7/17 Drought closures, dead sturgeon, stuck salmon, SeaWorld spy, bag ban, Pt Gamble cleanup, Duwamish Tribe

Salmon (Alan Sylvestre /OPB/Earthfix)

Drought-like conditions and heatwave prompt statewide river fishing closures
It was bound to happen, and now state Fish and Wildlife has decided to close or restrict fishing in more than 30 statewide rivers to protect fish from the warm water temperatures and drought-like conditions. All of the closures will begin Saturday (July 18) and will remain in effect until further notice…. The current changes don’t include rivers in the southern Puget Sound/Olympic Peninsula region although a section of the Sol Duc River is already closed. Mark Yuasa reports. (Seattle Times) See also: Drought Prompts Oregon To Restrict Fishing  Courtney Flatt reports (EarthFix)

Dozens of sturgeon found dead in Columbia River
Washington Fish and Wildlife officials have received repeated reports of dead sturgeon this week on the Columbia River, but the exact cause of death remains a mystery. Annette Cary reports. (Tri-City Herald)

Stuck salmon to be trucked past Seymour River rock slide
Salmon migrating up the Seymour River will be getting a helping hand from the Seymour Hatchery to make it past a massive rock slide that came down in the area last December.  Hatchery manager Brian Smith told Rick Cluff on The Early Edition that the Seymour Salmonid Society will trap the migrating fish and then truck them either up to the hatchery or in the spawning habitat above the slide. (CBC)

SeaWorld suspends alleged spy
A day after an animal rights group accused SeaWorld of using an employee to infiltrate its organization, the theme park company said it has put the worker on paid leave and is launching a probe into the allegations. SeaWorld Entertainment CEO Joel Manby released a statement Wednesday calling the claims made by People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals "very concerning." Lori Weisberg reports. (San Diego Union Tribune)

Lacey council once again upholds plastic bag ban
Lacey City Council on Thursday night once again upheld the city’s plastic bag ban, voting 4-3 against putting the issue before voters and paying for those costs with a private group’s money. The council voted quickly on the matter, spending a little over a minute to reach a 4-3 decision. Rolf Boone reports. (Olympian)

Port Gamble Bay cleanup will begin with a blessing
A ceremony will take place 10 a.m. to noon on July 23 at the former mill site to bless Port Gamble Bay. A two-year project to remove creosoted pilings and wood waste from 140 years of mill activity begins this month. Lloyd Fulton, S’Klallam elder and former mill worker, will open the ceremony with prayer. Welcoming remarks will be made by Fulton, Pope Resources CEO Tom Ringo, and Port Gamble S’Klallam Chairman Jeromy Sullivan. A prayer song will be offered, followed by a blessing of the land and water, and a Shaker prayer by Gene Jones. (Kingston Community News)

10 Things You Should Know About the Duwamish Tribe
The U.S. Department of Interior ruled on July 2 that the Duwamish Tribe doesn’t exist – specifically, that the Duwamish Tribe doesn’t meet all of the criteria required for the U.S. to recognize it as an indigenous nation. Perhaps Interior officials should talk to their counterparts at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services; that agency’s Administration for Native Americans contributed to the Duwamish Tribe’s efforts to build the first longhouse in the City of Seattle in more than 100 years. Richard Walker reports. (Indian Country Today Media Network)

Lummis propose water-rights deal to farmers, cities
Lummi Nation is privately shopping the outlines of a settlement agreement that could help end Whatcom County’s water dispute. Lummi officials will host a meeting Friday, July 17, with representatives from the county government and the cities of Bellingham and Lynden. The tribe has already presented what it is calling the “Lummi conceptual proposal” to the Nooksack Indian Tribe, state agencies, the county’s public utility district for water, and local farmers. Ralph Schwartz reports. (Bellingham Herald) See also: Shelter Bay votes yes to pursuing new lease with Swinomish tribe Shelter Bay residents voted Wednesday to pursue a new land lease offered by the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community…. The Swinomish tribe owns the land on which Shelter Bay homes are built. The current lease has been in effect since 1969 and expires in 2044. The new lease would pick up in 2044 and continue until 2089. Shannen Kuest reports (Skagit Valley Herald)

Poulsbo Maritime Heritage Museum is taking shape
With each scrape and sand and brushstroke July 12 and 13, new life slowly emerged from the old building at 19010 Front St. The 1909 building was originally the home of Liberty Bay Bank. In the ensuing years, it was the home of the North Kitsap Herald, a motorcycle dealership and, for 17 years, Gifts of Promise. Now, as earth tones and deep blues replaced aged whites, grays and yellows, volunteers slowly transformed the 106-year-old structure into the Poulsbo Maritime Heritage Museum. A soft opening is scheduled for Aug. 8, Poulsbo Historical Society president Jim Shields said. Richard Walker reports. (North Kitsap Herald)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
 WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA- 254 AM PDT FRI JUL 17 2015
TODAY
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
TONIGHT
W WIND TO 10 KT IN THE EVENING...BECOMING LIGHT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 8 SECONDS.
SAT
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
SAT NIGHT
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 9 SECONDS.
SUN
LIGHT WIND. WIND WAVES LESS THAN 1 FT. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 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