoming SE 15 to 25 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft building to 3 to 5 ft after  midnight. W swell 5 ft at 15 seconds.

---

"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 mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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Monday, March 25, 2024

3/25 House finch, ABC lease termination, beached orca, gray whale die-off, WA drought, North Shore sewage plant, PFAS, River Views, halibut season, robotic fish

House finch [Martina Nordstrand]
 

 House finch Haemorhous mexicanus
The house finch is a bird in the finch family Fringillidae. It is native to western North America and has been introduced to the eastern half of the continent and Hawaii. This species and the other two American rosefinches are placed in the genus Haemorhous. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: In Lynden, faucets turn amid a water fluoridation debate

Port of Bellingham Commission to terminate metal recycling company lease
Commissioners will meet in special session today (March 25)  to execute  a Lease Termination Agreement (Memo) with A.B.C. Recycling Operations Corp. and A.B.C. Recycling Holdings Corp. (collectively, "ABC"). The Parties agree to terminate the Terminal Lease on or before September 30, 2024. Lessee shall not bring any additional Finished Bulk Scrap to the Premises.  Lessee shall remove all Finished Bulk Scrap from the Premises on or before 11:59 p.m. on June 30, 2024. (Port of Bellingham)

Beached orca in B.C. dies despite life-saving efforts
A female killer whale that beached on northern Vancouver Island died on Saturday despite efforts by the community to push the mammal back into the water. Video of the incident, which occurred near the village of Zeballos on the island's northwest coast, shows dozens of people trying to save the stranded orca. The female orca was stranded on shore in the Little Espinosa Inlet, about six kilometres southwest of the village, at low tide while a calf swam nearby, said Florence Bruce of the Ehattesaht First Nation. (CBC)

Gray whale die-off is officially over, but climate change adds uncertainty
Federal officials have declared the end of the die-off of eastern Pacific Gray Whales that migrate along the west coast. The so-called “unusual mortality event” killed off about a third of the population from December 2018 to November 2023. A total of 690 emaciated whales were counted that washed up on beaches, representing perhaps a tenth of the total number that died. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

How the drought hit WA’s farms, forests, fisheries and drinking water
Virtually every aspect of life in Washington suffered during last year’s drought. Groundwater wells ran dry, fields produced fewer crops, trees died in greater numbers, fish faced disease and famine, according to a study from the University of Washington’s Climate Impacts Group. Now those sectors are bracing for yet another poor water year as El Niño conditions, compounded by climate change, produced well-below-normal snowpack. Conrad Swanson reports. (Seattle Times)

Estimated cost for North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant balloons to almost $4B
Construction on the long-awaited North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant will soon begin again, according to Metro Vancouver, but it now comes with a much more expensive price tag of $3.86 billion. When construction began on the facility in 2018, the project was estimated to cost $700 million and was expected to be operational by December 2020. Joel Ballard reports. (CBC)

As WA tackles PFAS pollution, some worry about ‘piecemeal’ approach
State-mandated testing revealed a San Juan Island community was drinking toxic water. But who is responsible for paying for a new water source? The question is one public officials are grappling with as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS, are found in drinking water sources and watersheds across the state. In Washington, there are about 2,400 public water systems that are required to test for PFAS. Roughly half of them have done those tests, with about 250 having detected the chemicals in the water, but that doesn’t count thousands of households who drink from private wells, which are not subject to state testing requirements. Manuel Villa and Isabella Breda report. (Seattle Times)

River Views
The Seattle Convention Center is now home to a collection of four massive works of art depicting the transformation of the Duwamish River, created by Western Washington University’s John Feodorov, an artist and associate professor at Fairhaven College of Interdisciplinary Studies. Feodorov’s “Four Views on a River” was commissioned as part of the new art collection in Seattle Convention Center’s Summit building. Mary Gallagher reports. (Western Washington University Window)

Coastal halibut season opens May 2; Puget Sound fishery opens April 4

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) announced plans for the 2024 halibut fishing season, which will kick off April 4 in some Puget Sound areas and start May 2 along the coast.  (KXRO)

Get Ready for the Robotic Fish Revolution
Scientists say swarms of robotic fish could soon make traditional underwater research vehicles obsolete. Annie Roth 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-  235 AM PDT Mon Mar 25 2024    
TODAY
 SW wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 4 to  6 ft at 14 seconds subsiding to 2 to 4 ft at 14 seconds in the  afternoon.  
TONIGHT
 W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell  3 ft at 13 seconds.

---

"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 mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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Friday, March 22, 2024

3/22 Forsythia, Cascade grizzlies, bird flu, BC flood plan, Skagit Wildlife Area, siphonophore, week in review

Forsythia [The Spruce/Evgeniya Vlasova]

Forsythia
Forsythia is a genus of flowering plants in the olive family Oleaceae. There are about 11 species, mostly native to eastern Asia, but one native to southeastern Europe. Forsythia – also one of the plant's common names – is named after William Forsyth. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Restaurateurs in downtown Bellingham find a challenging path to success

Agencies release final environmental impact statement evaluating options for restoring grizzly bears to the North Cascades
The National Park Service and U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have announced a preferred alternative that would restore grizzlies to their historic homelands, where they are functionally extinct. The agencies recommend a 10(j) rule that would give wildlife managers additional flexibility under the Endangered Species Act to responsibly manage bears. (NPS)   See: Returning grizzly bears to the North Cascades (Salish Current, Nov. 3, 2023)

Bird flu is decimating seal colonies. Scientists don’t know how to stop it
Avian influenza is killing tens of thousands of seals and sea lions in different corners of the world, disrupting ecosystems and flummoxing scientists who don’t see a clear way to slow the devastating virus. Patrick Whittle reports. (Associated Press)

B.C. releases long-awaited flood protection plan with no price tag, project priorities or timelines
The plan, which was supposed to be delivered last year, has been viewed as a key step in how the province will increase flood protection in the face of expected more frequent and intense climate-fuelled flooding. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Fish and Wildlife taking comment on Skagit Wildlife Area plan
The plan includes goals such as developing research to understand the impact of invasive species in estuary habitats; discussing options about maintaining or increasing forage for waterfowl; evaluating the future of game reserves; restoring 270 acres of estuary at the Island Unit by 2030; repairing the Wiley Slough setback dike and transferring operations to Dike, Drainage and Irrigation Improvement District 22 by 2026; and completing a feasibility study with Skagit County on a potential DeBay’s Slough restoration project by 2025. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

If you like to watch: 2-foot long deep sea creature spotted off Victoria shores
Steph Brulot-Sawchyn snapped a pic of a siphonophore while snorkelling near Clover Point in Victoria on March 19 and later identified it using iNaturalist. Christine van Reeuwyk reports. (Maple Ridge-Pitt Meadow News)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 3/22/24: Seal Friday, Pebble Mine, Nisqually R, new orca population, wildfire season, herring fishery, Cooke Aquaculture, TM pipeline, earlier Spring, grizzlies

Have you read the Salish Current? 
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Here's your weekend tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  252 AM PDT Fri Mar 22 2024    
TODAY
 SE wind 5 to 15 kt rising to 15 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 4 ft at 14 seconds.  
TONIGHT
 SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell  3 ft at 13 seconds.  
SAT
 Light wind. Wind waves less than 1 ft. SW swell 2 ft at  11 seconds.  
SAT NIGHT
 W wind to 10 kt in the evening becoming light. Wind  waves 1 ft or less. SW swell 5 ft at 10 seconds.  
SUN
 N wind to 10 kt becoming SE 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  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. It is included as a daily feature in the Salish Current newsletter. Click here to subscribe. Questions? Email mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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Thursday, March 21, 2024

3/21 Gumweed, Oly Pipeline update, TM pipe, Heiltsuk oil spill fight, joint carbon market, Salish Sea Wonders, climate changes, biosolids

Gumweed [Sound Water Stewards]
 

Gumweed Grindelia integrifolia
Another native species common on Island County beaches, Grindelia integrifolia belongs to the sunflower family. These shrub-like plants grow to 2-1/2 feet in height and are laden with bright yellow sunflower-like blooms that reach a diameter of 2-1/2 inches.   Immature flower heads have a bur-like appearance and exude a white sticky substance. This species blooms from June until November. Other common names for this plant are Puget Sound gumweed, resinweed, gum plant, and entire leaved gumweed. (Sound Water Stewards)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Community Voices / Getting it done in Olympia

Olympic Pipeline spill update meeting today 
A virtual community meeting to update the progress of the Dec. 10 Olympic Pipeline spill in Skagit County and presentations on final response operations is scheduled for today at 6 p.m. Join in here. Update: Skagit gasoline pipeline spill cleanup still underway  (Salish Current Jan. 17, 2023)

$34B Trans Mountain expansion pipeline begins filling with oil with first shipments before Canada Day
The odyssey of developing and building the Trans Mountain expansion project in Western Canada is finally nearing the finishing line as sections of the pipeline begin filling with oil. The first export shipment will happen before Canada Day, the federal Crown corporation said, although Alberta's premier expects it could become operational as soon as May. The Trans Mountain is Canada's only oil pipeline to the West Coast. The project will transport oil from Alberta to the West Coast and triple the amount of crude that is shipped on an existing pipeline, from 300,000 barrels per day to 890,000 bpd. Kyle Bakx reports. (CBC)

Frustrated with Canada’s spill response, Heiltsuk leaders take their fight international
In the lasting aftermath of the Nathan E. Stewart spill off coastal B.C., Heiltsuk leaders embark on a mission to reshape maritime law, advocating for recognition of cultural losses and justice for their community. Steph Kwetásel’wet Wood reports. (The Narwhal)

WA, CA, Quebec move closer to creating a joint carbon market
California and Quebec on Wednesday took the next step toward partnering with Washington to form a bigger carbon market. The state and Canadian province formally announced their interest in the joint venture. The earliest that the proposed alliance could happen is 2025. Lurking in the background is a November referendum on whether to repeal Washington’s cap-and-invest program. John Stang reports. (Crosscut)

Wonders of the Salish Sea 2024
Transition Salt Spring welcomes all to the 8th Wonders of the Salish Sea program through April 15 presenting learning experiences about creatures big and small, ocean dynamics, and restoration successes with the guidance of scientists, naturalists and environmentalists. $25 for the series, subsidies available. More information and full schedule here.  Everyone welcome!

Climate change is bringing earlier springs, but it's wreaking havoc on animals
With Canada coming out of its warmest winter on record, some may be enjoying the signs of spring that are showing up much earlier this year: plants beginning to pop up out of the ground, the earlier calls of robins or migrating birds or even just the warmer and sunnier days. But this isn't good news for the natural world. Climate change is altering the way animals, insects and plants behave, and has cascading effects in delicately balanced ecosystems. Nicole Mortillaro reports. (CBC)

Firm behind CRD biosolids sued in Texas over health issues
The company that produces biosolids at Hartland Landfill for the Capital Regional District is being sued by a group of Texas farmers. The farmers claim fertilizer made from a product of sewage treatment by Synagro Technologies’ operation in Fort Worth, Texas, is making them sick and killing their animals. Darron Kloster and Roxanne Egan-Elliott report. (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-  700 AM PDT Thu Mar 21 2024    
TODAY
 SE wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 3 ft  at 12 seconds.  
TONIGHT
 SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 1 to 2 ft. W swell 3 ft  at 15 seconds.

---

"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 mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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Wednesday, March 20, 2024

3/20 Yellowfin tuna, Cooke Aquaculture leaves, False Cr pollution, gray whales, 'rogue island,' Estuarium, Black Press sold

Yellowfin tuna [Oceana]

Yellowfin tuna Thunnus albacares
The yellowfin tuna is a species of tuna found in pelagic waters of tropical and subtropical oceans worldwide. Yellowfin is often marketed as ahi, from the Hawaiian ʻahi, a name also used there for the closely related bigeye tuna. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Friday Harbor mayor and council clash over leadership issue

Salmon-spilling company ends fight to resume farming at Puget Sound sites
The company behind a massive spill of Atlantic salmon in 2017 has thrown in the towel on its efforts to keep farming fish at two sites in Puget Sound. Cooke Aquaculture withdrew its appeal Friday of a 2022 Washington Department of Natural Resources order to shut down its floating farms off Bainbridge Island, just west of Seattle, and Hope Island in Skagit County. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

No end to 'ticking time bombs' of pollution in Vancouver's False Creek
Too many boats are left derelict and sink, polluting the inlet in Vancouver. Sarah Grochowski reports. (Vancouver Sun)

With early arrival of ‘sounders,’ gray whale watchers chase a mystery
Gray whales returned to the Salish Sea in January. Their timing is known only to them, but whale watchers can inform research on the population. Ta'Leah Van Sistine reports. (Everett Herald)

‘Rogue island’ in Vancouver Island lake has been removed
A “rogue island” of breakaway shoreline that floated around Quamichan Lake for several weeks has been tethered, broken up and removed. The floating mass of sod, reeds and shrubbery measured about 20 metres long and six metres wide and made its way all over the 315-hectare Quamichan Lake, three kilometres northeast of Duncan, from late February until last week. Darren Koster reports. (Times Colonist)

Puget Sound Estuarium no longer pursuing tenancy in Port’s Waterfront Center due to lack of funds
Puget Sound Estuarium (PSE) has stopped pursuing tenancy in the Port of Olympia’s planned Waterfront Center, Strategic Initiatives Director Camille St. Onge told the Port Commission on Monday. PSE is a non-profit organization that provides educational programs and exhibits about marine life. Plans for the Waterfront Center, which will be located near Swantown Marina, included space for PSE, which was planning to lease at least 5,000 square feet of space for two classrooms and exhibit space in the planned building. Jerome Tuaño reports. (JOLT News)

35 Washington State News Publications Sold to a Mysterious New Owner
A British Columbia court last week approved the sale of the Canadian company that owns the Everett Herald and 34 other local news outlets in Washington, as well as the Honolulu Star-Advertiser and other newspapers in Hawaii. The deal is expected to close on Friday, March 22... The new ownership structure is opaque. The new company, oddly called 1000817790 Ontario Ltd., will take control of the Washington and Hawaii news outlets; newspapers in Alaska including the Juneau Empire; and about 100 newspapers, almost all weeklies, in western Canada... So what happens next at Sound Publishing, the Black Press subsidiary that owns the Everett Herald and other, smaller news outlets in Washington, is still unclear. Court documents indicate there will be unspecified Black Press layoffs before the deal closes on Friday. Chuck Taylor and Jim Simon report. (Post Alley)

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-  320 AM PDT Wed Mar 20 2024    
TODAY
 S wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 5 ft  at 12 seconds.  
TONIGHT
 SW wind to 10 kt in the evening becoming light. Wind  waves 1 ft or less. W swell 3 ft at 12 seconds.

---

"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 mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate



Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told