4/11 Greenling, BC pipe, workers' climate, Trump's pipes, save orcas, rabbit virus, fisheries open & close, oil change

Kelp greenling [Janna Nichols/WDFW]

Kelp greenling Hexagrammos decagrammus
Kelp greenling range from the Aleutian Islands, Alaska to La Jolla, California. They are rare in southern California, but common northward. They are found in rocky inshore areas and are common in kelp beds and on sand bottoms at depths up to 46 m (150 ft). Kelp greenling can grow up to 53 cm (21 in) in length, and 2.1 kg (4.6 lbs) in weight. Maximum age is 18 years old (Northern SE Alaska) and 25 years old (Oregon). (WDFW)

B.C. Green leader agrees Trans Mountain pipeline approval could come as soon as May
B.C. Green party leader Andrew Weaver says Alberta Premier Rachel Notley may be right with her claim the controversial twinning of the Trans Mountain pipeline will get the go ahead in May. “Trudeau has essentially been saying the pipeline will be approved all along,” Weaver told Postmedia News on Wednesday. “Cabinet has 90 days to make a decision after the NEB made their (February) recommendation and that brings it to May 22. “(Rachel) Notley put two and two together. I suspect she is adding up what’s publicly available.” On Monday, while campaigning for the April 16 provincial election, the Alberta premier said she expected the $9.3 billion twinning of the Trans Mountain pipeline to be approved by the federal government by the end of May. David Carrigg reports. (Canadian Press)

More than 3,500 Amazon employees challenge company to lead on climate-change policies
In an unprecedented public push to change Amazon policies, more than 3,540 employees have put their names to a letter asking CEO Jeff Bezos and the commerce giant’s board of directors to become global leaders in fighting climate change. The letter, posted Wednesday to Medium, is the latest step up in an internal drive by employees for a comprehensive corporate climate strategy. The group is asking Amazon to set timelines that keep pace with the scientific consensus to avoid ever-greater climate catastrophes, and commensurate with the company’s industry-leading position. Benjamin Romano reports. (Seattle Times)

Trump's order would make it harder to block pipelines, and projects such as Longview coal-export terminal
President Donald Trump signed an executive order Wednesday that could make it harder for state governments to block energy-development projects such as a proposed coal-export terminal in southwest Washington that has failed to get a permit because of environmental concerns. In making the announcement, Trump lashed out at “state-level abuse of water-quality certifications.” He signed the order in Crosby, Texas, in the heart of oil and gas country, touting what business groups have been urging: faster approval of major energy projects. Hal Bernton reports. (Seattle Times) See also: Trump Signs Orders to Speed Up Oil and Gas Pipeline Construction   Clifford Krauss reports. (NY Times)

Woman on a 17-day hunger strike to save Southern Resident orcas
Lanni Johnson is a 71-year-old woman who has been sitting in front of the Capitol Building in Olympia for the past 10 days on a hunger strike. Johnson said Tuesday that the government is taking too long to solve the problem of declining food supply for the Southern Resident orcas.... She sits outside from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day with a sign that reads, “Solidarity with starving Southern Resident Orcas. Breach the Dams! Now!” Johnson and fellow supporters plan to host a larger event on the steps of the Capitol in Olympia on Friday, where they will have “ghost fins” representing the 53 orcas that have died since 2005.  Emma Epperly reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Province warns rabbit owners as deadly virus returns on Vancouver Island
A highly infectious virus that affects rabbits has been found again on Vancouver Island, prompting a warning for people in the mid-Island to take precautions with their pet bunnies. The warning comes after the death of four feral rabbits in Parksville, B.C. Testing of the rabbits confirmed the presence of rabbit hemorrhagic disease, caused by a calicivirus. This marks the second year in a row that the virus has been found in mid-Island rabbits, but the source of the virus is unknown, said B.C.'s ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development. (CBC)

Marine salmon fisheries close Thursday
Salmon fishing in some Skagit County waters will close Thursday, 20 days earlier than planned, in order to ensure the conservation of wild chinook salmon. The fishery is closing in Skagit Bay and surrounding waters east of Fidalgo and Whidbey islands. Snohomish county waters east of Whidbey and Camano islands are also affected by the closure. State Department of Fish & Wildlife Puget Sound Salmon Manager Mark Baltzell said the agency decided to close the fishery based on the number of chinook caught, including hatchery fish that were kept and wild fish that were released. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Recreational shrimp fishery to open May 11 in Puget Sound
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife announced Wednesday that recreational shrimp fishing will open May 11 in Puget Sound.  This year’s fishing season will begin a week later than in 2018 due to tidal conditions and is open to spot, pink and coonstripe shrimp. Department officials said spot shrimp, also known as prawns, are the largest shrimp in Puget Sound and can grow up to nine inches long. (KIRO) See also: Halibut fishing to open May 2 with bigger quotas  (Chinook Observer)

Changing your own oil? The biggest challenge may be finding somewhere to recycle it
Cole Montagano, 24, changes the oil in his 1997 Toyota Supra every couple of months. He does the job himself and, after the last couple of changes, had accumulated about 12 litres of old oil. The West Vancouver resident decided it was time to get rid of the engine oil and set out to find a place to discard it. "I thought it would be easy," said Montagano on Tuesday. "Boy, was I wrong." Rafferty Baker reports. (CBC)


Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  259 AM PDT Thu Apr 11 2019   
TODAY  Light wind becoming E to 10 kt in the afternoon. Wind  waves 1 ft or less. W swell 7 ft at 10 seconds. Rain likely in  the morning then rain in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  SE wind to 10 kt in the evening becoming light. Wind  waves 1 ft or less. W swell 7 ft at 11 seconds. A chance of  showers in the evening then a slight chance of showers after  midnight.



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