9/22 Puget Sound health, climate action, geoduck poacher, train oil spill

Kiwi time (Laurie MacBride)

Race for the Kiwis
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "It’s kiwi time, and the race is on. Each September as our Hardy kiwis (Actinidia arguta) start to ripen, we begin a delicate balancing act, deciding exactly when to harvest. We want them soft, ripe and sweet, but if we wait too long, many will vanish in the night…."

Better measurements needed to track the health of Puget Sound  (paywall)
The ongoing restoration of Puget Sound has scored some successes and probably some failures, according to Sheida Sahandy, executive director of the Puget Sound Partnership. But if people really want to know how well things are going, better measurements are needed. That is the message Sahandy says she will take to the Legislature next year, as she seeks funding for more complete monitoring of the Puget Sound ecosystem. Sahandy said she will ignore political advisers who tell her that requesting money for monitoring is the last thing she should do in a tight budget year like 2015. Basic scientific measurements are essential to understanding how fish and wildlife populations are changing and whether restoration projects are working, she told a group of scientists during a conference Thursday in Shelton. Chris Dunagan reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Worldwide rallies call for action now on climate change
In Seattle, New York and around the world, people took to the streets Sunday, urging policymakers to address conditions they say threaten the survival of future generations. The grass-roots demonstrations came just before the start of the U.N. Climate Summit. (Seattle Times) See also: Protesters march against climate change in Vancouver (Vancouver Sun)

Geoduck poacher sentenced to jail time
A Port Orchard man received a four-month sentence after illegally harvesting 300 pounds of geoduck clams from the Olympia area and dumping them near Port Orchard. Matthew R. Petersen, 27, pleaded guilty to first-degree unlawful shellfish trafficking and two counts of second-degree theft in Kitsap County Superior Court on Sept. 8. He was sentenced to 4 months with credit for time served by Judge Leila Mills. Deputy Chief Mike Cenci, of the state Department of Fish and Wildlife Police, said Petersen’s case was long and complicated — as is common for many poaching cases. He called the case a “rare win” for the department. Amelia Dickson reports. (Olympian)

Train Spills 2,000 Gallons Of Diesel In Washington
A rock punctured a BNSF train engine Friday outside Pasco, Washington, causing about 2,000 gallons of diesel to spill along the tracks. The engine held about 3,000 gallons of diesel. None of the fuel has leaked into the Columbia River, a BNSF spokesman said. The boulder tumbled early Friday morning from nearby cliffs and onto the track, where the train ran atop it. The 108-car train was carrying freight to Seattle. Courtney Flatt reports. (EarthFix)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT MON SEP 22 2014
TODAY
E WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING SE 5 TO 15 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF
 RAIN IN THE MORNING...THEN A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE AFTERNOON.
TONIGHT
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 4 FT AT 9 SECONDS. A CHANCE OF SHOWERS IN THE EVENING...THEN RAIN LIKELY
 AFTER MIDNIGHT.

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