10/23 Chum, salmon sex, Kinder Morgan, EPA toxins, Diane Bernard, climate, BC crab & prawns, B'ham shore

Rains bring chum salmon back to their home streams
Salmon appear to be on the move in several local streams, thanks to the recent rains and increased streamflows. Wetter conditions no doubt triggered some of the migratory fish to head back to their spawning grounds…. It is still a little early in the season for coho and chum salmon to be fully involved in spawning activity, and there is plenty of time for people to get out and observe their amazing migration. Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways)

How Salmon Sex Shapes Landscapes And Watersheds
It may have taken millions of years, but researchers have found that the way salmon reproduce has shaped our watersheds and landscapes. When salmon spawn, the female digs a big hole in the stream bed. She then swishes around — that movement can send fairly large pieces of gravel downstream. These tiny movements can add up to big changes. Courtney Flatt reports. (OPB/EarthFix)

Vancouver officials to argue against Kinder Morgan in court Monday
Vancouver city officials will be in court Monday to push for a review of the $7.4-billion Kinder Morgan pipeline expansion, while a rally will be held outside the courthouse in support. The city will ask a judge to review the Environmental Assessment Certificate granted by the previous provincial government to the Kinder Morgan Trans Mountain project. The request for a judicial review comes following a motion put forth by Coun. Adriane Carr and seconded by Coun. Andrea Reimer earlier this year. Carr had argued that the previous Liberal government helmed by former premier Christy Clark did not “adequately consult First Nations or the public, and failed to conduct scientific studies about the threat that spilled bitumen would pose to Vancouver’s environment and coastal waters.” Stephanie Ip reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Why Has the E.P.A. Shifted on Toxic Chemicals? An Industry Insider Helps Call the Shots 
For years, the Environmental Protection Agency has struggled to prevent an ingredient once used in stain-resistant carpets and nonstick pans from contaminating drinking water. The chemical, perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, has been linked to kidney cancer, birth defects, immune system disorders and other serious health problems. So scientists and administrators in the E.P.A.’s Office of Water were alarmed in late May when a top Trump administration appointee insisted upon the rewriting of a rule to make it harder to track the health consequences of the chemical, and therefore regulate it. The revision was among more than a dozen demanded by the appointee, Nancy B. Beck, after she joined the E.P.A.’s toxic chemical unit in May as a top deputy. For the previous five years, she had been an executive at the American Chemistry Council, the chemical industry’s main trade association. Eric Lipton reports. (NY Times) See also: The E.P.A.’s Top 10 Toxic Threats, and Industry’s Pushback  Eric Lipton reports. (NY Times)

Return To The Salish Sea: Seaflora CEO Diane Bernard, “The Seaweed Lady”
Beneath the surface of the Salish Sea, there are hundreds of species of seaweeds growing. They provide habitat and nutrition for many forms of marine life. In Sooke, just west of Victoria in British Columbia, one entrepreneur has developed a line of skin-care products made from foraged kelp.   “Poor seaweeds, they have such a PR problem!” exclaims Diane Bernard, the founder and CEO of Seaflora. “Part of my job is to really improve that and to have people understand this coastline,” she says as she stands in the tide pools on her local beach, surrounded by buckets of plant material in diverse colors and textures. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Climate scientists, La Conner officials discuss preparing for future flooding
Someday, the waterfront businesses along La Conner’s First Street may be raised to allow coastal floodwater to wash under them. A barrier along the east edge of the street could keep the water from pushing farther into town. That was an idea generated recently by town officials and Skagit Climate Science Consortium scientists who together brainstormed ways to handle the town’s flood risks, which are increasing as the global climate warms. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald) See also: EPA keeps scientists from speaking about report on climate   Michelle R. Smith reports. (Associated Press)

B.C. crab and prawn fishermen dispute Port of Vancouver no-go zones
Crab fisherman Stewart McDonald is steaming mad that he may soon be prevented by the Port of Vancouver from dropping crab traps around Vancouver's Burrard Inlet, where he's fished for more than two decades. "We fish there all the time," McDonald said from his home base in False Creek, where he has operated for the past 20 years. McDonald says the fishing grounds, especially the water to the west of the Lions Gate Bridge are fertile crab and prawn areas, representing tens of thousands of dollars worth of harvest for him a year…. On Friday, the Port of Vancouver, Canada's largest port, confirmed it has made changes to its information guide, which provides rules for where vessels — like McDonald's fishing boat — can travel. A port spokesman said the changes were needed because the waters were getting crowded with recreational boaters. Chad Pawson reports. (CBC)

So what do you think about the significant changes being proposed to the waterfront? 
(Bellingham) Many seemed intrigued, but not ready to render a strong opinion about the proposed changes to the Waterfront District. The Technology Alliance Group for Northwest Washington hosted an event this past Wednesday night at the nearly finished Granary Building. Part of the event was to kick off its Tech Summit festivities, but much of the discussion was around the waterfront as officials from Harcourt Developments, Port of Bellingham and the city answered questions about the former Georgia-Pacific property, which sits near the downtown core. More than 100 community members and technology company officials were at the event. The biggest changes, first presented at a Port of Bellingham commission meeting this past Tuesday, involves the park, known unofficially as Bay or Serpentine. Dave Gallagher reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  300 AM PDT Mon Oct 23 2017  
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY FOR HAZARDOUS SEAS IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS  AFTERNOON  
TODAY  SE wind to 10 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 12 ft at 13 seconds. Patchy fog  in the morning.
TONIGHT  SE wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell  8 ft at 14 seconds. Patchy fog after midnight.

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