5/2 Orca Tour, pipelines, green govs, species at risk, #SSEC14, derelict vessels, Chuck Fowler, dead whale

Iceberg, White Russian Orca Bull. (Evgeniya Lazareva, Far East Russia Orca Project)

Orca Tour 2014 with Erich Hoyt begins May 3 on Saturna Island, BC.

Pipelines dominate at Seattle conservation conference
It’s hard to predict how bitumen from the Alberta oil fields will behave in the event of a spill, making it difficult to understand the risks, says a U.S. government emergency response official. Gary Shigenaka, a marine biologist for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s emergency response division, said the U.S. organization has many questions about the pipelines proposed through British Columbia and the product that would flow through them... Canada’s pipeline plans are a hot topic among scientists and conservation groups at the conference in Seattle. Those pipelines include Enbridge’s Northern Gateway and Kinder Morgan’s Trans Mountain proposal, as well as the Keystone XL line into the United States. Dene Moore reports. (Globe and Mail) See also: Kinder Morgan pipeline application says oil spills can have both negative and positive effects Peter O’Neil (Vancouver Sun)

A green line of governors: Can Inslee, Kitzhaber stop energy exports?
Coal, oil and gas proposals are flooding into states headed by governors who want to fight global warming. Floyd McKay reports. (Crosscut)

Canada, U.S. urged to unite efforts, focus on species at risk in Salish Sea
The number of species at risk has doubled over the past decade in the Salish Sea, generating calls for a special international body to co-ordinate research and conservation issues in the 17,000-square-kilometre area that includes the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Strait of Georgia and Puget Sound. Joe Gaydos, a wildlife veterinarian with the SeaDoc Society based in the San Juan Islands, said the latest scientific snapshot of species at risk in the Salish Sea should be a wake-up call to Canada and the U. S. to better co-ordinate their efforts. SeaDoc is a program of the University of California Davis Wildlife Health Center. He noted as an example that the International Joint Commission already oversees trans-boundary waterways such as the Skagit River, Columbia River, and the Great Lakes. "It's time to set something up," Gaydos asserted in an interview. Larry Pynn reports. (Vancouver Sun)

New blog: #SSEC14 Day 2: What Will It Take to ‘Save’ the Salish Sea?
“Shared responsibility,” “science informing policy,” “an educated public,” “citizen science”.... Clearly there isn’t going to be one silver bullet that will take us into a future where the Salish Sea is restored and protected. One reason to have a conference like the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference is to identify what’s working, what’s not, and where gaps in strategy and tactics are.

State offering help to fix derelict vessel problem
The state is now offering to take derelict boats from owners who can’t afford to dispose of them legally. The Department of Natural Resources said Thursday that it’s accepting applications for the vessel turn-in program which the Legislature approved last year. The state won’t pay owners for boats, but disposal costs would be free for those who qualify. The idea is to allow Washington residents a way to dispose of potentially dangerous boats so they don’t pollute waters or cause public safety hazards. Boats must be 45 feet or less in length and be in bad condition, among other factors. (Associated Press)

Maritime historian Chuck Fowler wins prestigious state award  
Olympia resident and noted maritime historian Chuck Fowler has been awarded the 2014 Robert Gray Medal by the Washington State Historical Society Board of Trustees. A lifelong volunteer, Fowler has served on the board of the Museum of History and Industry in Seattle. He is a former trustee of the state historical society and board president of the State Capital Historical Association and Museum in Olympia. He has co-authored three pictorial maritime history books in his "on Puget Sound" series, including "Tall Ships" in 2007, "Tugboats" in 2009 and "Patrol and Rescue Boats" in 2011. A fourth local maritime history book, "Maritime Olympia and South Puget Sound," is in the works. John Dodge reports. (Olympian)

Dead blue whale 'might explode' in Newfoundland town
The residents of a town on Canada's Newfoundland island fear a blue whale carcass that washed up on its boardwalk last week could explode at any time. The 25m (81ft) whale on Trout River's rocky beach is one of several believed to have died in heavy ice weeks ago. Town Clerk Emily Butler says the body is bloated with methane gas caused by decomposition and will soon reek, regardless of whether it explodes. Local and federal authorities disagree which are responsible for its disposal. (BBC News)

Here’s your weekend tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 420 AM PDT FRI MAY 2 2014
TODAY
SW WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 11 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF LIGHT RAIN AND DRIZZLE.
TONIGHT
W WIND 5 TO 15 KT...BECOMING SW TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. SW SWELL 4 FT AT 10 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF
 SHOWERS.
SAT
S WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING SE 15 TO 25 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS...BUILDING TO 2 TO 4 FT IN THE AFTERNOON. W SWELL 5 FT AT 13 SECONDS...BUILDING TO 7 FT AT 13 SECONDS IN THE AFTERNOON. RAIN.
SAT NIGHT
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 8 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
SUN
SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT...BECOMING E 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT...SUBSIDING TO 1 TO 3 FT IN THE
 AFTERNOON. W SWELL 8 FT AT 12 SECONDS.
--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato@salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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