5/26 Carp, Similk Bay, Gathering of Eagles, pond turtles, microplastics, coast tsunami, BC Ferries, prism lights, drone fishing

Asian carp

Asian carp
The four types of invasive carp currently found in the U.S.--bighead carp, black carp, grass carp, and silver carp-- are collectively known as Asian carp and were imported into the country for use in aquaculture ponds. Through flooding and accidental releases, they found their way into the Mississippi River system which is like a giant freshwater highway that has given invasive Asian carp access to many of the country’s rivers and streams. Asian carp are fast-growing and prolific feeders that out-compete native fish and leave a trail of environmental destruction in their wake.

Salmon habitat project will also bring improvements to county road
An upcoming salmon habitat restoration project will also mean improvements for an important Skagit County road. By 2024, the Skagit River System Cooperative hopes to begin restoration of about 17 acres of crucial chinook salmon habitat along Similk Bay south of the Swinomish Golf Links. The work will turn the land that is owned by the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community into what is known as a pocket estuary. Brandon Stone reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Canoe encampment highlights Earth, sky, water threats
The Esqaplh etse Kwelengsen (Gathering of Eagles) canoe encampment is traveling the Salish Sea bringing attention to threats from pipelines, tankers and extractive fossil fuel industries. Nancy DeVaux reports. (Salish Current)

Nearly extinct 30 years ago, Washington’s western pond turtles are slowly recovering
Only two species of turtles in Washington are native. And one of those, the western pond turtle, nearly went extinct here in the 1990s. 30 years ago, the state began collaborating with partners at the Woodland Park Zoo to bring them back. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Microplastics are being found in multiple Salish Sea species
Behind closed doors, in restricted access, is a research lab where Dr. Lyda Harris measures levels of microplastics in samples from the Salish Sea. Harris samples the water every 2 weeks, filtering 100 liters down to the man made material left behind. Kelly Koopmans reports. (KOMO)

How politics have stalled tsunami prep efforts on the WA coast
It's not a matter of if but when the tsunami comes. Whether Washington is prepared depends a lot on the will of voters. Eric Scigliano reports. (Crosscut)

B.C. Ferries marks record vehicle numbers, offers recruiting incentives for trained workers
B.C. Ferries saw no service disruptions and carried a record number of vehicles on the Victoria Day weekend as it continues a hiring spree, offering a cash incentive of up to $10,000 for its employees to find trained staff who stick around. A new hire in a desired ­category can also earn up to $10,000 if they stay for at least one year. And money is being offered to retirees as well. Carla Wilson reports. (Times Colonist)

Prism Lights
David B. Williams writes in Street Smart Naturalist: "On June 6, 1889, downtown Seattle burned to the ground. In response, the Seattle City Council passed new legislation regarding building codes, including Ordinance 2833, in which Section 22 addressed sidewalks. 'Openings in such walk, for the admission of light or coal, shall be covered with prismatic lights in iron frames.'...Prism lights are still abundant in downtown Seattle, most abundantly in the Pioneer Square area." (Street Smart Naturalist)

Drone Fishers Are in the Hot Seat
The giant trevally, a stubborn and powerful apex predator, is one of Hawai‘i’s most coveted game fish. Hiding out in coral reefs and caves, the fish is tough to see when fishing from shore. But Brandon Barques, a 35-year-old construction worker in Honolulu, knows how to find it. Watching through the video feed streaming to his phone, Barques sends a flying drone carrying a fishing line out over the surf, searching for large sandy canals and depressions in the seafloor. When he finds the right spot, he triggers the drone to drop the line. Then he calls the drone back—and waits for a bite. Abe Musselman reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  250 AM PDT Thu May 26 2022   
TODAY  Light wind. Wind waves less than 1 ft. W swell 5 ft at  8 seconds. A chance of rain in the morning then rain likely in  the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  NE wind to 10 kt becoming S 10 to 20 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft after  midnight. W swell 2 ft at 8 seconds. Rain in the evening then a  chance of rain after midnight.

--
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5/25 Knotweed, vanishing salmon, salmon city, Bristol Bay, PT Paper, Polley pollution, BC pipe, murder hornets, fake reefs, BC climate adaptation, monarch return

Japanese knotweed [Jennifer Andreas]

 
Japanese knotweed Polygonum cuspidatum
It is a perennial species with spreading rhizomes and numerous reddish-brown, freely branched stems. Plants can reach 4 to 8 feet in height and is often shrubby. It is a very aggressive escaped ornamental that is capable of forming dense stands, crowding out all other vegetation and degrading wildlife habitat. It can also create a fire hazard in the dormant season. It is difficult to control once established.

The US has spent more than $2B on a plan to save salmon. The fish are vanishing anyway.
The U.S. government promised Native tribes in the Pacific Northwest that they could keep fishing as they’d always done. But instead of preserving wild salmon, it propped up a failing system of hatcheries. Now, that system is falling apart. Tony Schick (OPB) and Irena Hwang (ProPublica) report. See also: About the data: How we analyzed salmon and steelhead survival About the data: How we analyzed salmon and steelhead survival (OPB/ProPubica)

The city where salmon might be the most famous residents
The Issaquah Salmon Hatchery, just a half-hour drive from downtown Seattle, is one of many hatcheries in the state. They aim to boost local salmon populations. Though there’s debate among some scientists and conservationists about these facilities, hatcheries breed fish and provide protected places for their young to grow. Diana Opong reports. (KUOW)

EPA proposes protections for world’s biggest sockeye salmon fishery
The Biden administration’s decision to protect Bristol Bay deals a blow to a huge proposed gold and copper mine in southwest Alaska. The iconic sockeye salmon there has been a source of food for Alaska Natives for generations and today attracts big-spending fishing enthusiasts from around the world. Dino Grandoni reports. (Washingtonn Post)

Port Townsend Paper fined for water quality violations
Port Townsend Paper has been fined $27,000 by the state Department of Ecology for repeated water quality violations. Ecology said in a press release that between November and March, the mill spilled more than 800 gallons of untreated process wastewater into Port Townsend Bay. Ken Park reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Ecological impact of Mount Polley mine disaster confirmed by new study
Research shows higher levels of metals in invertebrates taken from Polley and Quesnel lakes. Winston Szeto reports. (CBC)

Wet’suwet’en Warn of More Damage from Pipeline
A recent inspection with government officials showed continued erosion and sedimentation, despite two recent fines. Amanda Follett Hosgood reports. (The Tyee)

Scientists will set 1,000 traps for murder hornets this year
...Scientists believe the hornets, first detected in the Pacific Northwest state in 2019, are confined in Whatcom County, which is located on the Canadian border north of Seattle. (Associated Press) Researchers confirming first ‘murder hornet’ of 2022 has been found in Whatcom County   (Bellingham Herald)

Could artificial reefs protect B.C.'s coastlines from climate change?
Only ever used on a piece of public art in B.C., Metro Vancouver will trial biorock technology as a way to create new habitat for sea creatures, regrow coastal infrastructure and protect shorelines threatened by climate change. Stefan Labbé reports. (Times Colonist)

B.C. to release 'full' climate adaptation strategy this spring
The B.C. government expects to release a climate adaptation strategy in the coming weeks, but it is unclear whether the plan will include elements that experts say are needed to make it effective. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)

After years of declines, numbers of wintering monarch butterflies rise by 35% in Mexico
Mexican experts said Monday that 35 per cent more monarch butterflies arrived this year to spend the winter in mountaintop forests, compared to the previous season. Experts say the rise may reflect the butterflies' ability to adapt to more extreme bouts of heat or drought by varying the date when they leave Mexico. (Associated Press)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  244 AM PDT Wed May 25 2022   
TODAY  SW wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. SW swell  3 ft at 8 seconds. A chance of rain in the morning. 
TONIGHT  NW wind 5 to 15 kt in the evening becoming light. Wind  waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5 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 mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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5/24 English ivy, unstuck orca, Water Always Wins, stolen orca

English ivy

 
English ivy Hedera helix
English ivy, a non-regulated Class C noxious weed, is a woody, evergreen, perennial vine often found in King County's urban and suburban forests. Vines are trailing or climbing, and can reach 90 feet long with stems 1 foot wide. The four cultivars of English Ivy that have been shown to be the most invasive in the Pacific Northwest are Class C noxious weeds on the Washington State Noxious Weed List.

Orca, stuck overnight, finds its way into Strait
A young orca whale safely found its way out of a lagoon near McKinley Paper Mill on Monday. The whale was initially spotted swimming in the lagoon late Sunday night, researchers with Feiro Marine Life Center and the West Coast Marine Mammal Stranding Network said. Ken Park reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Letting the Sea Have Its Way
Welcome to Medmerry, a community that welcomed back the marsh. [An] excerpt is from the book Water Always Wins, in which Hakai contributor Erica Gies follows innovators in what she calls the Slow Water movement who are instead asking a revolutionary question: what does water want? What water wants is to reclaim its slow phases—wetlands, floodplains, mangrove forests—that we’ve erased with development. Merida Gies writes. (Hakai Magazine)

Washington tribe fighting to return stolen orca to the Salish Sea
Members of the Lummi Nation are fighting to return Lolita, an orca stolen from her home and forced to spend her life in a Miami aquarium. (KING)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  304 AM PDT Tue May 24 2022   
TODAY  SW wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 3 ft  at 8 seconds. A slight chance of rain in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  SW wind to 10 kt becoming E after midnight. Wind waves  1 ft or less. W swell 2 ft at 9 seconds building to 4 ft at  9 seconds after midnight. A chance of rain in the evening then a  slight chance of rain after midnight.

--

"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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5/23 Scotch broom, fish skin disease, Duwamish Tribe, fossil fuel cap, greenhouse gas, building bylaws, Lyme disease, 'Frankenfish,' Snohomish R trash, snowpack

Scotch broom

Scotch broom Cytisus scoparius
Scotch broom is a perennial, many-branched, shrub ranging in height from 3 to 10 feet tall. Scotch broom can be found on roadsides, pastures, grasslands, open areas and areas of recent soil disturbance. Scotch broom is toxic to livestock and is on the Washington State quarantine list. (Washington State Noxious Weed Control Board)

Bacteria causing fish skin disease spiked around fish farms, a study finds
A bacteria known to cause skin disease in fish was found to peak in juvenile Fraser River sockeye salmon in the Discovery Islands region, with one particularly big spike in 2015, a new study finds. Nelson Bennett reports. (Times Colonist)

Duwamish Tribe sues Interior in federal court, alleging sex discrimination
After decades of back-and-forth with federal authorities, the matrilineal descendants of Chief Seattle want federal recognition, once and for all. Brian Oaster reports. (High Country News)

WA will soon put a price on carbon emissions for its biggest polluters. Here’s how it will work
A new program launching in January will put a cap on fossil fuel emissions and require nearly a hundred of the state’s biggest polluters to partake in a carbon trading scheme. If successful, the state could make great strides toward achieving net-zero emissions by rebuilding the way people get energy, drive to work or power their homes — providing a model for the rest of the country while minimizing damage to its economy. Failure could create an entrenched system that prevents meaningful change for decades. Or, as several experts believe, it might not make much of a difference at all. Nicholas Turner reports. (Seattle times)

A climate bill that died in Legislature lives on, in plans for future
A bill requiring cities and counties to cut greenhouse gases failed to pass, but they’re planning to do it anyway. Julie Titone reports. (Everett Herald)

Vancouver votes to change building bylaws to address climate crisis
Among the changes are that all new multi-family buildings will require cooling systems by 2025 and air filtration to protect residents from intense heat waves and fire smoke pollution. Tiffany Crawford reports. (Vancouver Sun)

B.C.'s iconic Kokanee Glacier in rapid decline, says B.C. scientist
'The Kokanee is in a death spiral,' says Ben Pelto, a UBC researcher, who contributed to the latest World Meteorological Organization's report on climate change. Tiffany Crawford reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Diving for trash in Snohomish River, biologist fills 59 pickup beds
At Thomas’ Eddy, Doug Ewing estimates he has collected 3,000 pounds of lead fishing weights. And that’s just one spot. Zachariah Bryan reports. (Everett Herald)

What is Lyme disease and what are the symptoms?
As reported cases of Lyme disease surge across Canada, B.C. experts are tracking how climate change could make things worse, and hope the public — empowered with a new 'Instagram for ticks' — will help. Stefan Labbé reports. (Times Colonist)

Like it or not, invasive ‘Frankenfish’ are still among us
Twenty years after their discovery in Maryland, northern snakeheads are beloved by some anglers. Jason Nark reports. (Washington Post)

Snowpack leaps to highest mid-May level in decade, increasing fears
An 'extreme heat wave' — like the heat dome of June 2021 — could lead to major flooding across B.C. if it happened in late-May to mid-June. Glenda Luymes reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  250 AM PDT Mon May 23 2022   
TODAY  W wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 4 ft  at 10 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming to 10 kt after midnight. 

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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5/20 Forsythia, green crab, BC oil subsidies, Biden forest plan, San Juans cap, BC spring melt, managing waste, Whatcom heat and floods, oysters, Intalco smelter, SEA Discovery Center, Steingerwald NWR, drought, seafood shift, 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)

Invasive European green crab found in Hood Canal for first time
A European green crab was captured in Hood Canal on Tuesday, the farthest south the invasive species has been found in the Salish Sea. Volunteers with Washington Sea Grant, tasked by the state with early detection of the crab’s spread, trapped the male European green crab in Nick’s Lagoon near Seabeck, Kitsap County. (Seattle Times)

B.C. overhauls oil and gas royalty system by changing 'broken system' of subsidies
After a review of B.C.'s 30-year-old oil and gas royalty system, the province says it plans to phase out its current fossil fuel subsidies and introduce a new system for royalty payments. (CBC)

Biden forest plan stirs dispute over what counts as "old"
President Joe Biden's order to protect the nation’s oldest forests against climate change, wildfires and other problems devastating vast woodlands is raising a simple yet vexing question: When does a forest grow old? Millions of acres are potentially on the line — federal land that could eventually get new protections or remain open to logging as the administration decides which trees to count under Biden's order covering "old growth” and “mature” forests. (Associated Press)

San Juans adopt island-by-island vacation rental cap
How much tourism is too much? San Juan County sets a cap on vacation rental permits. Nancy DeVaux reports. (Salish Current)

B.C. river watchers worried spring snowmelt may wash flood debris downstream to ocean
While cleanup is continuing on the Fraser and Chiliwack rivers, hundreds of debris sites along eight B.C. waterways have been cleared. Glenda Luymes reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Managing waste: what’s in your bins? https://salish-current.org/2022/05/18/managing-waste-whats-in-your-bins/
China’s 2018 steps back in accepting the world’s throw-aways have resulted in better local systems for managing our millions of tons of waste and recyclables—but more needs to be done. Clifford Heberden reports. (Salish Current)

When National Policy Stalled, This Community Took Climate Action Into Its Own Hands
How Whatcom County tribes, governments and people met the challenges of heat wave and flooding. Jenna Travers reports. (State of the Planet)

Local oyster company exploring new farms in Drayton Harbor
The Drayton Harbor Oyster Company is exploring a new site for its oyster farm about 3,000 feet off shore. The off-bottom farm is still just a proposal, but owner Stephen Seymour hopes to have permits in hand later this year. Julia Lerner reports. (CDN)

Union cements contract with Blue Wolf for potential smelter restart
Ferndale’s local machinists' union has finalized a collective bargaining agreement with Blue Wolf Capital Partners, the private equity firm attempting to restart the curtailed Intalco aluminum smelter. Below-cost power contract still being negotiated. Julia Lerner reports. (CDN)

Sea creatures at home at SEA Discovery Center in Poulsbo after pandemic closure
About 300 sea creatures have returned home from "foster" facilities around Puget Sound nearly two years after leaving their home aquarium in Poulsbo following a pandemic shutdown. Downtown Poulsbo's SEA Discovery Center, owned and operated by Western Washington University, will reopen on Friday. Peiyu Lin reports. (Kitsap Sun)

What the largest project of its kind on Lower Columbia means for salmon, waterfowl
Two years, $32 million and 1.7 million cubic yards of soil later, the Steigerwald Lake National Wildlife Refuge has reopened to the public. Deborah Bloom reports. (Columbia Insight)

Spring rains ‘not nearly enough’ to overcome Northwest drought, wildfire risk, experts say
Spring showers have helped alleviate drought and wildfire risks in Western Washington but large swaths of the Pacific Northwest remain dry, if not drier than usual. Last month was the state’s 10th-wettest April in 128 years, according to the U.S. Drought Monitor. And yet, more than half of Washington state is abnormally dry or experiencing moderate drought, nearly 25% is in the midst of severe drought and 3.9% is facing extreme drought. Nicholas Turner reports. (Seattle Times)

Climate Change is Shifting What Seafood Restaurants like Tojo’s Source and Serve
A new UBC study says we can expect more warm-water-loving species on our plates. Michelle Gamage reports. (The Tyee)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 5/20/22: Pac-Man Friday, DFO salmon farms, WA hydrogen, Springer, humpback mothers, Haida Gawaii, salmon knowledge, Hood Canal green crab, Whatcom's challenge

Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  234 AM PDT Fri May 20 2022   
TODAY  Light wind becoming NW to 10 kt in the afternoon. Wind  waves 1 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 7 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 6 seconds. 
SAT  Light wind becoming N to 10 kt in the afternoon. Wind  waves 1 ft or less. W swell 2 ft at 6 seconds. 
SAT NIGHT  W wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell  4 ft at 9 seconds. 
SUN  Light wind. Wind waves less than 1 ft. W swell 4 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 mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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5/19 Dill, climate stress, Haida Gwaii village, trees and climate, Indigenous knowledge, Owen Beach, nurse buildings

Dill

Dill Anethum graveolens
Dill is an annual herb in the celery family Apiaceae. It is the only species in the genus Anethum. Dill is grown widely in Eurasia, where its leaves and seeds are used as a herb or spice for flavouring food. The word dill and its close relatives are found in most of the Germanic languages; its ultimate origin is unknown. Dill has been found in the tomb of Egyptian Pharaoh Amenhotep II, dating to around 1400 BC. It was also later found in the Greek city of Samos, around the 7th century BC, and mentioned in the writings of Theophrastus (371–287 BC). (Wikipedia)

How climate change stresses sewer systems in King County
As climate change elevates rainfall intensity in the Pacific Northwest, sewage treatment plants are increasingly at risk of going over-capacity, which can lead to toxic overflows. What are cities doing to prevent sewer spills and protect the Puget Sound? Anushuya Thapa reports. (Investigate West)

Village of Queen Charlotte to restore its original Haida name in move that could be seen elsewhere in B.C.
Village of Queen Charlotte to restore original Haida name in move that could be seen elsewhere in B.C. The Haida Gwaii village is the second municipality in B.C. to consider a name change after being approached by First Nations. Gordon McIntyre reports. (Vancouver Sun)

When “I Speak for the Trees” Means the Climate, Too.
Karen Sullivan in Rainshadow Journal writes that public proclamations of saving forests aren’t enough. "We need more, larger, and bolder conservation and restoration measures that can’t be reversed by political whim. We need to collectively focus on a coordinated vision for the future, on a scale that hasn’t been done before...Everyone knows infinite growth in a finite system is neither rational, smart, nor possible. Our big Pacific Northwest trees have a giant role to play, if we’ll let them." (Rainshadow Journal)

Prioritizing Indigenous Knowledge about Wild Pacific Salmon
What would happen if western science considered fish relatives, rather than commodities? Andrea Reid writes. (The Tyee)

Popular Tacoma beach to reopen next month after a 16-month closure for improvements
Metro Parks Tacoma has announced the reopening of Owen Beach at Point Defiance Park is set for June 4 after a 16-month closure for renovations. The reopening will display new features such as new roadways for vehicles, safer trails for pedestrians and ADA accessible drop-off zones that are close to the water. Sabrina Jiles reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Nurse Buildings
David B. Williams writes in Street Smart Naturalist: "Nurse logs are a well known forest feature. Lesser known are nurse buildings, where the structure provides a good home for plants to grow. Consider Rome’s Colosseum as perhaps the finest example..." (Street Smart Naturalist)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  218 AM PDT Thu May 19 2022   
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON   
TODAY  NW wind 5 to 15 kt becoming W 15 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 9 ft at 9 seconds. A  chance of showers in the morning. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 6 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 mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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5/18 Lilac, salmon farms, 'living dike,' climate faith, Fairy Cr protest, hydrogen fuel, Brie Chartier, Springer, noise pollution, humpback mothers, novovirus

Lilac

Lilac Syringa vulgaris
Common lilac bushes are deciduous shrubs that bloom in the springtime. They are part of the olive family, along with other such ornamental plants as ash trees, forsythia bushes, and privet hedges. The outstanding quality of many lilac varieties is the sweet fragrances of their flowers. (The Spruce)

DFO Suppresses Science and Pushes Salmon Farms, Critics Tell MPs
The federal fisheries department should be stripped of its role in promoting aquaculture, urges MP Elizabeth May. Judith Lavoie reports. (The Tyee)

'Invertebrate engineers' combat sea level rise
A pilot project to create a 'living dike' in Canada's Boundary Bay is designed to help a saltwater marsh survive rising waters due to climate change. Sarah DeWeerdt reports. (salish Sea Currents Magazine)

‘The climate crisis is a moral crisis’: How Bellingham’s faith communities unite in action
Despite a pandemic that upended how we gather, the Multifaith Network for Climate Justice has continued to meet via Zoom and correspond online, sharing information about policy, events and news...Leaders from over a dozen spiritual traditions — including Catholicism, Buddhism, Judaism and Paganism— spoke at the first gathering, held during the city’s annual ALL IN for Climate Action Week.
Ysabelle Kempe reports. (Bellingham Herald/paywall)

1 year into injunction enforcement at Fairy Creek blockades, 100s of protesters await trial
49 sentences for contempt so far, ranging from a $500 fine to 10 days in jail, CBC analysis shows. Kathryn Marlow reports. (CBC)

Washington wants to plug in to the next thing in fuel: hydrogen
The state hopes to secure up to $2 billion in federal funding to produce hydrogen fuel as a substitute for petroleum-based gasoline. John Stang reports. (Crosscut)

BLM Selects National San Juan Islands National Monument Manager
Brie Chartier has been selected as the new San Juan Islands National Monument Manager. (LopezRocks)

Springer- 20 years later
Springer, the rescued Northern resident killer whale, rescued 20 years ago is celebrated on May 22 at 2 p.m. in a special in-person Seattle Town Hall event which will also be live-streamed. The event brings together Lynne Barre, Lance Barrett-Lennard, Donna Sandstrom, and members of the Namgis First Nation, including Chief Bill Cranmer and Councilmember Ernest Alfred, who welcomed Springer home. Register here.

Noise pollution harms endangered orcas, scientists are rushing to find solutions
The southern resident orcas are in a rough spot: there is too little food for them to eat, their favored hunting grounds are contaminated and noise pollution makes it harder to hunt prey. While a lot of work is underway to restore salmon populations to the Pacific Northwest, the work takes time. When you turn off an engine, or re-route large shipping vessels, the impacts are immediate. Matthew Smith reports. (Q13)

Humpback Mothers Are Being Squeezed from Both Sides
Humpbacks prefer to keep their calves in shallow water, but increasing boat traffic is pushing them out to sea. Marina Wang reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Investigators search for culprit behind norovirus outbreak in B.C. oysters
International recalls and warnings are tarnishing the industry's reputation, officials say. Curt Petrovich reports. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  201 AM PDT Wed May 18 2022   
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TONIGHT   
TODAY  SW wind 20 to 30 kt in the afternoon. Combined seas 7 to  10 ft with a dominant period of 9 seconds. Rain in the morning  then showers likely and a slight chance of tstms in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  W wind 15 to 25 kt easing to 10 to 20 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft subsiding to 1 to 3 ft after  midnight. W swell 12 ft at 10 seconds subsiding to 10 ft at  10 seconds after midnight. Showers likely. A slight chance of  tstms after midnight.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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