6/4 Groundfish, coal, BC pipes, 'Oil&Water,' hatcheries, harbor porpoise, Tokitae, Vashon natives, Nisqually park

Sustainable rockfish

West Coast groundfish certified as sustainable
More than a decade after overfishing led to the collapse of the one of the West Coast's most valuable fisheries, it has been certified as sustainable. The international Marine Stewardship Council announced Tuesday in Portland, Oregon, it has certified that 13 bottom-dwelling species collectively known as groundfish are harvested in an environmentally sustainable way. That applies to species sold as red snapper, Dover sole and lingcod. In a 400-page report, the council said federal regulations are in place to protect habitat, hold fishermen responsible and set harvest quotas based on scientific data. The action led the Monterey Bay Aquarium's Seafood Watchlist to move six West Coast rockfish species from "Avoid" status, to "Good Alternative." Jeff Barnard reports. (Associated Press)

If you like to watch: The video they don't want you to see...  
RE Sources shares their video of why SSA Marine isn't to be trusted.

Wyoming Governor Visits Washington To Promote Coal Exports
A controversial coal export terminal proposed for this Columbia River town has a big supporter from the state of Wyoming. Its governor was in Longview Tuesday to tour the old aluminum smelter where the The Millennium Bulk coal export terminal would move up to 44 million tons a year of Wyoming coal off trains and onto ships bound for Asia. Cassandra Profita reports. (EarthFix) See also: U.S. coal curbs would boost B.C.'s Westshore Terminals traffic  Wendy Steuck reports. (Globe and Mail)

Reject Northern Gateway, scientists urge PM in open letter
A letter signed by hundreds of scientists from around the world is urging Prime Minister Stephen Harper to reject a federal panel report recommending approval of the Northern Gateway pipeline. The federal government must announce the final decision by June 17 on the 1,200-kilometre pipeline that would link the Alberta oil sands with a tanker port on the B.C. coast... It was signed by 300 scientists from universities from Newfoundland to Vancouver Island, along with colleagues from international institutions including Stanford, Cornell and Oxford. The chief concern from the group is that the panel did not look at the increase in global greenhouse gas emissions that will result from the expansion in oil sands production. Dene Moore reports. (Globe and Mail) See also: Calgary's TransCanada to build $1.9 billion pipeline link for Kitimat LNG project

'Oil & Water': How SIFF movie gives a face to vital causes
A new film places a young Seattle-educated Ecuadorian at the center of a conflict over energy, the environment and people's rights. Floyd McKay reviews. (Crosscut)

Study: Hatcheries Can Disrupt Steelhead Navigation
A new study suggests steelhead trout can have trouble using the Earth's magnetic field to navigate if they were raised in a hatchery, where the field may be distorted by iron pipes. Scientists at the Oregon Hatchery Research Center raised two sets of fish: one outside the hatchery with a natural magnetic field, and one inside the hatchery where the field was distorted. Fish raised outside the hatchery oriented themselves to changes in the magnetic field, but fish raised in the hatchery's distorted magnetic field did not. (Associated Press)

Death toll mounts at water’s edge for harbor porpoises
An uptick in harbor porpoise strandings has local biologists scratching their heads, looking for clues and wary that mid-May’s unusually high death toll may signal something other than the natural die-off of a population on the rise. Although, that just might be the case....A total of eight harbor porpoise carcasses were recovered from beaches on the westside of San Juan Island between May 19 and May 29. All are similar in length, 4-6 feet, suggesting they were adults, and a series of necropsies are slated to be conducted on three bodies that were not picked apart by scavengers, beginning June 5, Olsen said. The term “stranding” applies to dead animals and to live ones that for some reason are stranded on a beach or rocks and cannot get back into the water. Scott Rasmussen reports. (San Juan Journal)

Ferry Tokitae entering service on Mukilteo route
The newest Washington state ferry is undergoing sea trials and scheduled to go into service June 15 on the Mukilteo-Clinton route. The 144-car Tokitae (toh-kee-tay) was accepted Monday by Washington State Ferries. (Associated Press)

Public invited to weigh in on state marine parks use and fees
The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission is asking the boating public to help the agency better understand how boaters use state marine parks and provide their views on possible changes to fees and policies for next year. Boaters are invited to take an online survey at: www.parks.wa.gov/165/Boating-Fees. The 30-question confidential survey takes about 5-15 minutes to complete. The deadline to complete the survey is June 15. A summary of results will be posted on the same web page in July.

New exhibit delves into Vashon’s Native American past
“Vashon Island’s Native People: Navigating the Seas of Change” will open at the Vashon-Maury Island Heritage Museum for the First Friday at 6 p.m. Friday. The exhibit will be on display through March 2015. For museum locations and hours, see here. Natalie Martin reports. (Vashon Beachcomber)

Washington joins Nisqually Tribe to develop new 1,300-acre state park in Mount Rainier foothills
Washington will develop a new 1,300-acre state park in the Mount Rainier foothills, about a 2.5-hour drive north of Portland/Vancouver. The Washington State Parks and Recreation Commission and the Nisqually Indian Tribe on Tuesday signed a partnership agreement for the collaborative development of Nisqually State Park. The park land lies seven miles west of Eatonville on S.R. 7, at the confluence of the Nisqually River, Mashel River and Ohop Creek. The park includes a diverse landscape of steep-sided forest valleys, high ridges and reforested plateaus in the Mount Rainier foothills, according to a state park news release. Terry Richards reports. (Oregonian)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT WED JUN 4 2014
TODAY
NW WIND 10 KT...RISING TO 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS...BUILDING TO 1 TO 3 FT IN THE AFTERNOON. W
 SWELL 6 FT AT 9 SECONDS. PATCHY DRIZZLE THIS MORNING.
TONIGHT
W WIND 15 TO 20 KT...BECOMING 5 TO 15 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 3 FT...SUBSIDING TO 2 FT OR LESS AFTER MIDNIGHT. W
 SWELL 6 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
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"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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