3/8 Chuckanuts, restrict fishing, scaring sea lions, WA orca watch rules, "Type D" orcas, Island Trust-Bowen Island

Chuckanut Mountains [waterboy881/Wikepedia]

 Chuckanut Mountains
The Chuckanut Mountains (from "Chuckanut", a native word for "Long beach far from a narrow entrance", or Chuckanuts, are located on the northern Washington state coast of the Salish Sea, just south of Bellingham, Washington. Being a part of the Cascade Range, they are the only place where the Cascades come west down to meet the sea. The Chuckanuts are considered to be a part of the Puget Lowland Forest Ecoregion. The range contains Larrabee State Park, the first State Park to be designated in Washington (1923). (Wikipedia)

Feds could restrict Pacific Ocean fishing over endangered orcas, NOAA letter says
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is taking a fresh look at whether new fishing restrictions are needed to help prevent the extinction of endangered southern resident killer whales that frequent Puget Sound. New evidence of the fish the whales depend on and the risk posed to orcas by depleted prey has caused the agency to write a letter of guidance to the Pacific Fishery Management Council, indicating the agency is examining whether new restrictions are needed — particularly on fisheries in the Lower Columbia and Sacramento River and on fall-run chinook salmon in the Klamath River. The council is one of eight regional entities across the nation that sets fishing seasons off the coasts of Washington, Oregon and California on a wide variety of species, including salmon. The agency in 2009 concluded fisheries did not jeopardize the survival and recovery of killer whales. Lynda Mapres reports. (Seattle Times)

Video of B.C. fisherman throwing explosive into crowd of sea lions sparks controversy
Federal fishery officials are investigating after a video was posted to Facebook featuring a man throwing a small explosive toward a group of sea lions in the Strait of Georgia. The clip displays commercial fisherman, Allan Marsden lighting the fuse of a 'bear banger' — a small explosive device used to scare bears or other animals — before tossing it into the water.  It was posted on Tuesday evening to the Pacific Balance Pinniped Society Facebook page, which describes itself as a group of British Columbians who advocate for monitoring and population management of seals and sea lions. Marsden says he used the bear banger to disperse the sea lions — not to kill them.... Marsden said he took part in the video to educate the public that sea lions pose a threat to the fishing industry.  Cory Correia reports. (CBC)

House, Senate pass bills limiting boat distance from orcas
The Senate and House have each passed measures seeking to give the state's endangered orca population some space. The House and Senate on Thursday passed their own versions of a bill to reduce vessel noise and disturbance by increasing the distance boats must stay from the southern resident orcas. Current law requires boats to not approach and to disengage engines within 200 yards from orcas. Both bills increase that distance to 300 yards, add a prohibition on being positioned within 400 yards behind an orca and add a speed limit of 7 knots when within one-half of a nautical mile of an orca. The bills also implement a commercial whale watching license and fees. The Senate bill passed on a 46-3 vote and the House bill passed on a 78-20 vote. Either of the bills needs to pass through the other chamber before heading to Gov. Jay Inslee's desk. (Associated Press)

Scientists find new type of killer whale off coast of Chile after 14-year search 
A team of international scientists working off the tip of southern Chile got their first live look at what might be a new species of killer whale, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Scientists had believed that the so-called “Type D” whales — which appear to be distinct from other previously identified whale species — existed based on a stranding 60 years ago in New Zealand and from scattered tourists’ photographs and fishermen’s stories, the federal agency said in a news statement made public on Thursday. Christine Clarridge reports. (Seattle Times)

Joint council meeting delves into Islands Trust-Bowen relationship
It was standing room only Monday night, when the Islands Trust executive committee and key staffers visited the island for a joint council meeting. The topic at the tip of Bowenites’ tongues was the proposed $332,658 2019 tax levy from the Islands Trust, an increase of 13 per cent over last year. The levy part of the budget going to Trust council next week. Pleas from six impassioned public commenters and 46 letters from islanders ranged from support for the trust, negotiating down Bowen’s contribution, to Bowen leaving the Trust entirely. Bronwyn Beairsto reports. (Bowen Island Undercurrent)


Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  239 AM PST Fri Mar 8 2019   
TODAY  E wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SE to 10 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 12 seconds. A chance of  showers in the morning. 
TONIGHT  E wind to 10 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 11 seconds. 
SAT  E wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SE in the afternoon. Wind waves  2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 16 seconds. 
SAT NIGHT  N wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell  6 ft at 19 seconds. 
SUN  SE wind 5 to 15 kt becoming E to 10 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 9 ft at 18 seconds.



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