12/31 Cutthroat trout, San Juan salmon, BC population, Trump's mercury, commercial crabbing

12/31/18 Salish Sea News and Weather


Cutthroat trout [Timothy Knepp, USFWS]

Cutthroat trout Oncorhynchus clarkii
The cutthroat trout is a fish species of the family Salmonidae native to cold-water tributaries of the Pacific Ocean, Rocky Mountains, and Great Basin in North America. As a member of the genus Oncorhynchus, it is one of the Pacific trout, a group that includes the widely distributed rainbow trout. (Wikipedia)

San Juan County projects receive more than $120,000 for salmon recovery
Salmon recovery projects in San Juan County were awarded $277,742 from the Washington Salmon Recovery Funding Board on Dec. 10. The board issued nearly $18 million in grants for projects to restore salmon habitat to bring the iconic fish back from the brink of extinction. An estimated 75 percent of the funded projects will benefit Chinook salmon, which make up a large part of the southern resident orca whale diet. (Islands Weekly)

B.C.'s population passes 5 million, thanks to high international migration numbers
The population of British Columbia has passed the five million mark for the first time, according to a Statistics Canada estimation.  The report says international migration is to thank for the spike — as it is in every province that saw a population increase.  Canada's population was approximately 37.2 million on Oct. 1, up 184,000 from July 1. This was the largest population increase in number since 1971. (CBC)

Trump EPA Says Mercury Limits On Coal Plants Too Costly, Not 'Necessary'
In another proposed reversal of an Obama-era standard, the Environmental Protection Agency Friday said limiting mercury and other toxic emissions from coal and oil fired power plants is not cost-effective, and should not be considered ‘appropriate and necessary.’ The EPA says it’s keeping the 2012 restrictions in place for now, in large part because utilities have already spent billions to comply with them. But environmental groups worry the move is a step toward repealing the limits, and could make it harder to impose other regulations in the future. In a statement, the EPA said it’s “providing regulatory certainty by transparently and accurately taking account of both costs and benefits.” Jennifer Ludden and Jeff Brady report. (NPR)

After Delay, Oregon Crab Season Set To Open Jan. 4 .
Despite fears that the season opener for Dungeness crab could be further delayed, commercial fishermen will be able to set their gear Tuesday in parts of Oregon and Washington state, fishery managers announced. Fishermen will be able to start pulling their gear on Friday. The valuable commercial fishery traditionally starts on Dec. 1, but was delayed after tests showed crab had not filled out enough. In Oregon, from Cape Arago south to Gold Beach, crab are still below the state’s meat quality criteria and these areas will remain closed. Katie Frankowicz reports. (Daily Astorian)


Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  806 AM PST Mon Dec 31 2018   
TODAY  E wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 6 ft  at 12 seconds. 
TONIGHT  S wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 5 ft  at 11 seconds.


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