6/17 Rockfish recover, Pope's climate, Shaw nun, BC LNG, B'ham coal cost, green action, SeaAquarium

Canary rockfish (Oceana/Seattle Times)

Canary rockfish, petrale sole rebounding off West Coast
Populations of canary rockfish and petrale sole off the West Coast  have rebounded from low levels and are now considered rebuilt, according to a statement released by the Pacific Fishery Management Council. The canary rockfish is a long-lived species that was declared overfished in 2000 and was not expected to be rebuilt until 2057. Fishery managers credit good ocean conditions and conservation efforts with a six-fold increase in the canary populations. The petrale sole was declared overfished in 2011, and its harvest limit was cut by half. It was rebuilt a year ahead of schedule, according to the council statement. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

Pope Francis warns of destruction of Earth's ecosystem in leaked encyclical
Pope Francis will this week call for changes in lifestyles and energy consumption to avert the “unprecedented destruction of the ecosystem” before the end of this century, according to a leaked draft of a papal encyclical. In a document released by an Italian magazine on Monday, the pontiff will warn that failure to act would have “grave consequences for all of us”. Francis also called for a new global political authority tasked with “tackling … the reduction of pollution and the development of poor countries and regions”. His appeal echoed that of his predecessor, pope Benedict XVI, who in a 2009 encyclical proposed a kind of super-UN to deal with the world’s economic problems and injustices. Stephanie Kirchgaessner and John Hooper report. (Guardian) Leak of Pope’s Encyclical on Climate Change Hints at Tensions in Vatican Jim Yardley and Elisabetta Povoledojune report. (NY Times)

Prayer and Work: the life of a Benedictine nun on Shaw Island
On Shaw Island, the smallest and least populated San Juan Island reached by ferry, is Our Lady of the Rock, a monastery and self-sustaining farm. It's home to seven Benedictine nuns who wear the traditional, long black and white habit and spend much of their days tending to their 300 acres, raising animals and praying. Now let's clear one thing up straight away: these are not the nuns in the brown habits, and orange safety vests, who worked the ferry dock for 27 years. Those were the Franciscan nuns, and in 2004 the four remaining retired and left Shaw Island for Oregon. But Our Lady of the Rock, established in 1977, stands solid, despite the fact that the average age of the nuns is 70.Rachel Belle reports. (My Northwest/KIRO)

Shell-led B.C. LNG project nears environmental approval
A liquefied natural gas consortium led by Royal Dutch Shell PLC is expected to receive B.C. environmental approval within days as the group positions itself to be one of the first LNG exporters in the province. LNG Canada’s plans to export from Kitimat are being reviewed by two B.C. cabinet ministers, who are slated to announce by Monday whether they will grant a provincial environmental assessment certificate. Brent Jang reports. (Globe and Mail)

Cherry Point coal terminal study questions economic value
If a proposed coal terminal is built at Cherry Point, it could end up impeding the economy in Bellingham and Whatcom County, according to a new report commissioned by Communitywise Bellingham. The report got a warm reception during a presentation by one of its authors Tuesday, June 16, in the Leopold retirement home’s ballroom. It was not so well received by the proponents of the Gateway Pacific Terminal, who dismissed the report as biased “advocacy research.” Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Coal ports: Will they cost communities their “second paycheck”?  …. Opponents tossed some new terminology on the table Tuesday — the term “Second Paycheck.” Its roots are in the region, having been coined by University of Oregon economist Ed Whitelaw and two colleagues five years ago. It was re-introduced  by David Eichental, a managing director of PFM – a large national consultant based in Philadelphia – who conducted an economic impact study on the coal ports …. The term refers to quality of life amenities such as outdoor recreation, clean air and water, scenic vistas, local food and culture, and livable neighborhoods. These amount to a “paycheck” that can’t be cashed at your bank. However, they are so important to people that they accept  lower-paying jobs or small, expensive living spaces in order to experience the benefits of a particular place. Floyd McKay reports. (Crosscut)

Green Activism Really Does Pay Off
In states with strong environmental movements, greenhouse gas emissions are inching lower. Social scientist Thomas Dietz and Kenneth Frank, professor of sociometrics at Michigan State University, have teamed up to find a way to tell if a state jumping on the environmental bandwagon can mitigate other human factors—such as population growth and economic affluence—that are known to hurt the environment. Sue Nichols blogs. (Futurity)

Seattle Aquarium rides $1M wave of success in 24th-annual 'Splash!' fundraiser
Seattle Aquarium’s 24th-annual fundraiser made quite a splash, raising more than $1 million to help in the conservation of the marine environments of the waters of Puget Sound. Calling it a fundraising milestone, Seattle Aquarium President and CEO Bob Davidson thanked the more than 600 donors to the “Splash!” fundraiser for their support. Patti Payne reports. (Puget Sound Business Journal)

Now, your tug weather--
WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 300 AM PDT WED JUN 17 2015
TODAY
W WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING NW 10 TO 20 KT IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. W SWELL 3 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND 10 TO 20 KT. WIND WAVES 1 TO 3 FT. SW SWELL 3 FT AT 13 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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter.

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told