6/6 Mudminnow, salmon catch, BC pipe, spill protection, Gov's Pt., Brinnon resort, Site C, diving crows

Olympic mudminnow [Julie A. Tyson, USFWS]

Olympic mudminnow Novumbra hubbsi
The Olympic mudminnow is one of five species worldwide in the family Umbridae and is the only member of the genus Novumbra.... The current distribution of the Olympic mudminnow includes the southern and western lowlands of the Olympic Peninsula, the Chehalis and lower Deschutes River drainages, and south Puget Sound, west of the Nisqually River. They are usually found in slow-moving streams, wetlands and ponds. Within these habitats, mudminnows require a muddy bottom, little or no water flow and abundant aquatic vegetation.... Little is known about mudminnow mortality. However, they are less abundant when associated with both native and exotic species of fish. It is not known whether this is a result of competition or predation, but some combination is likely. Mudminnows are carnivorous and they eat a various assortment of invertebrates. (WDFW, 1999)

Puget Sound anglers impacted, buyers forced to outsource by decreasing salmon population
The Puget Sound is home to more than 200 fish species. However, none are likely more iconic than the salmon is to the Seattle area. For decades, salmon has been an integral part of tribal communities, but it’s also a major source of food and a huge part of our local economy. According to the state, our salmon supply is shrinking and more than just dollars and cents – anglers, like Mark Riedesel worry that if the population dies– so could one of the Puget Sound's favorite past times. Riedesel serves as the President of Bellingham Puget Sound Anglers and also owns Barleans Fishery--a seafood shop in Bellingham. Katie Boer reports. (KCPQ)


Protesters greet PM at meeting with Trans Mountain pipeline's Indigenous-led oversight committee
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau was greeted by dozens of protesters as he arrived at the Cheam Multiplex in the B.C. Fraser Valley for a meeting about the Trans Mountain pipeline. He arrived in the Sto:lo community of Cheam early Tuesday to meet with members of the Indigenous Advisory and Monitoring Committee. The Indigenous-led committee was struck following the approval of the Trans Mountain expansion project. It was designed to be a collaborative group, comprising 13 Indigenous representatives and six federal representatives. "This committee has been set up so that all the different communities along this Trans Mountain expansion pipeline route … are able to weigh in and participate in decisions that are made that will affect them as we move forward with this project," said Trudeau in his opening remarks before the media were asked to leave. Chantelle Bellrichard reports. (CBC)

Heiltsuk Horizon Announces First Nations/Industry Partnership to Protect Canada’s Oceans
A BC First Nation and Canadian marine and offshore company announced Friday they have teamed up in a unique partnership to help prevent and respond to marine incidents on Canada’s West Coast, and to improve marine emergency response capacity in Indigenous and coastal communities. The newly-formed Heiltsuk Horizon Maritime Services Limited has submitted a proposal to supply two emergency towing vessels to the Canadian Coast Guard – through funding announced in November 2016 as part of the federal government’s $1.5 billion Oceans Protection Plan. (Alaska Native News)

For decades, Bellingham wouldn't supply water to Governors Point. So why will it now
After decades of saying no, the city has agreed to supply water for new homes on Governors Point in exchange for a trail and nature reserve, which will be open to the public, on much of the undeveloped peninsula. On Monday, the City Council voted unanimously to supply water to 16 homes on the 125-acre property, which is outside city limits and Bellingham's Urban Growth Area. It is located off Chuckanut Drive south of Bellingham. In doing so, the council agreed that the proposal was in the city's best interest, one of the most important criteria the request for water had to meet. Kie Relyea reports. (Bellingham Herald)


Proposed resort near Brinnon tops big hurdle
Jefferson County commissioners have taken major steps to move forward the long-proposed Pleasant Harbor Master Planned Resort, allowing the developer to begin filing for permits. The commissioners unanimously approved an ordinance that provides for development regulations of the Pleasant Harbor Master Planned Resort near Brinnon and approved to adopt a development agreement for the resort during their meeting Monday. “We thank the community and the county commissioners for finally reaching a consensus that this is a good opportunity for the community and for Jefferson County,” said Garth Mann, president and CEO of Statesman Group of Calgary, Alberta, which proposed the development in 2006. “We’re looking forward to creating something special for the community.” Mann did not offer a timeline for the project, but said the goal is to move as quickly as possible. He said the company can now work with engineers and architects. He said the company is waiting through a 30-day period in which people can file appeals. Jesse Major reports. (Peninsula Daily News)


Site C flood zone continues to reveal biological treasures
On her last day in the Peace River Valley, botanist Erica Wheeler finally spotted the elusive species she had sought. There it was, in full flower, on the Boons’ farm. The brittle prickly pear cactus, Opuntia fragilis. It looked as though someone had stuck a frilly yellow rose on a stubby cactus spiked with needles. With a nod from Arlene Boon, who had led Wheeler through native grassland to this concealed spot along Cache Creek, the botanist scrambled down the sandy embankment to survey her find. The flower’s outside petals were almost sheer, its centre deep yellow like a yolk. Wheeler, the botany collections manager at the Royal B.C. Museum in Victoria, needed only a second’s prompting from Arlene to pull out her sampling knife. Carefully, she sliced the cactus near its base, leaving roots to grow other stems, fruit, and flowers. Then she tucked the sample into her plastic collections bag. It would be dried in a press for several days and shipped back to the museum by Greyhound bus, in the company of hundreds of other plant specimens that Wheeler and other museum botanists had collected during five memorable days of sampling in the Site C flood and erosion zone. Sarah Coz report. (Times Colonist)

Vancouverites are on high alert as crows dive-bomb pedestrians
Jessica Manhas was walking down Richards Street past the Choice's Market at the corner of Davie Street when four crows dive bombed her for an entire block. "I was screaming the whole way," said Manhas. "I didn't know if I should quickly go into a corner store or something for shelter." But Wayne Goodey, a zoology professor at UBC said attacks like these aren't uncommon because male and female crows will often take turns attacking passersby. Crows are notorious for dive bombing pedestrians across the city annually, this year being no exception and the season may even last a bit longer. Haley Lewis reports. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--

West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  241 AM PDT Wed Jun 6 2018   

TODAY  SE wind to 10 kt becoming N in the afternoon. Wind waves  1 ft or less. W swell 8 ft at 11 seconds. A chance of rain in the  morning. 

TONIGHT  NW wind 5 to 15 kt in the evening becoming light. Wind  waves 2 ft or less. W swell 7 ft at 11 seconds.

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