5/31 Cape Scott, white killer whale, Columbia chinook, sewage spill, returning garbage, BC pipe, starving puffins, local news

Cape Scott

Cape Scott Provincial Park
Cape Scott Provincial Park is a provincial park located at the cape of the same name, which is the northwestern tip of Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. It was established in 1973 with about 37,200 acres, and later expanded to approximately 22,294 hectares. The Kwakwaka'wakw First Nations created trails through the area that includes the park, using these trails for trade, to harvest resources, and to visit locations that were considered sacred. Three First Nations reserves are within the park, including the former village of Nahwitti. In 1786, the area was named "Cape Scott" in honour of David Scott, a merchant of Mumbai (Bombay), who had backed James Strange's maritime fur trade voyage to the Pacific Northwest Coast.  (Wikipedia)

Rare white killer whale spotted in B.C. waters
A rare, young white killer whale has been spotted and photographed in the waters off Nanaimo, B.C. Researchers say it's been a decade since anyone's seen an orca like that in provincial waters."I had heard about them before, but I never thought in my life I would see one with my own eyes," said Val Watson, a naturalist with Vancouver Island Whale Watch. "I was just amazed." (CBC)

Chinook bust on the Columbia: Spring returns worse than forecast on Northwest's largest river
Darren Ogden hefted the big chinook salmon, meaty and lustrous, a rare and welcome sight in a bad year for returns of adult spring chinook.Fish managers have had to downgrade their forecasts regarding spring chinook returning to the Columbia River twice, from an already gloomy outlook with returns so far at 30% below initial projections, according to the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW).... The chinook bust is puzzling fish managers. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Sewage spills into Percival Creek, prompting warning about water contact in area
People are being urged to avoid contact with the water in Percival Creek, Capitol Lake and inner Budd Inlet after a large volume of sewage spilled at South Puget Sound Community College’s Olympia campus earlier in the week. The spill occurred south of parking lot H at SPSCC and contaminated Percival Creek downstream from a construction site. Public health officials are asking people and pets to avoid water contact until testing shows all the downstream water bodies are safe, a Thurston County Public Health news release said. (Olympian)

Canadian garbage on its way from Philippines to Vancouver
Sixty-nine shipping containers of fetid trash are on their way back to Canada, after being loaded onto a container ship in the Philippines port of Subic. The last container was put aboard the MV Bavaria shortly after 3 a.m. Friday in the Philippines. Earlier in the day, Philippines Foreign Secretary Teddy Locsin posted video and photos to his Twitter account showing the containers being loaded onto the ship. (Canadian Press)

Alberta government targets Horgan, high gas prices in new pro-pipeline ad campaign
The province of Alberta is hoping to sway British Columbians with a $1.1 million ad campaign supporting the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. More than 30 billboards are going up around the Lower Mainland, as well as newspaper, radio and social media ads alluding to high gas prices and targeting Premier John Horgan. Alberta Energy Minister Sonya Savage, who travelled to Vancouver to promote the campaign, said it will run until June 18 when the federal government is expected to deliver its decision regarding the future of the pipeline. (CBC)

Puffins found starving to death in mass die-off likely linked to climate change, study suggests
Thousands of tufted puffins in the Bering Sea are dead partly because of starvation and stress brought on by changing climate conditions, researchers say. The puffins' food supply has been disrupted by changes in air and sea temperature, and in winter ice levels, according to a new study in the journal PLOS ONE. Tufted puffins normally feed on krill and small fish; food that is now going to bigger predators than the orange-beaked seabirds. Kelsey Mohammed reports. (CBC)

What is the future of local news in Tacoma?
InvestigateWest Executive Director Robert McClure recently spoke as part of a panel on “The Future of Our Local Press” at the University of Puget Sound, sponsored by the City Club of Tacoma and the League of Women Voters of Tacoma-Pierce County. (Investigate West)


Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  300 AM PDT Fri May 31 2019   
TODAY  W wind 5 to 15 kt rising to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 4 ft at 15 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 5 ft at 13 seconds. 
SAT  W wind to 10 kt rising to 15 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind  waves 1 ft or less building to 2 or 3 ft. W swell 5 ft at 10  seconds. 
SAT NIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming SW to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft subsiding to 1 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 7  seconds. 
SUN  Light wind becoming NW 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind  waves 2 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 8 seconds.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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5/30 Porcelain crab, Ocean Cleanup, beachcombing, freedom molecules, Northern pike, Roundup, Mosher

Porcelain crab [Flickr]

Porcelain crab Petrolisthes eriomerus
Porcelain crabs are not true crabs, but belong to a group called anomurans, making them more closely related to hermit crabs and king crabs.   One easily observed distinction between true cabs and anomurans is that in anomurans, only 4 pairs of legs are normally visible where as in true crabs, 5 pairs can be seen. Porcelain crabs have a unique defense mechanism in which if they are threatened or disturbed, they may drop one of their appendages.   The lost limb will eventually grow back. (Mary Jo Adams/Sound Stewards)

The Ocean Cleanup is Ready to Try Again
Last September, The Ocean Cleanup deployed System 001 into the Great Pacific Garbage Patch – marking the first-ever attempt to start cleaning it up. During the campaign, it was found that the system did not maintain a sufficient speed, allowing plastic to exit the system. Additionally, a stress concentration caused a fatigue fracture in the HDPE floater. The team has come up with solutions and could start testing them in the Great Pacific Garbage Patch in June. The main improvement of the structural design was to simplify the HDPE pipe and allow minimal fluctuations in the wall thickness. (Marine Executive)

Why Ocean Shores Beachcombing Is a Blast
Collectors at this year’s beachcombing fair in a Washington town had something surprising to put on display.This year, there’s a startling new addition to the fair. Chunks of unexploded anti-aircraft ordnance from the Second World War have been washing up along the broad white-sand beaches of Ocean Shores and the surrounding area with sudden and unexplained frequency. The area was an important navy base during the war, and unused munitions were likely disposed of in the area after peace was declared. Some mysterious oceanographic or geological quirk has uncovered them now. Residents are less riled by these new “sea shells” than by their disposal: they’re collected into piles on the beach and destroyed by the US Army in large—and loud—explosions.Katrina Pyne and Amorina Kingdon report. (Hakai Magazine)

Bremerton City Council to revisit ban on plastic bags
The Bremerton City Council is once again considering a ban on single-use plastic bags, part of a statewide effort to reduce waste and promote the use of reusable bags. City officials pondered a plastic bag ban last year, but the discussion was put on hold while the Legislature debated a bill that would have banned single-use plastic bags statewide. The bill passed the Senate in March but never made it to the House floor for a vote. Now, the issue is before the city again. Kitsap County and the city of Port Orchard are also re-examining their bag ban ordinances. (Kitsap Sun)

US energy department rebrands gas exports 'molecules of freedom'
US energy officials appeared to rebrand natural gas produced in the country as "freedom gas", in a statement announcing an increase in exports. The US Department of Energy said the expansion of a Texas facility meant more "molecules of US freedom" could be produced and exported worldwide. The facility, based in Quintana, produces liquified natural gas (LNG). The move was a clear indication of US commitment to promoting clean energy, the statement said. (BBC)

The Fight Is On To Save Columbia River Salmon From A Toothy Invader: Northern Pike
The fight to save Columbia River salmon could hinge on a major battle taking place in the basin’s biggest reservoir. It pits biologists against a fish: The invasive northern pike. Northern pike are aggressive. They eat anything in their path – they’ve even been spotted chomping on ducks and bats. That’s bad news for soft-bellied fish, like rainbow trout. Courtney Flatt reports. (NW Public Broadcasting)

Safe Or Scary? The Shifting Reputation Of Glyphosate, AKA Roundup
Farmers have been using this chemical, often under the trade name Roundup, for about four decades now. But now it’s under fierce attack, accused of causing cancer. In three civil cases so far, U.S. juries have ordered Roundup’s inventor, Monsanto, now owned by Bayer, to pay enormous damages to cancer survivors. Thousands more lawsuits have been filed. For this chemical, and for Monsanto, it’s a stunning change in fortunes. Dan Charles reports. (NPR)

Looking Back — to a place called Mosher on the shore of Puget Sound
About 1891, after Alderwood Manor/Lynnwood pioneer Charles Breed had built a cabin and prepared his 80-acre Swamp Creek homestead for residence, he gathered his family together, and with all their earthly possessions—clothing, household goods, food and grain, tools, farm equipment, and even their cattle—Mr. Breed and his wife Lillie, together with their five children, boarded a steamer to begin traveling to their wilderness home in south Snohomish County. The steamer carrying the Breed family landed on the shore of Puget Sound at Mosher—a place from the past.  From there, the family headed up the steep hill to Ruby Ranch, their new home many rugged miles to the east. Betty Lou Gaeng writes. (My Edmonds News)


Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  300 AM PDT Thu May 30 2019   
TODAY  W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. SW swell 4 ft  at 16 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. SW swell 4 ft  at 15 seconds.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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5/29 Sparrow, whale hit, boat threat, derelict crab pot, third party, Einstein's eclipse

White-crowned sparrow [Wikipedia]

White-crowned sparrow Zonotrichia leucophrys
In most parts of the West, the smartly patterned White-crown is very common at one season or another: summering in the mountains and the north, wintering in the southwestern lowlands, present all year along the coast. Winter birds usually live in flocks, rummaging on the ground near brushy thickets, perching in the tops of bushes when a birder approaches too closely. Different populations of White-crowns often have local "dialects" in their songs, and these have been intensively studied by scientists in some regions. (Audubon Field Guide)

Ferry hits whale in Elliott Bay while on Bainbridge Island run
Passengers on the ferry Wenatchee were shaken Tuesday night after the vessel collided with a whale in Elliott Bay. The Wenatchee was running on the Seattle-Bainbridge Island route near Pier 66 when it hit the whale around 8:30 p.m. Washington State Ferries spokeswoman Diane Rhodes said the crew initially thought they hit a log but later spotted a whale bleeding to the side of the boat. Asia Fields reports. (Seattle Times)

Small recreational boats pose threat to endangered killer whales, says marine biologist
Keep your distance. That’s what all boaters must do when new whale watching rules become effective June 1, 2019. Boaters will now have to steer clear of southern resident killer whales by 400 metres. But some whale watching operators say they’ll do more than that. “We’ll be doing everything we can to avoid watching Southern Resident Killer Whales,” says Ben Duthie, general manager of Prince of Whales.... But not all boaters may be on board with the new rules.... “It’s not just the commercial whale watchers, it’s the opportunistic whale watchers,” says Lauren McWhinnie, marine biologist at UVic. “They aren’t as aware of the regulations. They don’t have as much experience on the water and how to behave around marine mammals.” According to a B.C. Boating Association 2015 report, nearly 1.9 million British Columbians get out on the water every year. Aaron Guillen reports. (CHEK) See also: Campaign launched for San Juan County Orca Protection Initiative  Sorrel North writes. (Islands Sounder)

$221,200 awarded to Jefferson and Clallam counties for derelict crab pot removal  
Each year an estimated 12,000 crab pots are lost in the Salish Sea, according to the Northwest Straits Foundation. These pots sit at the bottom of the sea and continue to trap crabs with no one to harvest them, resulting in the mortality of nearly 180,000 harvestable crab every year. To combat this problem, the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Foundation was awarded a $221,200 grant from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association’s Marine Debris Program. With matching funds from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife and the Martin Foundation, the Northwest Straits Foundation has begun a three year project to remove derelict crab pots from the Port Townsend and Dungeness Bays. Lily Haight reports. (Port Townsend Leader)

'We were wrong': Washington PAC supporting independents sees no future for centrist third party 
Eighteen months ago, a former Washington state Republican Party chair and a former Democratic congressman came together to launch Washington Independents, a new political-action committee dedicated to supporting centrist, independent candidates for office. “The American people are hungry for an alternative to the status quo, to the dysfunction and the gridlock in the two political parties,” former state Republican Party Chair Chris Vance said at the time. Not that hungry, it turns out. Vance and former Democratic Rep. Brian Baird announced Tuesday that they were suspending all operations of Washington Independents after the national group they partnered with, Unite America, chose to focus on electoral reforms rather than supporting independent candidates. David Gutman reports. (Seattle Times)

The Eclipse That Made Einstein Famous
Before 1919, cosmology was as subjective as art history. A solar eclipse, and a patent clerk’s equations, changed everything. A century ago, on May 29, 1919, the universe was momentarily perturbed, and Albert Einstein became famous. Siobhan Roberts reports. (NY Times)


Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  300 AM PDT Wed May 29 2019   
TODAY  W wind to 10 kt rising to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 4 ft at 16  seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 4 ft at 16 seconds.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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5/28 Thimbleberry, climate science attack, sea lice, Pebble Mine, gray whales

Thimbleberry [Lyn Topinka/Edible Acres]

Thimbleberry Rubus parviflorus Nutt.
Thimbleberry is a favorite berry of children and adults as well as other wildlife. The common name describes its appearance, as it does resemble a thimble from the top, where the thimble has little indentations to push down upon the needle. Imagine a raspberry but smaller, with smaller but more numerous fruitlets. These berries are tart and may be eaten raw, or cooked and made into jam or jelly and other food items such as pemmican or fruit leather. It is red when ripe. Forest Jay Gauna explains. (US Forest Service)

Trump Administration Hardens Its Attack on Climate Science
President Trump has rolled back environmental regulations, pulled the United States out of the Paris climate accord, brushed aside dire predictions about the effects of climate change, and turned the term “global warming” into a punch line rather than a prognosis. Now, after two years spent unraveling the policies of his predecessors, Mr. Trump and his political appointees are launching a new assault. In the next few months, the White House will complete the rollback of the most significant federal effort to curb greenhouse-gas emissions, initiated during the Obama administration. It will expand its efforts to impose Mr. Trump’s hard-line views on other nations, building on his retreat from the Paris accord and his recent refusal to sign a communiqué to protect the rapidly melting Arctic region unless it was stripped of any references to climate change. And, in what could be Mr. Trump’s most consequential action yet, his administration will seek to undermine the very science on which climate change policy rests. Coral Davenport and Mark Landler report. (NY Times)

Conservation groups sound alarm over another sea lice outbreak in Clayoquot Sound
Conservation groups that monitor Clayoquot Sound are sounding the alarm for the second spring in a row about high levels of a parasite that can harm juvenile wild salmon. Several salmon farms in the region on the west coast of Vancouver Island have again reported levels of sea lice in recent months that exceed what is allowed. Under Pacific Aquaculture Regulations, fish farms must monitor and manage the parasite — which can be deadly to farmed and wild fish. Megan Thomas reports. (CBC)

Can Wild Salmon and the Pebble Mine Coexist?
Posing a problem for the proposed Pebble Mine in Alaska, new research shows salmon rely on entire watersheds. Ashley Braun reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Dead gray whale found near Kalaloch is 24th on Pacific NW coast this year
Olympic National Park said a decomposing gray whale washed ashore Friday morning north of Kalaloch Campground. That makes the 24th dead whale stranding in Oregon and Washington this year during the northbound migration. Tom Banse reports. (NW News Network) See also: 3 more grey whales found dead on B.C. Coast  Three dead grey whales have washed ashore on Haida Gwaii, just off the northwestern coast of mainland B.C.Their discovery means more than 60 grey whales have been found beached and dead along the West Coast between California and Alaska this year, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration [NOAA]. Joe Ballard reports. (CBC) And, if you like to watch: Transient orcas seen feeding on gray whale in Puget Sound  A whale-watching tour witnessed a group of transient orcas feeding on a gray whale near Whidbey Island. Jennifer King reports. (KING)



Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  300 AM PDT Tue May 28 2019   
TODAY  NW wind to 10 kt becoming W 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft. W swell 4 ft at 10  seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 4 ft at 14 seconds.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

5/27 Hairy crab, Roberts Bank, trash burn, Skagit mining, BC pipe, train crew, Oly spill, Barnaby Reach, orca eating gray whale

Hairy shore crab [WikiMedia]

Hairy shore crab Hemigrapsus oregonensis
Hemigrapsus oregonensis is known under several common names, including yellow shore crab, hairy shore crab, green shore crab, mud-flat crab, and Oregon shore crab. This species typically lives in mud flats and can be found in large numbers in the San Francisco Bay, and coastal areas of Oregon and Washington states in the United States. Its diet primarily consists of diatoms and green algae, but it will occasionally eat meat. (Wikipedia)

Washington First Nations oppose Canadian shipping terminal plan
In a lifetime of fishing on the Salish Sea, Jay Julius of the Lummi Nation in Washington State says he's seen environmental degradation in the area first-hand. "We are at the tipping point and I think Mother Nature is speaking very loudly — the salmon, the conditions of the salmon, the conditions of the orca," said Julius, one of the nation's leaders. Lummi, a Coast Salish nation near Bellingham, is one of four Indigenous communities from the state just south of B.C.'s Lower Mainland sending members to present their case at a federal review panel hearing on the proposed Roberts Bank terminal expansion on Saturday. Rafferty Baker reports. (CBC)

Trash and burn: Metro Vancouver will incinerate Canadian garbage returned by Philippines
Dealing with 1,500 tonnes of contentious Canadian garbage is a dirty job — but somebody's got to do it — and as it turns out, that someone is going to be Metro Vancouver. Sixty-nine containers of garbage, shipped to the Philippines but mislabelled and rejected by that country's facilities, will return to Canada to be burned in Metro Vancouver's waste-to-energy incinerator in Burnaby. Metro Vancouver, in a Friday statement, said burning the trash was the most environmentally sustainable option. It added the garbage is mostly mixed plastic and paper with "low levels" of contaminants like electronics and household waste. Liam Britten reports. (CBC)

Members of Congress oppose mining Skagit River headwaters
Nine of the state’s federal legislators have joined the swell of opposition against an exploratory mining proposal for the headwaters of the Skagit River in British Columbia. The Democratic members of the state’s congressional delegation sent a letter this week to U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo voicing opposition to the proposal in which Imperial Metals Corporation of Canada wants to search the area where the Skagit River begins for gold and copper.... The letter is the latest statement of opposition to the proposal. It follows statements from Seattle and state officials, as well as tribal leaders and a variety of conservation and recreation groups. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

B.C. to appeal decision over control of Trans Mountain pipeline oil to Canada's top court
Attorney General David Eby said British Columbia will appeal the court decision that effectively killed the province's attempt to impose laws that would stop the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion.  "We believe we have the right and authority constitutionally to regulate harmful substances through B.C., however they get here," said Eby, announcing the province will appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada. Eby was reacting to the unanimous decision handed down by the B.C. Court of Appeal on Friday morning that ruled proposed environmental legislation to limit the flow of "heavy oil" into B.C. would be in direct conflict with federal jurisdiction over interprovincial pipelines. Karin Larsen reports. (CBC)

US withdraws train crew proposal that came after explosions
The Trump administration said Thursday it was withdrawing a proposal for freight trains to have at least two crew members, nullifying a safety measure drafted under President Barack Obama in response to explosions of crude oil trains in the U.S. and Canada. A review of accident data did not support the notion that having one crew member is less safe than multi-person crews, Department of Transportation officials said. The withdrawal also seeks to pre-empt states from regulating crew sizes. The 2016 proposal followed oil train derailments including a runaway oil train in 2013 that derailed, exploded and killed 47 people while levelling much of the town of Lac Megantic, Canada. Other derailments of trains carrying oil and ethanol have occurred in North Dakota, Oregon, Montana, Illinois, Virginia and other states. Matthew Brown reports. (Associated Press)

Tumwater oil spill cleanup will soon shift to Capitol Lake
Cleanup following an oil spill at the former Olympia Brewing Co. property in Tumwater will shift to Capitol Lake starting next week. Booms were previously deployed on the lake, but now crews will remove contaminated lake sediment. That work, which could be noisy, is scheduled to happen 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., seven days a week. Is it unknown how long the work will last, according to the state’s Department of Enterprise Services, which manages the lake. Abby Spegman reports. (Olympian)

Barnaby Reach restoration project moves forward
Five years after a proposal to restore fish habitat along Barnaby Slough in the upper Skagit River watershed shocked nearby residents, the project managers have released a study detailing current waterflow conditions in the area and a preliminary design for a portion of the project.... The Barnaby Reach is an area where migration of the Skagit River left side channels including Barnaby Slough, which lies near Rockport between where Illabot Creek and the Sauk River enter the Skagit. Development, however, including a former state fish hatchery, has blocked fish passage to an estimated 78.5 acres of those side channels. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Transient orcas seen feeding on gray whale in Puget Sound
A group of transient killer whales fed on a gray whale in Puget Sound on Saturday. The rare sighting was caught on camera by Naturalist Bart Rulon, on board the Puget Sound Express whale watching boat. Passengers witnessed four Bigg's orcas in typical hunting behavior near Possession Point, on the southeast tip of Whidbey Island. Jennifer King reports. (KING)




Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  248 AM PDT Mon May 27 2019   
TODAY  W wind to 10 kt becoming NW 10 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft in the  afternoon. NW swell 4 ft at 7 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. NW swell 4 ft at 8 seconds.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter. 

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told

5/24 Pika, Delta port, oil spill drill, bitumen limit, Navy tests. BC drought, methane conversion, Kimberly-Clark, Pomeroy Park

American pika [WikiMedia]

American pika Ochotona princeps
The American pika, known in the 19th century as the "little chief hare," is found in the mountains of western North America from central British Columbia and Alberta in Canada to the US states of Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado, Utah, Nevada, California and New Mexico.They live in boulder fields at or above the tree line. They are herbivorous, smaller relatives of rabbits and hares. (Wikipedia)

Whales vs. trade: Environmentalists push back against proposed port terminal in Delta
A proposed new marine container terminal in Delta, B.C., is facing pushback from environmentalists who believe the project will threaten whales and the salmon they depend on for survival. The Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project would create 108 hectares of new industrial land and build a new terminal with up to three berths for container ships. According to the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, the project will generate 1,500 terminal jobs. An independent federal review panel is currently considering arguments from industry and environmentalists. Margot Venton, a lawyer with Ecojustice, an environmental law firm fighting the case on behalf of environmental groups, said "the relationship between salmon and whales is hitting a critical point" and the project will exacerbate the problems already facing killer whales in the Salish Sea. Bridgette Watson reports. (CBC)

Canadian, U.S Coast Guards practice working together in case of cross border oil spill
Adequate oil spill response is paramount to maintain the health of the oceans. That’s why both the U.S and Canadian Coast guard, along with their spill response partners, were practising their joint response during a two-day simulated drill. They started in Port Angeles on Wednesday and then on Thursday, they were in the Strait of Juan de Fuca.... More than 5,000 deep sea vessels travel through the Salish Sea in designated shipping lanes each year on both sides of the border. Luisa Alvarez reports. (CHEK)

Trans Mountain: court to rule if B.C. can limit bitumen
A British Columbia court is set to rule Friday whether the province can restrict shipments of diluted bitumen through its borders, in what will be a crucial decision for the future of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. The province filed a reference question to the B.C. Court of Appeal that asked whether it had the constitutional authority to create a permitting regime for companies that want to increase their flow of oilsands crude. B.C. argued the law is aimed at protecting its lands, rivers and lakes from hazardous substances, but Alberta and the federal government have said the goal is to delay or block the pipeline expansion. Laura Kane reports. (National)

Thousands of marine animals at risk in Pacific Northwest from Navy tech tests, documents show
The Navy’s latest testing and training proposal in the Northwest reveals the secretive military branch’s futuristic technology and planned war-game maneuvers. It also outlines how Navy sonar and explosives could harm marine animals. The nearly 1,800-page document, two volumes of Navy bureaucratese, details proposals to test the Navy’s rail-gun system (it can fire projectiles at up to seven times the speed of sound), pilot mine-detecting underwater drones and fly its airborne surveillance drone at 50,000 feet. Evan Bush reports. (Seattle Times)

Drought: low snowpack, dry weather a concern across B.C., prairies
Drought forecasts from Agriculture Canada show most of British Columbia is abnormally dry or enduring some level of drought, similar to dry conditions that are being experienced across a swath of Western Canada. Snowpack levels in B.C. recorded on May 15 were similar to those in 2015 and 2016 and the B.C. River Forecast Centre says they are among the lowest in the last 40 years. It also says diminished snowpacks and early snow melt due to a warm spring increase the likelihood of low flows in rivers and streams across the province this summer. (Canadian Press)

Stanford researchers outline vision for profitable climate change solution
A relatively simple process could help turn the tide of climate change while also turning a healthy profit. That’s one of the hopeful visions outlined in a new Stanford-led paper that highlights a seemingly counterintuitive solution: converting one greenhouse gas into another.
A conceptual drawing of an industrial array for converting methane (CH4) to carbon dioxide (CO2) using catalytic materials called zeolites (CUII and FEIV). The study, published in Nature Sustainability on May 20, describes a potential process for converting the extremely potent greenhouse gas methane into carbon dioxide, which is a much less potent driver of global warming. The idea of intentionally releasing carbon dioxide into the atmosphere may seem surprising, but the authors argue that swapping methane for carbon dioxide is a significant net benefit for the climate. Rob Jordan reports. (Stanford News)

Port questions two companies’ deal to buy Kimberly-Clark site 
Two maritime companies have announced a deal to buy most of Kimberly-Clark’s former mill property, even as the Port of Everett considers condemning the land for public use. Representatives for Pacific Stevedoring and Glacier Fish Co. said Thursday they plan to buy 58 acres of the waterfront site for headquarters and operations. A cold storage warehouse, facilities to prepare food for resale, and office space would bring as many as 1,200 jobs to the waterfront, Pacific Stevedoring owner Andrew Murphy and Glacier President Jim Johnson said. Plans also include a working wharf. Noah Haglund reports. (Everett Herald)

No-contact advisory issued for Pomeroy Park beach
A popular Puget Sound swimming beach is off limits ahead of the holiday weekend because of high levels of bacteria in the water. The Kitsap Public Health District issued a no-contact advisory on Thursday for Pomeroy Park swimming beach in Manchester because of high levels of a bacteria called Enterococci, according to a press release... Enterococci bacteria indicate the presence of fecal pollution in the water, according to the health district, but specific sources of such pollution have not yet been identified. (Kitsap Sun)


Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  250 AM PDT Fri May 24 2019   
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON   
TODAY  W wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 8 ft  at 9 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming S 5 to 15 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 9 ft at 10 seconds. 
SAT  W wind 15 to 25 kt easing to 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 2 to 4 ft subsiding to 2 ft or less in the afternoon.  W swell 10 ft at 11 seconds subsiding to 7 ft at 10 seconds in  the afternoon. A chance of showers in the afternoon. 
SAT NIGHT  W wind to 10 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 10 seconds. 
SUN  NW wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at  9 seconds. 
SUN NIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 9 seconds. 
MON  W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. SW swell 4 ft.

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5/23 Kelp poacher, whale watch, oil lovers, coast guard ships, Tacoma LNG, Leque Is

Juvenile kelp poacher [Clinton Bauder]

Kelp poacher Agonomalus mozinoi
The kelp poacher is a fish in the family Agonidae (poachers). It was described by Norman Joseph Wilimovsky and Donald Edward Wilson in 1979, originally under the genus Hypsagonus. It is a marine, temperate water-dwelling fish which is known from northern British Columbia, Canada to central California, USA, in the eastern Pacific Ocean. (Wikipedia)

Battle over orca whale-watch restrictions heats up in San Juan County
An initiative has been filed to increase the distance whale-watch boats must keep from endangered southern-resident orcas — followed immediately by a lawsuit earlier this week from several whale-watch companies to keep the measure off the ballot. The initiative is to voters in San Juan County, and aimed for the November ballot to impose a new restriction on whale-watch boats and other vessels effective Jan. 1. The initiative would create a 650-yard vessel-free protected area around endangered southern-resident orcas while the whales are in San Juan County waters, with exemptions for law enforcement, research and treaty fishing boats. Backers have until July 8 to get the 1,635 signatures they need to get on the ballot. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Canada’s oil-loving Conservatives bet on climate change indifference
On the issue of climate change, Canada’s Conservatives comprise three factions of skeptics. First are those who dismiss all talk of global warming as mere left-wing alarmism, and therefore something that barely matters at all. Second are those willing to concede the issue matters in some abstract sense but who believe “addressing” it will extract too high a cost on Canada’s economy. Third are those who think it’s worth addressing but are skeptical the policies offered by Justin Trudeau’s Liberal administration in particular will work.  J.J. McCullough reports. (Washington Post)

Canada to spend $15.7B on new coast guard ships, Trudeau says
Canada plans to build up to 18 new coast guard ships at a cost of $15.7 billion in an effort to renew Canada's Coast Guard fleet,  Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Wednesday. Up to 16 of the ships will be constructed in a fleet renewal project anchored in Seaspan's Vancouver Shipyards. Two others — Arctic patrol ships that will be modified for the Canadian Coast Guard — will be built at Irving Shipyards in Nova Scotia. Peter Zimonjic and Andrew Davidson report. (CBC)

Groups to push back against plans for Tacoma gas plant
The fight over fracking is coming to Olympia Wednesday when the public plans to push back against plans for a gas plant in Tacoma. Governor Inslee used to support the plant, but he announced earlier this month that he would oppose the liquefied natural gas plant, and he's apparently not alone in the fight. The Puget Sound Energy “listening session” on the plant is slated for 4:30 p.m., and groups such as the Sierra Club are calling on the public to rally and pack the room to voice opposition to the 8-million-gallon storage plant. (KIRO) See also: 'Deceptive solution' or bridge fuel? Fight over half-built LNG project continues in Tacoma.  Bellamy Pailthorp and Kari Plog report. (KNKX)

Restoration work to continue on Leque Island
The state Department of Fish & Wildlife is preparing to begin the second phase of restoration work this summer at its Leque Island property near Stanwood. The island sits between Skagit Bay and Port Susan along a side channel of the Stillaguamish River. Fish & Wildlife is working on a restoration project to reopen estuary habitat, where freshwater and saltwater mix. The first phase of the work was completed in the fall of 2017. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)



Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  300 AM PDT Thu May 23 2019   
TODAY  Light wind becoming NW 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind  waves less than 1 ft becoming 2 ft or less in the afternoon. W  swell 7 ft at 9 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SW after midnight. Wind  waves 2 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 9 seconds building to 8 ft at  9 seconds after midnight.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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5/22 Saving bees, WA budget, feeding orcas, BC gas, reef-net fishing

Bee in action [Laurie MacBride]

Taking Action for Bees
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "Today, May 20, is World Bee Day, which is why I’m sharing an image of some of these industrious pollinators hard at work in my garden. The flower is Papaver somniferum, a poppy species which self-sows freely each summer, thanks to the effort of the many bees that visit our garden throughout the growing season. World Bee Day was first proposed on the international stage by Slovenia, and after three years of work by that nation and the world’s beekeepers, it was proclaimed unanimously by the United Nations – giving bees and other pollinators the recognition they deserve. You can learn more about the initiative here ...."

Inslee signs $52.4 billion budget decried by Republicans 
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee on Tuesday signed into law a $52.4 billion, two-year state budget that he said "rises to the needs of our time," but that minority Republicans quickly criticized as a "tax-and-spend home run."  To help fund the budget, Inslee also put his signature to a tax package worth at least $830 million over the next two years. It will raise taxes on big banks and other businesses, as well as end point-of-sale tax-free shopping in Washington for Oregon residents. The tax and spending bills were among dozens of pieces of legislation Inslee signed Tuesday during a final round of bill signing ceremonies at the Capitol following the 2019 legislative session. Austin Jenkins reports. (NW News Network) See also: Inslee signs budget, tax bills and orders $175M more to help salmon  Gov. Jay Inslee, determined to put more money toward helping salmon survival, on Tuesday directed the state to boost funding for court-ordered culvert repairs by $175 million over the next two years. Joseph O'Sullivan reports. (Seattle Times)

Lummi Nation wants to feed endangered southern resident orcas
Following news that two more southern resident orcas are struggling, one Washington tribe is calling on the federal government to help physically feed them. Lummi Nation calls the southern resident orcas qwe 'lhol mechen, which means our relatives under the water. They say they have a sacred obligation to take care of them and feed them like they would any other member of their family. Simone Del Rosario reports. (KCPQ)

Regulator investigating high gas prices in B.C. has power to examine gouging
British Columbia's independent energy regulator will have the power to call oil company representatives as witnesses into an investigation of high gasoline prices in the province. Premier John Horgan has tasked the B.C. Utilities Commission to examine the market factors that affect wholesale and retail gas prices, and he wants a report by Aug. 30. Gas prices hovering around $1.70 per litre in the Metro Vancouver area have been the highest in Canada for several months. (Canadian Press)

Reviving an outlawed fishery: 'the backbone of our Nation'
It was daybreak on a clear summer day. Nick Claxton stood at the boat launch with other members of the WSÁNEĆ Nation. They were on Pender Island, BC, at a W̱SÁNEĆ hereditary fishing location. The winds were calm, recalled Claxton. "A perfect day for fishing." Their ocean-going canoes were setting out onto the Salish Sea. They were ready to drop a full-size reef net, for the first time in a century. Claxton, who is from the Tsawout Band and is an assistant professor at the University of Victoria, had been thinking about this moment for almost a decade. Zoe Tennant reports. (CBC)


Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  244 AM PDT Wed May 22 2019   
TODAY  W wind to 10 kt becoming NW in the afternoon. Wind waves  1 ft or less. W swell 8 ft at 11 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SW to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 7 ft at 9 seconds.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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5/21 Buttercup, drought, sea rise, EPA math, Mukilteo ferry dock, Manke Lumber

Buttercup

Creeping buttercup Ranunculus repens
The creeping buttercup, is a flowering plant in the buttercup family Ranunculaceae, native to Europe, Asia and northwestern Africa. It is also called creeping crowfoot and (along with restharrow) sitfast. Like most buttercups, Ranunculus repens is poisonous, although when dried with hay these poisons are lost. The taste of buttercups is acrid, so cattle avoid eating them. The plants then take advantage of the cropped ground around it to spread their stolons. (Wikipedia)

Low snowpack, hot spring lead to drought declaration for nearly half of Washington state 
Washington Gov. Jay Inslee declared drought Monday for nearly half of Washington watersheds, as the mountain snowpack that churns through hydropower dams, irrigates our state’s orchards and provides for fish continues to dwindle well below normal. Twenty days into May, “our statewide snowpack is the fourth-lowest it’s been over the past 30 years,” said Jeff Marti, the drought coordinator for the Washington Department of Ecology. Winter left many areas of the state with lower-than-normal snowpack. A hot, dry spring quickly zapped much of the snow that did accumulate. Evan Bush reports. (Seattle Times) See also: Nooksack expected to be 25 percent below average. Here’s how the state is responding  A total of 24 Washington river watersheds — including the Nooksack, the Upper Skagit, and the Lower Skagit-Samish — were included in the order, which could spell trouble for farmers and residential users as well as the salmon that require a constant supply of cold, clear water through summer.  Robert Mittendorf reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Rise in global sea levels could have 'profound consequences'
Scientists believe that global sea levels could rise far more than predicted, due to accelerating melting in Greenland and Antarctica. The long-held view has been that the world's seas would rise by a maximum of just under a metre by 2100. This new study, based on expert opinions, projects that the real level may be around double that figure. This could lead to the displacement of hundreds of millions of people, the authors say.  Matt McGrath reports. (BBC)

E.P.A. Plans to Get Thousands of Deaths Off the Books by Changing Its Math
The Environmental Protection Agency plans to change the way it calculates the health risks of air pollution, a shift that would make it easier to roll back a key climate change rule because it would result in far fewer predicted deaths from pollution, according to five people with knowledge of the agency’s plans. The E.P.A. had originally forecast that eliminating the Obama-era rule, the Clean Power Plan, and replacing it with a new measure would have resulted in an additional 1,400 premature deaths per year. The new analytical model would significantly reduce that number and would most likely be used by the Trump administration to defend further rollbacks of air pollution rules if it is formally adopted. Lisa Friedman reports. (NYTimes)

It’s a go! Ferries awards $26.4 million for marine contract 
The new Mukilteo ferry terminal is finally getting its feet wet. Washington State Ferries on Monday awarded a $26.4 million contract to Seattle-based Manson Construction to build the marine structures for the new terminal. These include the vehicle transfer bridge, overhead pedestrian walkway and other components. It also covers demolishing the old terminal and nearby fishing pier, and building a new fishing pier closer to the ferry action. Andrea Brown reports. (Everett Herald)

A lumber company accused of polluting a Tacoma waterway has agreed to settle, EPA says
Manke Lumber has agreed to settle allegations it violated the Clean Water Act at its Tacoma Tideflats facility, the Environmental Protection Agency said Monday. Manke will pay a $320,000 penalty and build a treatment system to fix water quality violations, the EPA said. The company will also invest in a project that will designate 38 acres of undeveloped land for conservation and recreation in Mason County. That includes 1,500 feet of Goldsborough Creek, 580 feet of a tributary and a 20-acre riparian corridor. Alexis Krell reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)


Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  241 AM PDT Tue May 21 2019   
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM NOON PDT TODAY THROUGH  THIS EVENING   
TODAY  W wind to 10 kt rising to 15 to 25 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 2 to 4 ft in the afternoon.  SW swell 6 ft at 12 seconds building to W 10 ft at 14 seconds in  the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  W wind 15 to 25 kt becoming SW 5 to 15 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft subsiding to 2 ft or less after  midnight. W swell 9 ft at 12 seconds.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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5/20 Mount St. Helens, J17, underwater noise, grey whales, cetacean ban, Nooksack dam, Sound funding, Skagit dam, enviro rules, Hood Canal, ghost nets, gas war

Mount St. Helens [USGS/KING]

Mount St. Helens: Remembering the deadliest U.S. eruption 39 years later
The deadliest volcanic eruption in U.S. history happened in Washington state on May 18, 1980 when Mount St. Helens blew her top. (USA Today/KING)

Southern resident orca matriarch J17 continues to decline, new photos show 
Concern is heightened for the survival of J17, an endangered southern resident orca who is continuing to decline, new photos show. Researcher John Durban, of the Southwest Fisheries Science Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, in his spring survey of the southern residents detected further emaciation in J17 since his last survey in fall 2018. The survey was conducted in conjunction with Sealife Response, Rehabilitation and Research. The whale, a matriarch in her clan, now has a pronounced “peanut head.” The condition indicates severe loss of body fat, such that the whale’s neck shows. Her daughter, J53, also has deteriorated since last fall, according to the body condition survey, which is done non-invasively, by drone photography. Lynda Makes reports. (Seattle Times)

Hostile Waters,Part 4: How our noise is hurting orcas’ search for salmon
Booming ships, boats and other traffic interfere with orcas' search for food. Calls and echolocation clicks are drowned out, making all their other problems worse. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Grey whale deaths on West Coast linked to warmer Arctic waters
Dozens of grey whales have been found dead along the West Coast in recent weeks and some scientists believe the cause lies in the heated-up Arctic waters off Alaska. Fifty-eight grey whales have been found stranded and dead so far this year in sites stretching from California to Alaska, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The latest discovery announced on Wednesday by NOAA was a dead grey whale in Turnagain Arm, a narrow glacier-fed channel off Anchorage where grey whales rarely venture. (Reuters/CBC)

Vancouver Aquarium sues city, park board over cetacean ban
The Vancouver Aquarium is suing the city of Vancouver and the Vancouver Park Board over the 2017 cetacean ban, claiming it resulted in millions of dollars in lost revenue, and constituted a breach of contract. In May 2017, the Vancouver Park Board voted to amend a bylaw that would ban bringing cetaceans into city parks, and prohibit shows and performances involving cetaceans. The board also voted to ban the keeping of cetaceans in city parks, with the exception of cetaceans already present in the aquarium. Michelle Ghoussoub reports.(CBC)

‘Removing the Middle Fork Nooksack dam is one of the most important salmon restoration projects’
A small dam that channels Nooksack River water into Lake Whatcom will be removed next year in an effort to help endangered salmon and, by extension, southern resident killer whales, proponents said. The city of Bellingham’s dam has been diverting water from the Nooksack’s Middle Fork since 1962 to supplement its main source of water, which is Lake Whatcom — the drinking water source for nearly 100,000 residents of Bellingham and Whatcom County. The diversion is intermittent and occurs primarily during winter and spring, the city of Bellingham said on the project website. Located about 20 miles east of Bellingham, the dam will be history in 2020. Kie Relyea reports. (Bellingham Herald)


Lawmakers hopeful for Puget Sound funding from Congress
Optimism, as related to a possible increase in funding for Puget Sound recovery, permeated discussions last week, when 80 officials from the region met with lawmakers in the nation’s capitol. “It’s the first time in several years that we’ve actually been in a position to direct more money to Puget Sound programs,” said U.S. Rep. Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor, during one of many “Puget Sound Day on the Hill” meetings. With Democrats now in control of the House, they can draft a budget that fits their priorities for a host of projects — from civil rights legislation to funding for climate change. Of course, the challenge will be to get their issues through the Senate. Chris Dunagan reports. (Puget Sound Institute)

Opposition grows for proposed mining in Skagit River headwaters 
A Canadian company has proposed exploratory mining for gold and copper in the headwaters of the Skagit River in British Columbia. Some officials, tribes and conservation groups on both sides of the border say the proposal threatens the environment of the Skagit River watershed and that it violates an agreement — the High Ross Treaty — that has been in place between the United States and Canada for 35 years. In the latest show of opposition, a letter was sent Thursday to an official in British Columbia’s Ministry of Energy, Mines and Petroleum Resources. The letter was signed by officials and nonprofits. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

States aren’t waiting for the Trump administration on environmental protections
More than a dozen states are moving to strengthen environmental protections to combat a range of issues from climate change to water pollution, opening a widening rift between stringent state policies and the Trump administration’s deregulatory agenda.... The growing patchwork of regulations is creating uncertainty for American businesses as state lawmakers vie to change rules that, in past administrations, were more likely to be set at the federal level. Brady Dennis and Juliet Eilperin report. (Washington Post)

Hood Canal preservation gets another bump from Legislature
Thousands of pristine acres of timberland along Hood Canal have been earmarked for preservation, thanks to $6.3 million from the Legislature.  The Dabob Bay natural area's latest expansion spreads some 4,000 acres east and south onto the Toandos Peninsula. The Legislature's purchase guarantees 900 of those acres will be transferred out of the state Department of Natural Resources' timber trust and into conservation. The state will begin to pursue other properties within the acreage, which spans from Dabob to Thorndyke Creek, according to Peter Bahls, director of the Northwest Watershed Institute that has fought to preserve the area since 2002. Josh Farley reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Ghost-net busters are entering a new era of hunting and removal 
Chris Dunagan in Watching Our Water Ways writes: "My mind is unable to grasp, in any meaningful way, how much death and destruction was caused by fishing nets that were lost and abandoned through the years. Nearly 6,000 of these so-called “ghost nets” have been pulled from the waters of Puget Sound over the past 17 years. Until removed, they keep on catching fish, crabs and many more animals to one degree or another...."

Environmentalists say Alberta government war room threat “amateur hour” 
Environmental groups targeted by Alberta Premier Jason Kenney are shrugging off the new government’s promised $30-million “war room” to fight criticisms of the province’s energy industry. “The war room makes for good theatre, but the people who follow this closely are going to look at this as amateur hour,” said Keith Stewart of Greenpeace. Bob Weber reports. (National Post)


Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  250 AM PDT Mon May 20 2019   
TODAY  W wind to 10 kt becoming NW in the afternoon. Wind waves  1 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 11 seconds. A chance of showers. 
TONIGHT  NW wind 5 to 15 kt in the evening becoming light. Wind  waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 11 seconds. A chance of  showers.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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5/17 Priest Point Park, plankton,Skagit water, Salish Sea

Ellis Cove, Priest Point Park [Tori Sloane]

Priest Point Park
Priest Point Park is a 314-acre regional nature park on Budd Inlet in Olympia. The land upon which Priest Point Park sits has been used for generations by the Indigenous peoples of our region, which include the Squaxin, Nisqually, Quinault, Puyallup, Chehalis, Suquamish, and Duwamish. Priest Point Park is named for a small group of Catholic missionaries, the Oblate Fathers, who came to the area in 1848. They cleared the land, planted a large garden, built a chapel, and established the St. Joseph d’Olympia mission. The Squaxin, Nisqually, Puyallup, and Snoqualmie tribes used the mission as a trading center during this time. (City of Olympia) Priest Point, a rocky point at the northern entrance to the Snohomish River, was called Schuh-tlahks, meaning "stony nose," by the Indians. The present name refers to a Catholic mission established on the site in 1959. (Washington State Place Names)

Tiny Plankton, Big Threat To Puget Sound Food Chain
A tomato soup-colored plankton bloom going on now in Puget Sound will have repercussions reaching up to salmon and orcas, ecologists say. Neal McNamara reports. (Patch)

Seattle City Light agrees to provide water to mitigate wells
An agreement between Seattle City Light and the state Department of Ecology will remove legal uncertainty over water use for hundreds of homes in portions of Skagit and Snohomish counties. The electric utility and state agency announced the agreement this week. Through the agreement, Ecology is purchasing some of Seattle City Light’s senior water rights, Ecology Water Resources Program Regional Supervisor Rita Berns said. Seattle City Light will then continuously release 0.5 cubic feet of water per second from Gorge Dam — the lowest of three hydroelectric dams on the Skagit River — specifically to offset the impact on the river by the use of area wells. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Where On Earth Is the Salish Sea?
Less than half of the people in Washington and British Columbia have heard of the Salish Sea, even though they live alongside it. That’s according to a recent report  from The SeaDoc Society, a program of the University of California, Davis’ School of Veterinary Medicine, and Oregon State University. The study reveals that only 5 percent of people in Washington and 14 percent of British Columbians can identify the Salish Sea—the marine ecosystem that spans the United States-Canada border and includes both Seattle and Vancouver. Ustin Cox reports. (UC Davis)


Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  247 AM PDT Fri May 17 2019   
TODAY  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming SW 5 to 15 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 5 ft at 12 seconds. A  chance of showers in the morning then a slight chance of showers  in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. SW swell  4 ft at 12 seconds. A chance of showers. 
SAT  E wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. SW swell 5 ft  at 11 seconds building to 7 ft at 14 seconds in the afternoon. A  chance of showers. 
SAT NIGHT  SE wind 15 to 20 kt becoming E to 10 kt after  midnight. Wind waves 2 to 3 ft subsiding to 1 ft or less after  midnight. W swell 8 ft at 13 seconds. 
SUN  NE wind to 10 kt becoming SW in the afternoon. Wind waves  1 ft or less. W swell 7 ft at 12 seconds.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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5/16 Goby, tanker ban, Roberts Bank, living harbor, oil rig reserves, gas prices, Tramp Harbor, 'nudges

Blackeye goby [Scott Gilmore]

Blackeye Goby Rhinogobiops nicholsii
Found in harems on sandy bottoms close to rocks and holes for shelter, in shallow to deep areas of the reefs. They feed on crustaceans and invertebrates. True Gobies are found in oceans and some rivers and lakes, usually in burrows or holes and can be territorial. They are able to rapidly change colour when socialising or feel threatened. (What's That Fish)

Senators defeat Ottawa’s oil tanker ban bill in rare move, putting legislation on life suppor
In a rare legislative move on Wednesday, the Senate transport committee voted to defeat the Liberal government’s moratorium on oil tankers in northern B.C., putting the controversial bill on life support after years of political wrangling. A vote against the bill by Independent Sen. Paula Simons, along with the five other Conservative senators on the committee, swayed a final decision in favour of recommending that the senate nix Bill C-48, which effectively bars any oil tankers from entering northern B.C. waters. The move does not immediately kill the oil tanker moratorium, but a vote by the senate to adopt the committee recommendations would stop the legislation in its tracks. A vote on the report is expected in coming days. Jesse Snyder reports. (National Post)

Public environmental assessment hearings underway on proposed Roberts Bank container terminal
The Canadian Environmental Assessment Agency has kicked off the public hearing process on the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority's proposed $2 billion to $3 billion Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project. The hearings, which started Tuesday in Tsawwassen with motions on procedural matters, are scheduled to last until June 24 in communities like Delta, Vancouver, Victoria, Duncan and Port Renfrew. General hearings in Tsawwassen began on Wednesday and will last until Saturday.... Brad Armstrong, the lawyer representing the Vancouver Fraser Port Authority, reiterated that the port authority does not project the number of vessels to increase from the new terminal, citing an increase in vessel size that will soak up the extra capacity of containers at Terminal 2: "The number of vessels should stay relatively the same." Opponents were less optimistic, noting Roberts Bank's growth of about 3.5% in the last decade has been largely built on shipping U.S. containers, contradicting the port's mandate as a catalyst for the Canadian economy. Other opponents noted that a project like Terminal 2 that would install a large man-made island at the mouth of the Fraser River - "the crucible of the Fraser estuary" - should receive the widest-possible spectrum of review possible, including options at DP World's Fairview terminal in Prince Rupert. Chuck Chiang reports. (Business in Vancouver) See also: Prince Rupert port plans to quadruple capacity  The port of Prince Rupert plans to double its container capacity by 2020 and ultimately quadruple its capacity, sending a bold message as fellow British Columbia port Vancouver grapples with its own plan to inject much-needed handling capacity into its terminals. Bill Mongelluzzo reports. (JOC)

Fish Below Your Feet and Other Solutions for a Living Harbor
In Seattle, Singapore, and other waterfront cities around the world, engineers are creating life-enhancing designs to encourage marine biodiversity. Tyee Bridge reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Retired oil rigs off the California coast could find new lives as artificial reefs
Offshore oil and gas drilling has been a contentious issue in California for 50 years, ever since a rig ruptured and spilled 80,000 to 100,000 barrels of crude oil off Santa Barbara in 1969. Today it's spurring a new debate: whether to completely dismantle 27 oil and gas platforms scattered along the southern California coast as they end their working lives, or convert the underwater sections into permanent artificial reefs for marine life. (Phys.org)

No simple answers for high B.C. gas prices or impact of pipeline, NEB says
There's no easy explanation for why B.C.'s gas prices are so much higher than the rest of Canada, or what will happen to them if the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion goes ahead, according to the National Energy Board's chief economist. The NEB released a snapshot of the issue Wednesday, breaking down the elements that have driven up the price at the pumps in B.C. "It's a combination of numerous factors," chief economist Jean-Denis Charlebois told CBC. "One factor is that we're approaching the summer driving season. This means demand is increasing." Bethany Lindsay reports. (CBC)

County considers island shellfish operation proposal
Some islanders contend that Tramp Harbor is not a suitable location to operate a proposed commercial shellfish enterprise because the area is both beloved for its natural beauty and recognized as an important natural habitat. An application for the project, at 6 acres in size, was filed in November by island produce farmer Nick Provo and is still under review by the Department Of Local Services Permitting Division as part of the SEPA (State Environmental Policy Act) process. The bid will need further appraisal from the county before a decision is made to issue a permit and allow the development to proceed. Paul Rowley reports. But before that happens, county officials will need to determine if further action will be required to mitigate potential issues at the location. (Vashon Beachcomber)

Green Energy Nudges Come With a Hidden Cost
All across the United States, many households receive energy bills comparing their use to that of similar neighbors to remind them to use less energy. At most companies, employees are automatically enrolled in 401(k) plans unless they choose to opt-out, helping employees easily save for retirement. Such policies aim to "nudge" people toward making better choices, both for their future selves and for others. Nudges like these have become popular among policymakers, because they are virtually costless to implement. However, a new study from researchers at Carnegie Mellon, Fordham and Harvard universities finds that these nudges have an unexplored cost: they can decrease support for policies with far greater impact. "Although nudges can effectively change behavior, most have too small an impact to address societal problems on their own," said David Hagmann, a recent graduate of CMU's Department of Social and Decision Sciences, and now a postdoctoral fellow at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government. "It appears that many people view them as substitutes for economic policies like a carbon tax or cap-and-trade scheme, instead of the complements they were always intended to be." (Carnegie Mellon University)


Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  250 AM PDT Thu May 16 2019   
TODAY  E wind to 10 kt becoming NW in the afternoon. Wind waves  2 ft or less. SW swell 4 ft at 14 seconds. A slight chance of  showers in the morning then a chance of showers in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming 10 to 20 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 4 ft at 10 seconds. A slight chance  of showers in the evening then a chance of showers after  midnight.

--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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