3/20 Dogfish, 'L124,' saving orcas, Roundup, Dem enviro lege, Salish Sea Wild, derailment, ship collision, BC pipe, eye in sky, Teri Gobin, plastic ban

Spiny dogfish [WDFW]

Spiny dogfish Squalus suckleyi
A small coastal shark that typically has a dark brown to grey body with a white belly. Occasionally this species has white spots on the upper body. Spiny dogfish have a single, prominent, mildly venomous spine at the front of each dorsal fin. This species lacks an anal fin, as do all of its relatives (Squaliform sharks). The snout is long, flattened and pointed. Teeth in both jaws are flat with sharp edges, forming a continuous cutting edge. Spiny dogfish are seasonally abundant from spring through late fall in most portions of Puget Sound. (WDFW)

Correction: Regarding yesterday's story about the sighting of the calf L124 [Newest Puget Sound orca calf continues to survive ] Amy Fowler from Washington DC notes that "the Center for Whale Research encounter referenced in the post about L124 was actually transients. The T group seen does have a new calf, but it’s not L124. I haven’t seen any reports of any L pod encounters in March. Hopefully I’m wrong and the calf has been seen, but it wouldn’t surprise me if the Task Force was misinformed."

Money, time in short supply to save southern resident orcas
Time and money are in short supply in the race to save the region's endangered southern resident orcas. One year ago this month, Gov. Jay Inslee signed an executive order to form a 2-year orca task force. Monday's meeting in Lacey kicked off the second year, but the battle against extinction is just beginning.... Inside, task force members faced the reality of how far they have come in the past year and how far they still have to go. The biggest battle they face is funding. Simone Del Rosario reports. (KCPQ)

U.S. jury finds Bayer's Roundup caused man's cancer
A U.S. jury on Tuesday found Bayer AG’s glyphosate-based weed killer caused a man’s non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in a bellwether trial that may help determine the course of hundreds of similar cases. The finding by the unanimous jury in San Francisco federal court clears the way for that same jury to determine if Bayer unit Monsanto is liable and must pay damages to California resident Edwin Hardeman in a second trial phase. Bayer in a statement on Tuesday said it was disappointed with the jury’s initial decision. Jim Christie reports. (Reuters)

Analysis: Democrats leverage legislative majority in favor of environmental policy
One of the big, trending topics in Olympia this year is the environment. After years of divided control, Democrats now hold the majority in both chambers of the Legislature. And environmental activists see an opportunity to pass a number of new laws. Olympia correspondent Austin Jenkins shares what’s on the agenda in his weekly chat with Morning Edition host Kirsten Kendrick. (KNKX)

If you like to watch: The Risky Business of Saving Seabirds
Dark nights, treacherous seas and tiny boats: Team Seadoc takes science to the edge to help save one of the most remarkable endangered species in the Salish Sea--because sometimes even the superhero of seabirds needs our help. Written and produced by Bob Friel. Salish Sea Wild, Episode 3. (SeaDoc Society)

23-car derailment shuts down Union Pacific line, prompts controlled burn of hazardous chemical
The Union Pacific line that runs through Eastern Washington has been shut down since Friday by a 23-car derailment near Ritzville, Adams County, that included a hazardous cargo spill of sodium chlorate and subsequent fire that flared over the weekend. No one was injured in the incident that Union Pacific reports was triggered by a rock slide and left 11 of the 23 cars derailed inside a tunnel. The spill of sodium chlorate, a crystalline chemical used in bleaching paper pulp, occurred in one train car that derailed outside the tunnel. The state Department of Ecology reports the spill and subsequent ignition of the chemical occurred in a remote area — distant from water sources as well as residences. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times)

Human error or mechanical failure? Mystery remains around Vancouver freighter collision
The Transportation Safety Board says it's still investigating whether a collision between two freighters in Vancouver Harbour early Sunday morning was the result of human error or a mechanical problem. TSB marine investigation manager Mohan Raman told CBC that the M.V. Pan Acacia had a 20 centimetre hole torn in its bow when it was struck by the M.V. Caravos Harmony. At the time of the collision, the Caravos Harmony was heading to a bunker station to fuel up. it was under its own power and was being operated by a pilot. The Pan Acacia was at anchor. Karin Larsen reports. (CBC)

B.C. tells Trans Mountain court hearing it won't reject pipelines without cause
A lawyer representing British Columbia says proposed changes to an environmental law won't allow the province to refuse to provide a permit to a pipeline operator for no reason. B.C.'s Court of Appeal is hearing a reference case that asks whether the province can create a permitting system for transporters of hazardous substances through its territory. The governments of Canada, Alberta and Saskatchewan say Ottawa — not provinces — has jurisdiction over inter-provincial projects such as the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. Canada says in court documents that the proposed amendments to B.C.'s Environmental Management Act must be struck down because they give the province a "veto" over such projects. (Canadian Press)

New surveillance plane to monitor Vancouver Island fisheries
A new surveillance plane is set to help monitor fisheries and catch illegal activity in the waters off Vancouver Island. Contracted by Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO), the aircraft will be based out of Campbell River Airport on the island's east coast. It's one of three new bases from which Canada's coasts will be monitored, with the others in St. John's and Halifax... In addition to catching illegal fishing, the planes can also gather information about vessel movement, environmental conditions, pollution levels and species. Clare Hennig reports. (CBC)

New Tulalip tribal leader is following in her dad’s footsteps
As a child, she watched how hard her father worked. He’d spend eight-hour days on tribal business followed by two or three hours readying his fishing boat at the Tulalip Marina. Then he’d come home and pore over federal documents and contracts, absorbing every bit of knowledge he could. She admired how he would visit elders’ homes and attend each tribal member’s funeral, how he could speak his mind with diplomacy and seek answers with persistence. Stan Jones served on the Tulalip Tribes’ Board of Directors for 44 years, including 26 as tribal chairman. No one has served longer. He is 92 now, having stepped away from tribal leadership nearly a decade ago. His daughter, Teri Gobin, is in her third year on the tribal board. At an annual general council meeting Saturday, tribal members voted her their chairwoman. Eric Stevick reports. (Everett Herald)

Hawaii Weighs First-In-Nation Plastic Bans At Restaurants
Hawaii would be the first state in the U.S. to ban most plastics at restaurants under legislation that aims to cut down on waste that pollutes the ocean. Dozens of cities across the country have banned plastic foam containers, but Hawaii’s measure would make it the first to do so statewide. Hawaii has already mandated renewable energy use and approved an upcoming prohibition on sunscreen ingredients that harm coral. A second, more ambitious proposal would go even further and prohibit fast-food and full-service restaurants from distributing and using plastic drink bottles, utensils, stirring sticks, bags and straws. The Hawaii efforts would be stricter than in California, which last year became the first state to ban full-service restaurants from automatically giving out plastic straws, and broader than in Seattle, San Francisco and other cities that have banned some single-use plastics. (Associated Press)


Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  247 AM PDT Wed Mar 20 2019   
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL NOON PDT TODAY   
TODAY  SE wind 15 to 25 kt becoming E 5 to 15 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft subsiding to 2 ft or less in the  afternoon. W swell 6 ft at 14 seconds. 
TONIGHT  SE wind to 10 kt becoming W 10 to 20 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 5 ft at 13 seconds.



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