3/11 Little gull, marmot puppet, Esquimalt Gorge Park, foreign orcas, autism drug, democracy watch.

Little Gull [Glen Tepke]

 

Little Gull Larus minutus 
The smallest of gulls, Little Gull sightings are rare and occur primarily in the fall (September-November) in coastal and western Washington regions in aquatic habitats. Look for them in mixed flocks with Bonaparte's Gulls. American Lake near Fort Lewis (Pierce County) and Point No Point (Kitsap County) are traditional sites for this species. (BirdWeb) 

Today's top story in Salish Current:  One hundred years of entertainment — and community

A marmot puppet is the star of Washington’s new anti-littering campaign, asking people to think before they toss their trash
Washington has now enlisted the help of a critter to remind people to keep the state’s roads clean. The star of Washington’s new “We Keep Washington Litter Free” campaign is a marmot puppet who’s reminding people to think before they throw trash out of their car or don’t secure their loads – and let debris fly out the back of trucks. Courtney Platt reports. (NW Public Broadcasting) 

Back to nature: Traces of humans removed at restored Esquimalt Gorge Park shoreline
The area was restored using local plants and natural materials that recreate a shoreline untouched by humans. Hannah Link reports. (Times Colonist) 

3 unidentified orcas spotted in Vancouver Harbour never before documented in B.C.
Experts say the unfamiliar whales could belong to a rarely seen killer whale population from the high seas. Shaurya Kshatri reports. (CBC) 

FDA finds little evidence generic drug can help people with autism
The Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday approved a generic medication for a rare brain disorder, while walking back statements by President Donald Trump and other administration officials that the drug showed great promise for people with autism. Matthew Perrone reports. (Associated Press) 

Democracy Watch

• Judge denies restraining order for conservative media figures who sought press passes (AP) 
• ‘Titanic’ statue of Trump and Epstein on the Mall draws praise, scorn (Washington Post) 
• 4 things to know about Markwayne Mullin (ICT) 

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Here's your tug weather—  
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  229 PM PDT Tue Mar 10 2026    
GALE WARNING IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY AFTERNOON THROUGH LATE  WEDNESDAY NIGHT    
WED  S wind 10 to 15 kt, becoming SW 35 to 45 kt in the  afternoon. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: SE 5 ft at 5 seconds and W  6 ft at 11 seconds. Rain.  
WED NIGHT  W wind 30 to 40 kt. Seas 7 to 10 ft, building to  9 to 13 ft after midnight. Wave Detail: W 13 ft at 10 seconds.  Rain.

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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)salish-current.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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3/10 Spurge, WA low oxygen, Drayton Harbor shellfish, public land protection, blocking access, Roundup, democracy watch.

 

Spurge

Spurge Euphorbia
Euphorbia is a large and diverse genus of flowering plants, commonly called spurge, in the family Euphorbiaceae. Euphorbias range from tiny annual plants to large and long-lived trees, with perhaps the tallest being Euphorbia ampliphylla at 30 m or more. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current:  Community Voices / Vanishing science, vanishing fairness

State adjusts strategy to address low-oxygen levels in Puget Sound
The Washington State Department of Ecology is responding to new legal rulings and public concerns with changes in planning and potentially future enforcement. In January, the agency decided to abandon its “nutrient general permit,” originally designed to control nitrogen releases from sewage-treatment plants throughout Puget Sound. Christopher Dunagan reports. (Salish Sea Currents Magazine) 

WA oysters, clams harvested in Whatcom County’s Drayton Harbor recalled 
Oysters and clams harvested in Drayton Harbor near the Canadian border in Whatcom County between Feb. 13 and March 3 have been recalled after an outbreak of a norovirus-like illness. Raw oysters harvested by the Drayton Harbor Oyster Company and manila clams harvested by the Lummi Indian Business Council may have been contaminated, the Washington Department of Health said in a recall issued Wednesday. Kai Uyehara reports, (Seattle Times) 

Republicans target public lands protections in a new way
Over the past year, GOP leaders and the Trump administration have used a law known as the Congressional Review Act to push for coal mining in Montana, oil drilling in Alaska and copper mining in Minnesota, while also attempting to reverse protections for a national monument in Utah. The rarely used act gives Congress a few months to revoke new federal regulations. Only in the past year has it ever been used to overrule land management plans. Alex Brown reports. (Washington State Standard) 

Investment companies block access to tens of thousands of acres in Wahkiakum, Pacific counties
Investment companies have whittled away the land hunters can use in Access to tens of thousands of acres of locally treasured, longtime hunting grounds is now blocked because a new generation of private landowners won’t offer access. Henry Brannon reports. (Washington State Standard/The Columbian) 

Trump Executive Order Protected Weedkiller Roundup and a Munition, White Phosphorus
Citing national security, an unusual executive order gave protection to the herbicide Roundup. It also protected the U.S.’s only supply of a controversial, highly flammable munition. Hiroko Tabuchi reports. (NY Times) 

Democracy Watch

• Trump says he won't sign bills until Congress overhauls voting (NPR) 

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-  204 PM PDT Mon Mar 9 2026    
TUE  SW wind 15 to 20 kt. Seas 5 to 8 ft. Wave Detail: S 2 ft  at 3 seconds and W 8 ft at 12 seconds. Rain in the morning, then  showers in the afternoon.  
TUE NIGHT  SW wind 15 to 20 kt. Seas 5 to 7 ft. Wave Detail: W  7 ft at 12 seconds. Rain.

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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)salish-current.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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3/9 Billy Frank Jr., Skagit creeks, camground shutdown, BC geothermal, democracy watch.

 

Billy Frank Jr. [Richard Arlin Walker]

Happy Birthday, Billy!
Billy Frank Jr. was a Native American environmental leader and advocate of treaty rights. As a member of the Nisqually tribe, Frank led a grassroots campaign in the 1960s and 1970s to secure fishing rights on the Nisqually River. (Wikipedia) (See: "Billy Frank Jr.’s teachings endure" Salish Current) 

Today's top story in Salish Current:  Gaza students’ journey to Western stalled by war and immigration barriers

Three creeks at Skagit River headwaters nominated for protection
Ruby, Granite and Canyon creeks at the headwaters of the Skagit River east of Ross Lake have been nominated to be considered Outstanding Resource Waters and to receive additional environmental protections. (Skagit Valley Herald/paywall) 

Funding gap may shutter three Peninsula campgrounds
Two Clallam County campgrounds and one in Jefferson County are among 19 state Department of Natural Resources recreation sites that face some level of closure if funding cuts are made by the state Legislature. Emily Hanson reports. (Peninsula Daily News) 

In northeast B.C., fresh food is scarce. This First Nation hopes geothermal energy could change that
A first-of-its-kind project by West Moberly First Nations looks deep underground for clean energy solutions. Zoë Yunker reports. (The Narwhal) 

Democracy Watch

• State actors are behind much of the visual misinformation about the Iran war (AP) 
• Automated license plate reader regulations close to becoming WA law (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-  252 PM PDT Sun Mar 8 2026    
MON  W wind 15 to 20 kt, rising to 20 to 25 kt in the  afternoon. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W 6 ft at 11 seconds.  Rain. Snow showers in the morning, then snow likely in the  afternoon.  
MON NIGHT  W wind 15 to 20 kt, easing to 10 to 15 kt after  midnight. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W 6 ft at 12 seconds. Rain  and snow.

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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)salish-current.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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3/6 Sea clown, Skagit dams, carbon markets, daylight savings time, climate choices, bolide, democracy watch, week in review.

Sea clown nudibranch

 
Sea clown nudibranch Triopha catalinae
The sea clown triopha or sea clown is a species of colorful sea slug called a nudibranch. Sea clowns are a shell-less marine, gastronomic mollusk in the taxonomic family Polyceridae. The species' Latin name is named after Santa Catalina Island, California. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current:  Demolition of last NW aluminum smelter marks end of era / New book recalls Skagit experiment in socialist living

Seattle spent years misleading the public about Skagit River salmon. Now it will pay $1 billion for fish passage
In a stunning reversal, Seattle City Light has agreed to invest $979 million to build fish passage at its three Skagit River dams, a commitment its own scientists long insisted was unnecessary. It’s also a victory for two tribes of the Skagit Valley who never stopped fighting. Susannah Frame reports. (KING)  Seattle City Light proposes $4 billion for Skagit River hydropower dams Seattle City Light, the city’s electric utility, has agreed to commit about $4 billion to continue to operate its hydropower dams on the Skagit River over the next 50 years. Isabella Breda reports. (Seattle Times) 

WA takes another step to link its carbon market with California and Quebec
Supporters say joint cap-and-trade auctions will help stabilize prices and drive down costs for businesses. Aspen Ford reports. (Washington State Standard) 

'Scientifically not a good idea,' says researcher whose work informed B.C.'s daylight-time decision
Permanent daylight time likely to result in sleep deprivation, negative health outcomes, experts say. Tara Carman reports. (CBC) 

People often miscalculate climate choices, a study says. One surprise is owning a dog
The top three individual actions that help the climate, including avoiding plane flights, choosing not to get a dog and using renewable electricity, were also the three that participants underestimated the most. Meanwhile, the lowest-impact actions were changing to more efficient appliances and swapping out light bulbs, recycling, and using less energy on washing clothes. Those were three of the top four overestimated actions in the report. Caleigh Wells reports. (Associated Press) 

NASA says meteor that lit up Vancouver sky was travelling 100 times speed of sound
All indications suggest the region was witness to a significant meteor, scientifically known as a bolide. Chuck Chiang reports. (Canadian Press) 
Democracy Watch

• WA voters to see ballot initiative aimed at trans girls in sports (Seattle Times) 
• Trump says he's replacing Homeland Security Secretary Noem with GOP Sen. Markwayne Mullin (AP) 
• Panel reviewing Trump's White House ballroom project gets an earful from the public opposed to it (AP) 

Salish Sea News Week in Review 3/6/26: Salish Sea News Week in Review 3/6/26: Oreo Friday, Japanese beetle spray, enviro crimes bill, data center regs, BC daylight savings, spawning herring, rainforest logging, Hummingbird Hill, Musqueam treaty, sea level rise, Skagit dams.  

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-  226 AM PST Fri Mar 6 2026    
TODAY  S wind around 10 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft  at 10 seconds. Rain.  
TONIGHT  SW wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W  5 ft at 10 seconds. Rain.  
SAT  SW wind 10 to 15 kt, rising to 15 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 ft, building to 5 to 7 ft in the  afternoon. Wave Detail: W 7 ft at 12 seconds. Rain.  
SAT NIGHT  SW wind 20 to 25 kt. Seas 5 to 8 ft. Wave Detail: W  2 ft at 5 seconds and W 8 ft at 12 seconds. Rain.  
SUN  W wind 25 to 30 kt. Seas 7 to 10 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft  at 5 seconds and W 10 ft at 11 seconds. Rain.

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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)salish-current.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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3/5 Skunk cabbage, BC smugglers, Aboriginal rights, killer whale moms, high seas, quakes, democracy watch

 

Skunk cabbage

Skunk cabbage Lysichiton americanus
Skunk cabbage is a perennial fleshy herb from upright underground stems with a skunk-like odor which grows in marshes, swamps, streambanks, and forested wetlands. This plant grows from Alaska to California (including British Columbia) and east to northern Idaho and western Montana. This plant grows on both sides of the Cascades crest and at the coast in Washington. (WA Native Plant Society)

Today's top story in Salish Current:  Lummi Nation appeals for consultation rights in British Columbia port expansion

Trump admin hands legal victory to alleged B.C. defeat device smugglers
'There's no following the law, there's no consistency' says critic of DOJ's environmental law enforcement
Liam Britten reports. (CBC) 

Canada signs Aboriginal rights, fishing and marine management agreements with Musqueam
The federal government has released details of recent agreements with the Musqueam Indian Band recognizing Aboriginal title over an area potentially covering much of Metro Vancouver. The agreements do not have any effect on privately owned land, according to the government. (Canadian Press) 

Killer whale moms struggle to regain body fat with more offspring
Drone photography reveals insights into northern resident orca motherhood. One and a half years of pregnancy, up to two years of nursing, then hunting and sharing food with their adult children who never leave. Anand Ram reports. (CBC) 

The sea is higher than we thought and millions more are at risk, study finds
Climate change’s rising seas may threaten tens of millions more people than scientists and government planners originally thought because of mistaken research assumptions on how high coastal waters already are, a new study said. Seth Borenstein and Annika Hammerschlag report. (Associated Press) 

Here’s Where You Don’t Want to Be Living in a Quake
Vancouver’s West End apartments face a deadly reckoning. There are solutions.vPreetish Kakoty and Carlos Molina Hutt report. (The Tyee) 

Democracy Watch

• Judge rules companies are entitled to refunds for Trump tariffs overturned by the Supreme Court (AP) 
• Bill barring law enforcement from wearing masks inches closer to becoming Washington law (KNKX) 
• Body camera footage shows federal response to Portland ICE protests (OPB) 

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-  159 PM PST Wed Mar 4 2026    SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY MORNING    
THU  W wind 20 to 25 kt, becoming SW 10 to 15 kt in the  afternoon. Seas 6 to 9 ft, subsiding to 5 to 7 ft in the  afternoon. Wave Detail: W 9 ft at 11 seconds. A chance of rain in  the morning, then rain in the afternoon.  
THU NIGHT  S wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W  5 ft at 11 seconds. Rain.

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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)salish-current.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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3/4 Hemlock, BC logging, regulating data centers, Hummingbird Hill, Nanaimo trail, Surrey Speak, frog breeding, democracy watch.

Western Hemlock

   
Western Hemlock Tsuga heterophylla
Western Hemlock occurs from the southern coast of Alaska to the northern coast of California and the Cascade Range of central Oregon.  It also occurs in the Rocky Mountains of Canada, Montana and Idaho.  Western Hemlock is considered the climax species in most of our area.  That means that, in theory, if forests are left alone and allowed to grow undisturbed indefinitely, Western Hemlock would be the dominant species. The genus name “Tsuga” comes from Japanese words meaning “mother” and “tree.” The species name heterophylla, literally means different leaves. (Native Plants of the Pacific NW)

Today's top story in Salish Current:  OPALCO asks to roll back restrictions on Decatur solar site

‘No reason on earth’ to log endangered Canadian rainforest: scientist
Forestry companies hold licences to log in Canada’s inland temperate rainforest, home to endangered caribou and rare lichens. That makes a proposal for a new provincial park more urgent than ever. Sarah Cox reports. (The Narwhal) 

It’s lights out for WA Legislature’s effort to regulate data centers
The bill died Monday amid a barrage of industry opposition. Supporters said it was a crucial step toward protecting the grid and utility ratepayers from the energy-hungry facilities. Aspen Ford reports. (Washington State Standard) 

Hummingbird Hill in Metchosin to be a bird sanctuary, research centre
The 21-hectare Hummingbird Hill will serve as the Rocky Point Bird Observatory headquarters. Darron Kloster reports. (Times Colonist) 

A Nanaimo trail project reveals how B.C. fails to protect rare ecosystems
Trail construction in Nanaimo, B.C., dug up a rare slimleaf onion patch, exposing the lack of protection for endangered Garry oak ecosystems. Amber Bracken reports. (The Narwhal) 

Inside a Surrey ‘Local News’ Site Run by AI
Surrey Speak published fake news about a mayoral candidate and an AI-generated picture of a real murder victim. Zak Vescera reports. (The Tyee) 

How people are helping breeding frogs dodge cars
Meet the volunteers shuttling northern red-legged frogs across a 4-lane highway in Oregon to lay eggs. Sarah Trent reports. (High Country News) 

Democracy Watch

• Scientists create autism panel, citing RFK Jr.’s politicization of research (Washington Post) 
• FACT FOCUS: Misrepresented images spread after US and Israel strike Iran (AP) 

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-  125 AM PST Tue Mar 3 2026    
WED  SW wind 5 to 10 kt, becoming W 15 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 4 seconds and W  5 ft at 12 seconds. Rain.  
WED NIGHT  W wind 15 to 20 kt. Seas 5 to 8 ft. Wave Detail: W  4 ft at 5 seconds and W 8 ft at 12 seconds. Rain.

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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)salish-current.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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3/3 Moss, BC time, salmon spawn, spongy moths, democracy watch.

Moss baubles [Laurie MacBride]

Moss baubles
Laurie MacBride in "Eye on Environment" writes: "Our mostly mild, wet February has prompted a burst of new energy among the mosses. Their sporophytes are pushing up, each long stem topped with a capsule, getting ready to burst open and release the spores carrying the next generation.When I captured this image, the bright green baubles of the sporophytes were still intact, and pretty enough to lure me down to ground level for a closer look. The hard part was getting my aging body back up again afterwards. If only I could spring up as energetically as the moss! (Eye on Environment) 

Today's top story in Salish Current:  Report shows need for greater funding, enforcement to save salmon 

B.C. to end time changes, adopt year-round daylight time
March 8 will be the last time most British Columbians have to change their clocks, premier announces. (CBC) 

From Vancouver Island to Howe Sound, spawning herring hit B.C.'s waters
The B.C. coastline is on the verge of one of its biggest natural events of the year: the annual herring spawn. John Kurucz reports. (Times Colonist) 

Are these weird-looking bugs taking over Lakewood? What to know
You probably won’t see them, but they’re there. Growing in the tall tree canopies of Lakewood are tiny invasive critters that have the potential to wreak havoc on Pacific Northwest forests, especially oak trees. It’s called a spongy moth. Becca Most reports. (Tacoma News Tribune) 

Democracy Watch

• WA students face confrontations during anti-ICE walkouts (Seattle Times) 
• What the Pentagon’s Attack Videos Reveal About the Boat Strikes at Sea (NY Times) 

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-  317 PM PST Mon Mar 2 2026    
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH LATE TUESDAY NIGHT    
TUE  S wind 15 to 20 kt with gusts to 25 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft.  Wave Detail: SE 2 ft at 4 seconds, SW 3 ft at 7 seconds and W 2 ft  at 10 seconds. Rain.  
TUE NIGHT  SW wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: S  2 ft at 4 seconds, SW 3 ft at 8 seconds and W 2 ft at 13 seconds.  Showers 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)salish-current.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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