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| Beach knotweed [Mary Jo Adams] |
Beach knotweed belongs to the knotweed or buckwheat family (Polygonaceae). It has a low lying form with woody stems, tiny white or pale pink flowers that bloom from April to September, and 1–inch-long leaves with margins that roll under. Beach knotweed is found on coastal dunes and sandy beaches from northern California to southern Vancouver Island. It is native in the Pacific Northwest. Other common names for it are black knotweed and smartweed. (Mary Jo Adams/Sound Water Stewards)
*EDITOR'S NOTE: Access updates on the COVID-19 virus at national and regional print publications like the CBC, the Seattle Times, the New York Times, and the Washington Post.
This year’s herring spawn events in Puget Sound were the largest in decades
Throughout the Sound in March and April, Pacific herring were spawning in large numbers. In Quilcene Bay and Dabob Bay, in Port Orchard and Port Madison, in Henderson Bay, and near West Seattle, and possibly in Discovery Bay, Holmes Harbor, and elsewhere. There’s uncertainty about the precise extent and the size of the spawning due to stay-at-home restrictions limiting observation and measurement, but it’s clear that this has been a big year for herring. Kevin Hyde writes. (Puget Sound Partnership)
Like A Scene Out of 'Mad Max': Washington And Oregon State Parks Struggle To Address Crowds
Mother’s Day at Palouse Falls State Park in southeastern Washington looked like a scene out of the movie Mad Max...Similarly, Cannon Beach on Oregon’s north coast saw so many out of town visitors last weekend they had to be told to go home. Hundreds were enjoying the sun before officials swept through. Northwest state officials are struggling to contain crowds in parks in the time of coronavirus. Anna King reports. (NW News Network)
COVID-19 restrictions may aid B.C.'s ongoing battle against invasive mussels
Travel restrictions linked to the COVID-19 pandemic might help British Columbia defend against invasive mussels, but the province is taking no chances as it works to keep the creatures out of B.C. waterways. A statement from the Environment Ministry says boat inspection stations are opening across B.C. to check for zebra and quagga mussels. The invaders or their larvae can be carried on improperly cleaned, drained and dried watercraft coming from waters outside the province. (Canadian Press)
Seattle-based Holland America Line announces 2,000 layoffs, other measures as coronavirus halts cruise sailings worldwide
Cruise line Holland America, headquartered in Seattle, will lay off close to 2,000 employees and will furlough or reduce the hours or pay of its remaining shoreside employees, the company announced today...The company did not respond immediately to questions about how many employees will be furloughed. Most of Holland America’s landbound staff work in Seattle and Santa Clarita, California. Katherine Khashimova Long reports. (Seattle Times)
Nine U.S. states sue EPA for easing environmental enforcement amid pandemic
Nine states on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency for relaxing a range of companies’ compliance and monitoring requirements with federal clean air and water laws in response to the coronavirus pandemic, arguing the policy is too broad and not transparent. Under the temporary policy announced on March 26, the EPA said it would not seek penalties for violations of routine compliance monitoring, integrity testing, sampling, laboratory analysis, training, and reporting or certification obligations in situations where the EPA agrees that COVID-19 was the cause...The coalition of the nine states - New York, California, Illinois, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Oregon, Vermont and Virginia - argue that the EPA lacks legal authority to waive “critical monitoring and reporting obligations that inform regulators and the general public of pollution hazards” and failed to weigh the impacts the relaxation policy will have on public health amid the coronavirus pandemic. Their lawsuit comes a month after more than a dozen environmental groups led by the Natural Resources Defense Council, whose president is former Obama EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy filed their own challenge in the same New York federal court. (Reuters)
B.C. premier and energy minister announce $120M plan to clean up orphan and dormant oil and gas wells
B.C. Premier John Horgan and provincial Energy Minister Bruce Ralston announced plans Wednesday to use $120 million in federal funds to clean up thousands of so-called orphan oil and gas wells. Ralston said the plan is aimed at cleaning up damage from dormant and abandoned wells, as well as the "legacy" problems caused by historical oil and gas exploration...Ralston said the plan will use $120 million in federal funds directed to the province for the specific purpose of cleaning up orphan wells. Horgan said the government wants to use the money to both clean up the environment and to inject money into the economy as part of provincial plans to restart the economy in the face of COVID-19. (CBC)
Teachable Moments on the Dock
A British Columbia project that includes education with regulations is a winning formula for rockfish conservation. Larry Pynn reports. (Hakai Magazine)
Trump Administration Rejects Endangered Species Bid For Rare Mammal In Oregon
Endangered species protections in Oregon and Northern California for a rarely seen, forest-dwelling mammal were turned down Thursday by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The federal agency did approve Endangered Species Act protections for the Pacific fisher in parts of the Sierra Nevada, where it was listed as “endangered” with extinction. But it said such protections were not justified for the Pacific fisher in the forests of Northern California and Southern Oregon. The decision rejected a 2019 proposal to list fishers as “threatened” throughout the West Coast range. Monica Samayoa reports. (OPB)
Trump Executive Order Opens the Door for Massive Industrial Fish Farms in Oceans
Last week, the Trump administration announced an executive order opening the door for large-scale fish farming. That order, as reported by the Food and Environment Reporting Network (FERN), is designed at its core to expand the scope and facilities for aquaculture. What that likely means is a reduction in regulations, and the creation of large offshore fish farms. Dan Nosowitz reports. (Modern Farmer)
Sightings: In rare sighting for Island, at least 7 grizzlies spotted near Sayward (Vancouver Sun) Humpback whale breaching in Vancouver harbour spotted by Burnaby seniors (CBC) Paddleboarder surrounded by orcas, reacts accordingly (USA Today)
Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 301 AM PDT Fri May 15 2020
TODAY W wind to 10 kt becoming NW in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 10 seconds.
TONIGHT NW wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SE to 10 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 ft or less. SW swell 3 ft at 13 seconds. A chance of rain after midnight.
SAT SE wind 5 to 15 kt becoming 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 4 ft at 20 seconds building to 6 ft at 9 seconds in the afternoon. Rain likely in the morning then rain in the afternoon.
SAT NIGHT SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 7 ft at 10 seconds.
SUN Light wind becoming W to 10 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less. SW swell 7 ft at 10 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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