1/29 Caspian tern, L41 feared dead, TMX opposition, kids climate, B'ham salmon hatchery

Caspian tern [Jeff Poklan/BirdWeb]

Caspian Tern Hydroprogne caspia
Caspian Terns use fresh- and saltwater wetlands, especially estuaries, coastal bays, and beaches. They are not usually found on open ocean, but prefer protected waters. Nesting usually takes place on low sand or gravel islands with sparse vegetation. In Washington, the birds have shifted their preferred habitat from natural sites inland to coastal, human-altered sites (often islands made from dredged material). They have also shifted from nesting in small groups mixed with gulls to large colonies of only Caspian Terns. (Seattle Audubon]

Another southern resident orca feared dead
Another southern resident orca, L41, is feared dead, according to the Center for Whale Research. The whale, born in 1977, was not seen during an encounter with its family by the center’s researchers on Friday. Because of his age, and the fact that he was thin when he was seen a year ago, “we fear he may be gone and will consider him missing unless he shows up unexpectedly in an upcoming encounter,” the center reported. If L41 remains missing, that would bring the population of southern resident orcas to only 72, the second-lowest since the center first began its population census 45 years ago. There were 71 southern residents in 1976 at the end of the capture era, when a third of the pods were taken for sale to aquariums around the world. Lynda Makes reports. (Seattle Times)

Opposition to Trans Mountain pipeline expansion spikes 11 percentage points, survey suggests
A new poll suggests that an increasing number of Canadians are opposed to the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. The Angus Reid Institute poll found that opposition has risen 11 percentage points since June 2018, shortly after the Liberal government purchased TMX from Kinder Morgan. Shortly after the purchase, support for TMX was 57 per cent, while 26 per cent were opposed. Now, opposition sits at 37 per cent. A slight majority (55 per cent) of Canadians still profess to support the $7.4-billion project, which would ship 890,000 barrels of crude per day from Alberta to the British Columbia coast. But in Quebec and Ontario and B.C., public opinion seems to have turned sharply against the pipeline. Over the past 18 months, opposition has risen by 18 percentage points in Quebec (from 37 to 55 per cent), by 13 points in Ontario (from 23 to 36 per cent) and by 13 points in B.C. (from 28 to 41 per cent). (CBC)

The kids who sued the U.S. over climate change and lost aren't giving up
Despite setbacks, the young activists behind the landmark suit say they'll continue their court battle to enforce climate mitigation. Hannah Weinberger reports. (Crosscut)

Pilot salmon hatchery project in Bellingham to aid orcas supported by this proposal
Republican state legislators have introduced a bill, which includes a pilot hatchery project in Bellingham, that they believe will help increase the salmon population and help the orca whales. Called the Salmon Repopulation Act, Senate Bill 6509 and House Bill 2741 were recently introduced and referred to committees. The bills would attempt to bring a public-partnership in state-approved hatcheries, and potentially build a new hatchery on Bellingham’s waterfront. In a news conference held in Olympia on Tuesday, Jan. 28, several Republican legislators talked about the need for this public-private model to get more fish in local waters.... The bill is being met with skepticism from some Democratic legislators. House Rep. Sharon Shewmake, D-Bellingham, wrote in a statement that while no doubt well-intentioned, the proponents of this project are asking for more than $500,000 in funding without addressing major questions about where it would even fit within the legal or scientific framework for fish management in Washington. Dave Gallagher reports (Bellingham Herald)


Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  623 AM PST Wed Jan 29 2020   
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THURSDAY AFTERNOON   
TODAY  S wind 20 to 30 kt becoming W 15 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft subsiding to 1 to 3 ft in the  afternoon. W swell 11 ft at 13 seconds building to 13 ft at  13 seconds in the afternoon. Rain. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming E after midnight. Wind  waves 2 ft or less. W swell 13 ft at 13 seconds building to 16 ft  at 18 seconds after midnight.



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