9/23 Pipeline allies, acid crab, science knowledge, coho failure, Port Orchard shores

Noquiklos' tracks

More on Dragons, Godzilla, T.Rex
Two readers responded to yesterday's item about the shape of the Olympic Peninsula facing Admiralty Inlet. "In Jefferson County, we are well aware of the dragon (not T.Rex) and have been celebrating Noquiklos quite regularly for around 30 years." See The Search for Noquiklos' Tracks  And: "Never saw that before! Looks like Godzilla is heading for the sea maiden who protects Camano and Whidbey Islands, Sara Toga. (See the outline of the body of water between the two islands, otherwise known as Saratoga Passage.)"

Canadian First Nations, U.S. tribes form alliance to stop oil pipelines
First Nations communities from Canada and the northern United States signed a treaty on Thursday to jointly fight proposals to build more pipelines to carry crude from Alberta's oil sands, saying further development would damage the environment. The treaty, signed in Montreal and Vancouver, came as the politics around pipelines have become increasingly sensitive in North America, with the U.S. Justice Department intervening last week to delay construction of a contentious pipeline in North Dakota. The Treaty Alliance Against Tar Sands Expansion was signed by 50 aboriginal groups in North America, who also plan to oppose tanker and rail projects in both countries, they said in a statement. Targets include projects proposed by Kinder Morgan Inc, TransCanada Corp and Enbridge Inc. (Thomson Reuters)

Studies focus on acidic ocean impact on Dungeness crabs
Millions of pounds of Dungeness crab are pulled from Pacific Northwest waters each year in a more than century-old ritual for commercial and recreational fishermen. But as ocean waters absorb more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, U.S. scientists are worried that the ocean’s changing chemistry may threaten the sweet-flavoured crustaceans. Scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are exposing tiny crab larvae to acidic seawater in laboratory experiments to understand how ocean acidification might affect one of the West Coast’s most lucrative fisheries. Research published this year found that Dungeness crab eggs and larvae collected from Puget Sound and exposed to higher levels of carbon dioxide — which increases ocean acidity — grew more slowly and larvae were more likely to die than those in less corrosive seawater. Now researchers at NOAA’s Fisheries’ Northwest Fisheries Science Center are taking the experiments a step further to study how the crabs respond to multiple stressors during various growth stages. They also plan to analyze the sublethal effects: Even if the crabs don’t die, are they affected in physiological or other ways by ocean acidification? (Associated Press)

Survey reveals 'significant gaps' in Canadians' understanding of science
You may not know it, but Sept. 19-25 is Science Literacy Week in Canada.  And it seems that's not all we don't know about science. To mark the week comes a new survey looking at just how "science literate" Canadians are — which seems to suggest there are some pretty big gaps in our understanding.  The survey comes from the Ontario Science Centre, and is based on an online poll by Leger of 1,578 Canadians. A probabilistic sample of this size would yield a margin of error of plus or minus 2.5 per cent, 19 times out of 20.  It reveals what the Ontario Science Centre calls "significant gaps" in our understanding of issues like climate change, vaccinations and genetically modified organisms.  (CBC)

Inslee requests 'commercial fishery failure' declaration
Gov. Jay Inslee is requesting the federal government declare a "commercial fishery failure" in Washington after two consecutive years of poor salmon runs. In a letter to Secretary of Commerce Penny Pritzker, Inslee asked for a declaration for the 2015 Grays Harbor and Willapa Bay non-treaty commercial salmon fisheries. "Salmon fisheries throughout Washington were affected by the poor return of coho in 2015, with statewide commercial coho catch being less than 20-percent of the recent 5-year average, and ex-vessel value being less than 15-percent of the recent 5-year average," Inslee wrote. Alison Morrow reports. (KING)

Port Orchard City Council considers easing shoreline regulations
Port Orchard is considering loosening shoreline development regulations for properties in the downtown waterfront area. The purpose of proposed amendments to the city's Shoreline Master Program is "to give more flexibility for existing properties in the downtown high intensity shoreline zone to redevelop and/or expand without creating new environmental impacts," said Keri Sallee, a planner with the city's Department of Community Development."… Under current rules, the standard buffer for non-water dependent structures is 75 feet. A facility like a marina, that relies on proximity to the water, would be considered water-dependent and exempt. Christina Henry reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
 WEST ENTRANCE U.S. WATERS STRAIT OF JUAN DE FUCA-  303 AM PDT FRI SEP 23 2016  

SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON  

TODAY  SE WIND 15 TO 25 KT. WIND WAVES 2 TO 4 FT. W SWELL 5 FT AT  13 SECONDS...BUILDING TO 9 FT AT 12 SECONDS IN THE AFTERNOON. RAIN.
TONIGHT  W WIND 5 TO 15 KT. WIND WAVES 2 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 9 FT  AT 11 SECONDS.
SAT  S WIND TO 10 KT...BECOMING E IN THE AFTERNOON. WIND WAVES  1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 6 FT AT 11 SECONDS.
SAT NIGHT  LIGHT WIND...BECOMING SE TO 10 KT AFTER MIDNIGHT. WIND  WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT 10 SECONDS.
SUN  E WIND TO 10 KT. WIND WAVES 1 FT OR LESS. W SWELL 5 FT AT  10 SECONDS.

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