Salish Sea News and Weather: August 2020

Monday, August 24, 2020

8/24 Snow goose, Pebble Mine, aquaculture, beach walking, Kristian Lindhardt

Snow goose [Greg Lavaty]

Editor's note: Salish Sea News and Weather will take a break and return in September. Be well. Stay safe, stay sane.

Snow goose Chen caerulescens
A large goose, the Snow Goose occurs in a white or a dark morph. The white morph, the most common, is all white with black primaries. The dark morph, known as the Blue Goose, is extremely rare in Washington and has a dark gray body and white head. Both morphs have orange legs. Juveniles are gray overall with dark legs. The Snow Goose is similar in appearance to the smaller and far less common Ross' Goose, but the Snow Goose has a 'grin-patch' (a dark patch on the side of the beak that makes it appear to be open or grinning) that the Ross' Goose lacks. There are two subspecies of Snow Goose, the Greater and the Lesser Snow Geese, which vary in size. (BirdWeb/Audubon)

Trump administration to pause permit for Alaska’s Pebble Mine on Monday
The Trump administration will say Monday that it is not ready to grant a permit for a controversial gold and copper mine in Alaska, according to three individuals briefed on the decision, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations, on the grounds that the firm must do more to address how it will harm the environment. The move represents a blow to Pebble Mine, which was vetoed under Barack Obama but has been revived under the Trump administration. Several high-profile Republicans, including the president’s eldest son, Fox News host Tucker Carlson and Vice President Pence’s former chief of staff Nick Ayers, have campaigned against the project on the grounds it could harm the world’s largest sockeye salmon fishery in Bristol Bay. Juliet Eilperin and Ashley Parker report. (Washington Post) See also: How Pebble Mine opponents used Fox News push Trump to delay the Alaska project The unusual, pro-environment campaign from Tucker Carlson and others will pay off this week. Dino Grandoni reports. (Washington Post)

Big Fish: The Aquacultural Revolution
As the world’s population swells to 9.7 billion, industry and governments say aquaculture is the way to provide protein to the people—if that’s true, can we learn from the past and avoid screwing over the planet and each other?b (Hakai Magazine)

Does the public have a right to walk across a private beach? The answer is still unresolved
Even before Washington became a state in 1889, Puget Sound beaches had been exploited as log dumps, farmed for shellfish, occupied as homesites and enjoyed for recreation. But today, after 131 years of statehood, residents of this region still don’t know if they have a legal right to walk across a privately owned beach at low tide. That’s because neither the Washington State Supreme Court nor the Legislature has ever clearly spelled out the limits of the Public Trust Doctrine — an ancient legal principle that provides for common citizens to retain certain rights to themselves, regardless of property ownership. For example, the right of navigation allows anyone to float a boat practically anywhere in Puget Sound, even directly over private property. But what if someone decides to step out of the boat into shallow water and stand on the bottom? That’s where things become murky. Christopher Dunagan reports. (Puget Sound Institute)

A Danish Journalist Arrived to Cover the TMX Pipeline. The Guard at YVR Decided to Deport Him
Danish journalist Kristian Lindhardt arrived at the Vancouver airport on Friday with international press credentials from Denmark’s version of CBC and a statement from Chief Reuben George of the Tsleil-Waututh First Nation explaining that Lindhardt is here to report on the Trans Mountain pipeline. Lindhardt had also made all the necessary arrangements for a 14-day quarantine in Vancouver. Lindhardt, however, was questioned by a border guard for hours and made to fly back to Denmark. Geoff Dembicki reports. (The Tyee)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 217 AM PDT Mon Aug 24 2020
TODAY SW wind to 10 kt becoming NW in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 7 seconds.
TONIGHT W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SW after midnight. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 8 seconds.

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Friday, August 21, 2020

8/21 Snowberry, Vancouver sewage, salmon funds, permafrost melt, Port Angeles woes, BC COVID, Victoria reef, WA ferries

Snowberry [Native Plants PNW]

Common Snowberry Symphoricarpos albus
Common Snowberry is found from southeast Alaska to southern California; all across the northern United States and the Canadian provinces. Snowberries are high in saponins, which are poorly absorbed by the body. Although they are largely considered poisonous, (given names like ‘corpse berry’ or ‘snake’s berry’), some tribes ate them fresh or dried them for later consumption. The berries were used as a shampoo to clean hair. Crushed berries were also rubbed on the skin to treat burns, warts, rashes and sores; and rubbed in armpits as an antiperspirant. Various parts were infused and used as an eyewash for sore eyes. A tea made from the roots was used for stomach disorders; a tea made from the twigs was used for fevers. Branches were tied together to make brooms. Bird arrows were also made from the stems. Dana Kelley Brissette writes. (Native Plants PNW)

Metro Vancouver’s Biggest Sewage Plant Is Getting an Upgrade. Many Are Watching
Metro Vancouver’s plan to clean up wastewater from its largest treatment plant is welcome, say environmental advocates. But more details are needed to ensure everything will be done to protect the Fraser River and Salish Sea, they warn. The Metro Vancouver board approved a plan to upgrade the 57-year-old Iona Island treatment plant at the mouth of the Fraser River near Vancouver International Airport on July 31. The plant treats more than 200 billion litres of wastewater a year from some 600,000 residents and businesses and industry — roughly the equivalent of a supertanker’s cargo being released into the Fraser River every day. Braela Kwan reports. (The Type)

Funding comes in for salmon projects
Salmon habitat projects planned for Barnaby Reach near Rockport and Hansen Creek near Sedro-Woolley have been awarded funding aimed at restoring chinook that can help save the endangered Southern Resident orcas. Those two projects netted about $675,000 as part of an $11 million grant package from the state Recreation and Conservation Office. NOAA Fisheries is distributing the Pacific Salmon Treaty grant funding throughout Puget Sound and the West Coast to support recovery of the chinook and the region’s orcas that depend on them for food. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald) See also: Culvert removal to boost fish habitat The removal of a culvert at Bonnie Rae Park in Mount Vernon is expected to improve habitat for fish, including coho salmon and cutthroat trout. Vince Richardson reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Climate change is causing more rain in the North. That’s bad news for permafrost
New study shows wetter weather is thawing the frozen ground that covers a quarter of the northern hemisphere, threatening to release massive stores of carbon. Julien Gignac reports. (The Narwhal)

With Canadian border closed, Port Angeles businesses worry for the future
Without foreign travelers, the Coho Ferry is closed — and the town around it is holding its breath. Manola Secaira reports. (Crosscut)

Death toll from COVID-19 in B.C. reaches 200, as case numbers continue to surge
Officials announce 80 new confirmed cases and 2 more deaths from the disease. Bethany Lindsay reports. (CBC) See also: B.C. public safety minister set to clamp down on COVID-19 enforcement (Canadian Press)

Artificial reefs under construction in Victoria harbour
Salish Sea Industrial Services, part of the Ralmax Group, is building five new rock reefs to meet a condition of approval for a new graving dock at Point Hope Maritime on Harbour Road. The loss of habitat on that site required new habitat to be found elsewhere in the harbour. Don Descoteau reports. (Victoria News)

Increased service returning to 3 Puget Sound ferry runs
More sailings on three Puget Sound ferry routes should cut down on backups starting this weekend and return service nearly to pre-pandemic levels on those runs. Washington State Ferries officials say they are resuming two-boat weekend service on the Mukilteo-Clinton and Edmonds-Kingston routes starting Saturday. The Seattle-Bainbridge Island route will resume two-vessel service seven days a week on Aug. 30. Theron Zahn reports. (KOMO)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 231 AM PDT Fri Aug 21 2020
TODAY SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 9 seconds. Showers and a slight chance of tstms.
TONIGHT SW wind 10 to 20 kt becoming W to 10 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft subsiding to 1 ft or less after midnight. W swell 6 ft at 8 seconds. Showers likely in the evening.
SAT SW wind to 10 kt becoming NE in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 9 seconds.
SAT NIGHT W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming NW to 10 kt after midnight. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 9 seconds.
SUN Light wind becoming NW to 10 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 10 seconds.

Thursday, August 20, 2020

8/20 Cabbage white, Fraser fishery, Slade Gorton, Belfair mine, NW freshwater mussel, border news, border fence, BLM head, racism hurts wildlife, killer whale tail

Cabbage white [Judy Hoy]

Cabbage white Pieris rapae
Pieris rapae is a small- to medium-sized butterfly species of the whites-and-yellows family Pieridae. It is known in Europe as the small white, in North America as the cabbage white or cabbage butterfly. The caterpillar of this species, often referred to as the "imported cabbageworm," is a pest to crucifer crops such as cabbage, kale, bok choy and broccoli. (Wikipedia]

B.C. Indigenous leaders call for emergency closure of Fraser River fishery, saying stocks have collapsed
First Nations groups in British Columbia are calling on the federal fisheries minister to issue an emergency order to close all sockeye fisheries on the Fraser River. A joint news release of the three groups that make up the First Nations Leadership Council says Bernadette Jordan should also declare the stock collapsed while their groups come together to create a strategy to save the fish. Fisheries and Oceans Canada has estimated returning sockeye would hit a record low this year, with about 283,000 fish or fewer making it from the ocean to their Fraser River spawning grounds. (Canadian Press)

Former Washington Senator Slade Gorton dies at 92
Former U.S. Sen. Slade Gorton of Washington, a three-term Republican and 9/11 commissioner, died Wednesday at the age of 92. Gorton's death was confirmed by J. Vanderstoep, a former campaign manager and chief of staff. Vanderstoep said Gorton suffered from a condition related to Parkinson's disease. (Northwest News Network)

Controversial Belfair gravel mine permit denied, project unable to move forward
The Mason County hearing examiner decided last week that a permit will not be issued for The Grump Ventures LLC to operate a 66.5-acre commercial mine on the north shore of Hood Canal near Belfair. The SM-6 approval was needed to ensure that the project complied with county zoning laws. Historically 1.87 acres at the site have been used as a “hobby mine,” meaning materials were excavated sporadically and infrequently, which may continue. According to the decision, the company referred to in paperwork as Grump lost its nonconforming use mining right when no mining occurred between April 2017 and April 2019. Jessie Darland reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Endangered Species Act protections sought for a Northwest freshwater mussel
A 2017 analysis that looked at historic versus recent distributing areas of the species and found that the populations have declined by almost 50% of its historic range and it has been accelerating in recent years. The Xerces Society for Invertebrate Conservation’s petition is aimed at improving the chances of survival for the western ridged mussel. It’s found in the Pacific Northwest, along with some areas in California and Nevada. The species can live for many decades in rivers and streams and provide many benefits such as filtering water where they are located. Monica Samayoa reports. (OPB)

Canada-U.S. border restrictions extended, forcing big changes in some people's lives
Border closure extension, Point Roberts students blocked from Canada schools, Canadian on border closure, cross border air travel-- an update on news about the US-BC border closure. Tom Banse and Craig McCulloch reports. (Northwest News Network)

'Fence' south of Aldergrove about road safety border security: U.S. officials
A fence that appeared earlier this week just south of 0 Avenue in Abbotsford and Langley is both a road-safety measure and an effort to deal with “bi-national safety concerns,” American officials say. In an email, a spokesperson for the United States Border Patrol said the fencing was built to keep vehicles from crashing across the border either accidentally or intentionally. Patrick Johnston reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Public lands chief hangs on despite nomination getting nixed
A former oil industry attorney will continue calling the shots for a government agency that oversees nearly a quarter-billion public acres in the U.S. West, despite the White House saying over the weekend that President Donald Trump would withdraw the nomination of William Perry Pendley. Pendley’s continued reign at the Interior Department’s Bureau of Land Management comes under an unusual arrangement that Pendley himself set up months ago, according to a document obtained by The Associated Press. In May, as a temporary authorization for him to lead the agency was about to expire, Pendley signed an order that made his own position, deputy director of policy and programs, the bureau’s default leadership post while the director’s slot is vacant, the document shows. Matthew Brown reports. (Associated Press)

UW research shows racism and redlining hurt local wildlife, too
A team of researchers led by UW scientists exposes how systemic racism physically alters ecosystems for the worse. Hannah Weinberger reports. (Crosscut)

Killer whale uses tail to toss seal high into the air near Victoria
A whale-watching captain caught a rare sight on camera when a Bigg’s killer whale tossed a seal high in the air. Andrew Lees, who owns Five Star Whale Watching, brought his guests to the south side of Sidney Island, where they watched a killer whale mom and her son play in kelp beds. Roxanne Egan-Elliott reports. (Victoria Times Colonist)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 230 AM PDT Thu Aug 20 2020
TODAY SE wind 5 to 15 kt rising to 15 to 25 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less building to 2 to 4 ft in the afternoon. W swell 6 ft at 8 seconds. Showers.
TONIGHT SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 8 ft at 10 seconds. Showers.

Tuesday, August 18, 2020

8/18 Anemone, Trump's ANWR drilling, Fraser sockeye, Asian hornet, Port Moody smell, Kelly Brenner

[Photo: Mary Jo Adams]

White plumed anemone Metridium spp.
Metridium senile is smaller, growing to about 2 inches in diameter at the base and 4 inches high when the animal is fully extended. Metridium giganteum can grow to 3 feet high. Color in both species is variable (white, cream, tan, brown, or orange). The column is smooth. The very fine tentacles (which may number one hundred or more) are white, brown, or gray. Look for Metridium on rocky beaches and also on docks and pilings. If the water is clear when you're waiting for a ferryboat, look at the base of the pilings where the boat pulls in and you may see some of the large ones open and swaying with the movement of the water as they capture plankton with their tentacles. When the tide is out, Metridium may droop from its point of attachment like a sock with a rock in the toe. Mary Jo Adams writes. (Sound Water Stewards)

Trump administration announces plans to drill in Arctic National Wildlife Refuge
Interior Secretary David Bernhardt on Monday announced plans for an oil and gas leasing program in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, clearing the way for drilling in the remote Alaskan area. Bernhardt said future leases of the federally-owned land will make the entire 1.5 million acre Coastal Plain area available. Bernhardt said the announcement "marks a new chapter in American energy independence" and predicted it could "create thousands of new jobs." Gregory Wallace and Chandelis Duster report. (CNN)

Four reasons 2020 is set to see the lowest Fraser River sockeye salmon return on record
Even a low-ball prediction for the number of sockeye returning to B.C. river was too high and First Nations and conservationists say government mismanagement and lice infestations are partly to blame. Stephanie Wood reports. (The Narwhal)

A seventh Asian giant hornet has been found in Whatcom. Here’s where it was trapped.
A second Asian giant hornet has been found in a Washington State Department of Agriculture trap — this one near Custer, the agency announced on Monday, Aug. 17. It was the first male Asian giant hornet to be found in the U.S., according to the department’s news release. The latest brings to seven the number of Asian giant hornets found in Washington state since 2019. All seven were found in Whatcom County and represent the first sightings not only for the state but also the U.S. Kie Relyea reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Port Moody's smelly mystery solved by air-quality investigators
Air-quality investigators have pinpointed the source of a pungent rotten-egg stench that's been polluting the air in some neighbourhoods of Port Moody, B.C., near the Barnet Highway since Aug. 9. The sulphur-like stink led to 195 complaints to the Metro Vancouver regional district, many from residents frustrated at having to close their windows to avoid the odour as temperatures rose...On Sunday, Pacific Coast Terminals confirmed that the bad odours were emanating from its seaside shipping facilities, where there were problems with a water treatment plant. Yvette Brend reports. (CBC)

A world of wonder: Celebrating invertebrates at low tide
Puget Sound at low tide is a joy well known to many in the region. It’s a formative experience for many children here, overturning rocks to see all the tiny crabs and sea stars that live amidst colorful seaweed, kelp and barnacles. But few people are as versed in the lesser-known critters that live in the tidal zone as Seattle naturalist Kelly Brenner. She specializes in anything without a backbone. Brenner is the co-founder of an online event called #Invertefest, which challenges anyone who wants to take part to find and help document the lesser-known or less-celebrated creatures in our midst. She also wrote a recent field guide to Seattle, which includes chapters on marine life. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 233 AM PDT Tue Aug 18 2020
TODAY Light wind becoming N to 10 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 3 ft at 9 seconds. Patchy drizzle and fog.
TONIGHT W wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 3 ft at 9 seconds.

Monday, August 17, 2020

8/17 Tl’uk , Big Bar, salmon racism, BC parks, SnoCo planning, BLM head withdrawal, OPA90, whale tale

[PHOTO: Stephanie Hayes]

Rare white orca spotted hunting off shores of Alaska for first time
A transient orca named after the luminescence of the moon made a surprise appearance in Alaska last week, much to the delight of the area’s researchers and whale-enthusiasts. Known to scientists as T46-B1B, the rare white orca Tl’uk – a Coast Salish Halq’eméylem name for moon – was born in 2018 and has been spotted as far south as the Puget Sound and as of Aug. 7, as far north as Alaska. Marine biologist Stephanie Hayes spotted the rare whale from the whale-watching and research vessel Northern Song, where she was working. Nina Grossman reports. (Coast Mountain News)

Big Bar landslide no longer a big barrier for returning salmon
The good news for this year’s troubled Fraser River salmon stocks is that high levels of freshwater run-off have been dropping in recent days, giving returning fish a better chance of making it past the Big Bar landslide and to their home streams to spawn. But that boost is unlikely to offset the historically low return of 283,000 sockeye forecast for the run this year...It was already known that survival rates for this year’s Fraser River sockeye stocks would be below average, Michielsens said from Vancouver. That’s because as juveniles, the fish experienced warmer-than-average river temperatures in the Fraser River. They also faced above-average discharge levels in the river, making it more difficult to reach the ocean, she said. In the ocean, poor environmental conditions affecting their prey in the northeast Pacific hurt their survival rates as well. Carla Wilson reports. (Times Colonist)

Salmon decision shows systemic racism at DFO: Five B.C. First Nations
Five British Columbia First Nations are challenging a federal decision on salmon fishing in their territories this year, and they are accusing federal fisheries officials of systemic racism in the way they have been treated. The five Nuu-Chah-Nulth First Nations are upset that Ottawa decided to give a surplus allocation of salmon — which arose this year due to reduced recreational fishing during the COVID-19 pandemic — to commercial fishers rather than to the First Nations. Teresa Wright reports. (CBC)

Conservation group calls for multi-million dollar investment in B.C.'s parks
A non-profit conservation group is calling on the province to invest an additional $60 million in upgrades, infrastructure, education and staffing to secure a sustainable future for B.C.'s parks. B.C. Parks saw its budget reduced slightly from $41.7 million to $40.6 million this year. Bruce Passmore, executive director of the B.C. Chapter of the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society, says this budget needs to be boosted drastically if the province expects to keep its wilderness areas pristine for years to come. B.C. Parks has been "chronically underfunded" for a decade, he said. Andrea Ross reports. (CBC)

Planning commission head accused of profiting from position
Opponents of the controversial Frognal Estates development have accused the head of the Snohomish County Planning Commission of using his position to propel the project forward to benefit his land-use consulting business. Merle Ash, a consultant for Frognal Estates, denies pushing a code change to help the project. Bill Lider and Linda Gray, longtime objectors to the plan to build 112 homes on 22 acres near Picnic Point, have said commission Chairman Merle Ash supported nixing a buffer zone requirement that stood in the way of Frognal Estates. The pair, who have for years repeatedly voiced concerns about the potential conflict of interest, filed a formal complaint with the county’s Ethics Commission on Aug. 3 after the County Council reappointed Ash last month to serve another four-year term on the planning commission. Rachel Riley reports. (Everett Herald)

Trump to withdraw polarizing nominee to lead Bureau Of Land Management
Amid pressure from Democrats and some Republicans, the Trump administration is planning to withdraw its controversial nominee to head the federal Bureau of Land Management. The sprawling public lands agency, which manages roughly a tenth of the landmass of the United States, has not had a permanent, Senate-confirmed director for the entire Trump era. The nominee, William Perry Pendley, has been leading the agency since last August through a series of controversial continued appointment extensions. Prior to coming to Washington, D.C., the Wyoming native had spent much of his career at the conservative Mountain States Legal Foundation challenging the very agency he now leads. Kirk Siegler reports. (NPR)

30 Years of OPA90: Legislation to Prevent Another Exxon Valdez
30 years ago today, a new law controlling the oil and gas industry was adopted in the wake of the Exxon Valdez disaster. Now some fear those regulations are being rolled back. Ryan Stuart reports. (Hakai Magazine)

What Have We Done to the Whale?
The creatures once symbolized our efforts to save the planet; now they demonstrate all the ways we have devastated it. Amia Srinivasan reports. (The New Yorker)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 616 AM PDT Mon Aug 17 2020
TODAY E wind to 10 kt becoming NW 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 9 seconds. A slight chance of drizzle.
TONIGHT 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.

Friday, August 14, 2020

8/14 Cricket, summer blast, goat relo, mine pollution, Trump's methane, soil carbon, ferry delays, Adventuress

House cricket [Luis Fernandez Garcia/WikiCommons]

House Cricket Acheta domesticus
House crickets, unlike their cousin the grasshopper, have three tarsal (ankle) segmented body sections and grasshoppers do not. Males are smaller than females. Both sexes have wings that sit on the abdomen and are short when compared to that of the grasshopper. Coloring varies but most are brown or grayish-brown. Females have a long, stiff ovipositor at the tip of the abdomen that looks like a thick stinger-- but crickets do not sting or bite. The ovipositor is used to deposit eggs into moist organic material. (Insect Identification)

Summer's got one more heat blast up its sleeve for Western Washington
...[T]he region is expecting a one-day heat wave this weekend as temperatures soar well into the 90s, with some spots around the region perhaps nearing or reaching 100 degrees.
Scott Sistek reports. (KOMO)

Mountain goat relocations complete
Another 50 mountain goats got a new lease on life this summer after teams of wildlife experts orchestrated their moves by road, boat and air from the Olympic Mountains to the North Cascades. The white animals iconic to Washington’s wilderness areas survived sedation, capture, vet checks and transport by ferry and helicopter to their new homes in the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie and Okanogan-Wenatchee national forests. Most were released into rugged landscapes just outside Skagit County, including north of Washington Pass and south of Darrington. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Contamination from Mount Polley spill continues to affect waterways, study finds
The Mount Polley mine tailings spill that sent more than 24 million cubic metres of mine waste into nearby waterways in 2014 continues to impact lakes, rivers and aquatic ecosystems, according to a new study. Researchers have been monitoring Quesnel Lake since the spill, which is considered one of the largest environmental mining disasters in Canadian history. (CBC) Cleaning up B.C.’s Tulsequah Chief mine will cost $48.7 million A final remediation plan released by the provincial government this week is seen as a positive step in ending six decades of pollution from the mine on the Alaska border — but it's still unclear who'll foot the bill. Matt Simmons reports. (The Narwhal)

Trump's Methane Rollback That Big Oil Doesn't Want
Despite opposition from the oil and gas industry it aims to help, the Trump administration is rolling back an Obama-era rule designed to reduce climate-warming methane emissions. Methane is the main ingredient in natural gas. But when it's released before it burns, say from a leaky valve at a drilling site, it's far more potent than carbon dioxide. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, the oil and gas industry is the largest source of methane emissions in the United States. The Trump administration rule would eliminate a 2016 requirement that oil and gas companies monitor and limit methane leaks from wells, compressor stations and other operations. Jeff Brady reports. (NPR)

Global Warming Could Unlock Carbon From Tropical Soil
Humble dirt could pack an unexpected climate punch, according to a new study published Wednesday in the journal Nature. An experiment that heated soil underneath a tropical rainforest to mimic temperatures expected in the coming decades found that hotter soils released 55 percent more planet-warming carbon dioxide than did nearby unwarmed areas. If the results apply throughout the tropics, much of the carbon stored underground could be released as the planet heats up. “The loss rate is huge,” said Andrew Nottingham, an ecologist at the University of Edinburgh, who led the study. “It’s a bad news story.” Gabriel Popkin reports. (NY Times)

Lengthy San Juan Islands ferry delays frustrate riders and residents
The Washington State Ferry system says fallout from coronavirus is to blame for long ferry lines. Eric Wilkinson reports. (KING) Necessary travel: ferries’ winter schedule in summer brings travel delays for locals, visitors in San Juans Genevieve Iverson reports. (Salish Current) ‘A very complex issue’: Ramel gives update on San Juan Islands ferry delays (Salish Current)

Adventuress to be out on water for the first time this year
Schooner Adventuress Capts. Katelinn Shaw and Nate Seward are “cautiously excited” to get the 107-year-old ship out on the water this afternoon — the first time it’s set sail this year. “It’s been a long time coming,” Seward said Thursday afternoon while standing aboard the 133-foot vessel, which has been docked at Port Townsend Boat Haven since May, unable to embark on its usual day and overnight educational voyages during a summer season stymied by the coronavirus pandemic. Nicholas Johnson reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Google Builds AI to Help Ships and Whales Coexist
Artificial intelligence trained to detect orca sounds in noisy waters is helping protect whales from vessel traffic. Michael Bucher and Janet Babin report. Photographs by Kamil Bialous. (Wall Street Journal)

Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 253 AM PDT Fri Aug 14 2020
TODAY W wind to 10 kt rising to 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less. NW swell 3 ft at 9 seconds.
TONIGHT W wind 10 to 20 kt easing to 10 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft subsiding to 1 ft or less after midnight. NW swell 4 ft at 8 seconds.
SAT E wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. NW swell 4 ft at 8 seconds.
SAT NIGHT Light wind becoming NE to 10 kt after midnight. Wind waves less than 1 ft becoming 1 ft or less after midnight. NW swell 5 ft at 8 seconds.
SUN E wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. NW swell 4 ft at 10 seconds.

Thursday, August 13, 2020

8/13 Cicada, killing sea lions, Trump's Migratory Bird Treaty, Skagit biotoxin, Shelter Bay at 50

Orchard Cicada Homoptera cicadidae
The orchard cicada is the common cicada of the PNW Region. All cicada spp. have multi year life cycles ranging from 3 to 17 years as nymphs feeding on roots of trees and adulthood. When the adults emerge both sexes make a loud stridulation sound that attracts the other gender for mating. This sound is species specific. The eggs are laid on young twigs of trees. The twigs break off and fall to the ground and 1st instar nymphs migrate down to the roots. (WSU Entomology Dept)

Hundreds of sea lions to be killed on Columbia River in effort to save endangered fish
Approval to kill up to 840 sea lions in a portion of the Columbia River and its tributaries over the next five years to boost the survival of salmon and steelhead at risk of extinction is expected from federal officials Friday. The kill program has been in the works since Congress approved a change in the Marine Mammal Protection Act in 2018, allowing sea lions to be killed to reduce predation on salmon and other species. The legislation for the first time allows the killing of Steller’s sea lions, in addition to California sea lions, and makes any of the marine mammals fair game within a nearly 200 mile stretch of the mainstem Columbia and its tributaries, between Bonneville and McNary dams. Previously, only California sea lions that had been determined to be problematic predators of salmon were allowed to be killed to benefit fish recovery. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Quoting ‘To Kill a Mockingbird,’ judge strikes down Trump administration rollback of historic law protecting birds
A federal judge in New York has invalidated rule changes by the Trump administration that allowed individuals and corporations to kill scores of birds as long as they could prove they did not intentionally set out to do so. In a blistering ruling that cited Harper Lee’s “To Kill A Mockingbird”, U.S. District Judge Valerie E. Caproni ripped the administration’s interpretation of “takings” and “killings” of birds under the century-old Migratory Bird Treaty Act as applying only if the animals are specifically targeted. Tuesday’s ruling was the latest legal setback for the Trump administration as it has systematically tried to weaken or nullify scores of federal environmental protections. In her decision, Caproni said the administration had gone too far. Darryl Fears reports. (Washington Post)

Biotoxin closes most local shellfish harvest
With Anacortes area beaches closed Wednesday, most recreational shellfish harvesting beaches in Skagit County are now closed due to the presence of a marine biotoxin that can cause paralytic shellfish poisoning if consumed. Marine biotoxins are produced naturally by algae in the water, but in high concentrations can be poisonous, according to the state Department of Health. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Shelter Bay slips quietly past 50 year anniversary
It was just over a half century ago that the Shelter Bay development, which some predicted would transform then sleepy La Conner into the Carmel of the Northwest, both literally and figuratively changed the local landscape. That is when Osberg Construction of Seattle was in the midst of dredging millions of yards from what had been known as Indian Bay to create the present harbor and moorage area that serves as a visual anchor for the 420-acre planned residential community. The population now hovers near 2,000. Bill Reynolds reports. (La Conner Weekly News)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 254 AM PDT Thu Aug 13 2020
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 in the afternoon. NW swell 4 ft at 8 seconds.
TONIGHT W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. NW swell 3 ft at 9 seconds.

Wednesday, August 12, 2020

8/12 Turkey vulture, Fraser R sockeye, Big Pipe projects, Haida Gwaii lodge, Pt Roberts relief

Turkey vulture [Charles J Sharp/WikiMedia]

Turkey vulture Cathartes aura
A familiar sight in the sky over much of North America is the dark, long-winged form of the Turkey Vulture, soaring high over the landscape. Most birds are believed to have a very poor sense of smell, but the Turkey Vulture is an exception, apparently able to find carrion by odor. (Audubon)

'Quite dire': Fraser River sockeye salmon run expected to be worst ever recorded
This year is shaping up to be the worst for sockeye salmon in the Fraser River since tracking began in 1893, according to the Pacific Salmon Commission. The expected run has been downgraded to less than a third of pre-season forecasts, and unusually high water levels on the river have made for a challenging migration for early-season sockeye. In addition, the Big Bar landslide north of Lillooet, which wasn't discovered until June 2019, poses a further challenge for the fish, making a section of the migration route nearly impassible. Rafferty Baker reports. (CBC) See also: With record-low salmon returning this year to Fraser River, B.C. fishers face tough times Greg Rasmussen reports. (CBC)

Trans Mountain, Coastal GasLink, Keystone XL: where things stand with Canada’s pipeline projects
Amid legal hurdles in the U.S. and continued opposition from First Nations, the federal government is doubling down on its vow to do whatever it takes to get key oil and gas pipelines built. Ainslie Cruickshank reports. (The Narwhal)

Queen Charlotte Lodge closes for the year after B.C. bans non-essential travel to Haida Gwaii
The Queen Charlotte Lodge, a luxury fishing lodge off B.C.'s north coast, is shutting down operations for the rest of the year to comply with an order from the provincial government banning non-essential travel to the Haida Gwaii archipelago. The lodge had only been open for three weeks; typically, it would continue to operate into September. The early closure comes with significant financial losses for the company, and for owner and president Paul Clough. More than 150 people have been laid off, and Clough said they will eventually lay off 25 office and clerical staff. (CBC)

Top Washington lawmakers ask for border exemption between Canada and small Whatcom County town
Both of Washington's US Senators and two members of Congress are pushing for changes for the residents of an isolated Whatcom County town. Senators Patty Murray and Maria Cantwell, along with Representatives Suzan DelBene and Rick Larsen have asked the US Ambassador to Canada to ask for a border exemption for residents of Point Roberts, Washington. Chris Daniels reports. (KING)

Now, your tug weather--West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 154 AM PDT Wed Aug 12 2020
TODAY SW wind to 10 kt becoming W in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 9 seconds. TONIGHT W wind 10 to 20 kt easing to 10 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft subsiding to 1 ft or less after midnight. W swell 4 ft at 10 seconds.

Tuesday, August 11, 2020

8/11 Sculpin, Trump's spotted owl, BC Ferries, Cape Cod oysters, pregnant orcas

Sailfin sculpin Nautichthys oculofasciatus
Sailfin sculpin are found Alaska to southern California and are abundant but primarily nocturnal, hiding in crevices during the day. Seen at night over rocky and kelp-covered sandy bottoms undulating its long, second dorsal fin when swimming. (Marine Wildlife of Puget Sound, the San Juans and the Strait of Georgia) See also: Sculpins of Puget Sound (Seattle Aquarium

Trump administration wants to reduce critical habitat for northern spotted owls
The Trump administration is proposing to eliminate protections for imperiled northern spotted owls by taking back critical habitat status from more than 200,000 acres of public forests in Oregon. The owl has been an icon since the late 1980s in the effort to protect what’s left of the Pacific Northwest’s ancient forests. In 1990 it was listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. The U.S Fish and Wildlife Service has proposed to reduce the Northern Spotted Owl’s critical habitat population by 204,653 acres or 2% of 9.6 million acres that have been designated as protected habitat for the owl. The move drew criticism from conservationists. Monica Samayoa reports. (OPB)

Feds to bail out B.C. Ferries, but Greens wants it overhauled
B.C. Ferries will receive federal financial assistance from Ottawa, but the corporation’s long-term stability will only be secure once it is brought back into government, says the interim leader of the B.C. Greens. Federal Environment Minister Jonathan Wilkinson and B.C. Transportation Minister Claire Trevena will announce Tuesday morning that B.C. Ferries is eligible for the same matching federal and provincial financial assistance already earmarked for B.C. Transit and TransLink. Rob Shaw reports. (Vancouver Sun)

On the Shores of Cape Cod, Where the Oyster Is Their World
Pollution, development and overharvesting have greatly diminished America's natural oyster habitat. Aquaculture and adaptable farmers have changed the game. Randy Harris reports. (NY Times)

Fish and wildlife experts call public to steer-clear of pregnant orcas in Puget Sound
Researchers say due to poor nutritional opportunities, orcas have a low success rate for pregnancies. Wildlife officials advice the public to keep their distance when spotting orcas in Puget Sound. (KCPQ)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 548 AM PDT Tue Aug 11 2020
TODAY SE 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. W swell 6 ft at 11 seconds. Patchy fog in the morning.
TONIGHT W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming SW 5 to 15 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 6 ft at 10 seconds.

Monday, August 10, 2020

8/10 Elwha nearshore,Lolita, bull kelp, Puget Sound art, shellfish update, BC COvID, Sunset Beach, cooling Vancouver

Elwha nearshore, 8/7/20, Coastal Watershed Institute

Taken from her pod 50 years ago, Lolita is the sole Puget Sound orca surviving from the capture era
Fifty years ago on Aug. 8, Lolita was a baby orca, without a stage name. That changed forever that day in Penn Cove, when she was rounded up and captured for sale to the Miami Seaquarium, where she still lives today. Lolita is the sole survivor of the southern resident orcas captured for the aquarium trade, which took a third of the J, K, and L pods beginning in the late 1960s until Washington leaders worked to outlaw the hunts in 1976. The southern residents rebuilt in population, but are now at the lowest number since the capture era because of a triple threat to their survival of decreasing chinook salmon runs, vessel noise and disturbance, and pollution. There are only 72 left in the wild, plus Lolita. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

British Columbia’s looming extinction crisis
Canada’s westernmost province markets itself as 'Super, Natural, B.C.,' but more than 2,000 species of animals and plants are at risk of disappearing — and unlike six other provinces, B.C. still has no endangered species law, despite the NDP's election promise to introduce one. Sarah Cox reports. (The Narwhal)

As bull kelp declines continue, collaboration is key
Efforts to understand what affects the health of bull kelp in the Salish Sea continue, with the recent publication of a recovery plan, the launch of annual kayak surveys and plans by the Samish Indian Nation to expand its research. Many are interested in kelp because of its connection with culturally and economically important wildlife including crab, rockfish, salmon and orcas. It provides refuge for some wildlife and food for others... Little is known about this palm tree-like algae beyond its role in the ecosystem and the fact that is has disappeared from some areas — including a recently noted decline near a local island. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Art contests help to carry the clean-water message to people around Puget Sound
Chris Dunagan writes: "’m impressed with artists who combine their passion for nature with a message about protecting the environment and how we all have a role to play. This week, I’d like to share winning artwork from two recent contests. One is a poster competition inspired by the “We are Puget Sound” (Water Ways) book and campaign. The other is a project that involves placing whimsical pictures of sea life on storm drains in Kitsap County. (Puget Sound Institute)

Updates on Crabbing, Clamming from Washington, Oregon Coast
For those who love crabbing and clamming along either the Washington coast or the Oregon coast, there’s mostly good news. An area between Washington and British Columbia will open up to crabbing a little bit later, while the southern Oregon coast resumes razor clamming. (Oregon Coast Beach Connection)

B.C. is no longer a model for COVID-19 prevention — and getting back to that stage is no guarantee
The months when British Columbia could pat itself on the back for dealing with COVID-19 better than nearly any other place in Canada or the entirety of the United States have come to an end. In the past month, the number of daily active cases in the province has quadrupled from about 10 a day to more than 40. The number of active cases has more than doubled, reaching levels not seen since May. Outbreaks are now widespread enough to require the self-isolation of more than 1,500 British Columbians. There are now more active cases per capita in B.C. than Ontario. In other words, it's not good. Justin McElroy reports. (CBC)

Vancouver's Sunset Beach closed to swimming due to E. coli
Sunset Beach in downtown Vancouver has been closed for swimming because of high E. coli levels. Swimming beaches in Metro Vancouver may be required to close when E. coli levels exceed 400/100 ml. According to Vancouver Coastal Health, by 3 p.m. on Friday E. coli clocked in at 1375/100 ml. By comparison, the water at Kitsilano Point tested at 63/100 ml around the same time that day. (CBC)

How Vancouver plans to cool down the hottest parts of the city amid global climate change
A horde of cyclists and electric vehicle drivers will soon take to the streets of Vancouver to map out the hottest and coolest parts of the city — a move that will help inform future plans to mitigate rising temperatures. It's called heat mapping, which is an urban planning tool other cities across the world have used to identify which neighbourhoods are most susceptible to increased temperatures amid global climate change. Jon Hernandez reports. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 237 AM PDT Mon Aug 10 2020
TODAY W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 5 ft at 10 seconds.
TONIGHT W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming SW 5 to 15 kt after midnight. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 7 ft at 12 seconds.

Friday, August 7, 2020

8/7 Catkin, BC emissions, Oly goats, BC old growth, Pacific garbage, Dakota Access pipe, Kitsap Lake, KNKX weather, Frognal bankruptcy

Catkin
A catkin or ament is a slim, cylindrical flower cluster, with inconspicuous or no petals, usually wind-pollinated but sometimes insect-pollinated. They contain many, usually unisexual flowers, arranged closely along a central stem that is often drooping.

B.C.’s emissions reach highest levels since 2001
Greenhouse gas emissions in B.C. spiked in 2018, reaching the highest levels since 2001, with oil and gas extraction, off-road industrial transport and heavy-duty diesel vehicles among the culprits, according to data released by the provincial government on Thursday. The figures show 2018 gross emissions totalled 67.9 megatonnes (Mt) of carbon dioxide equivalent , an increase of seven per cent since 2007and an increase of 2.2 Mt from 2017. The numbers push the province further away from its targets of a 40 per cent reduction from 2007 levels by 2030. B.C. is now 14 per cent further from its 2030 target than it was in 2007. Judith Lavoie reports. (The Narwhal)

Olympic goats take final flight to their new Cascade home
Not even a pandemic can stop scientists' multiyear quest to move invasive Olympic mountain goats by helicopter to their native Cascades. Hannah Weinberger reports. (Crosscut)

Starving for Old Growth Forests
On July 27, James Darling and Robert Fuller stopped eating. Equipped with signs and lawn chairs, they set up camp in front of the office of Sheila Malcolmson, NDP MLA for Nanaimo. In a letter to Premier John Horgan and all MLAs, the two men said they were launching a hunger strike until the government ended old growth logging in B.C. Natasha Simpson reports. (The Type)

Ship returns from Great Pacific Garbage Patch with 67 tons of plastic trash
In the fierce midday sun at Kewalo Basin Harbor Wednesday, elephantine mounds of algae-wrapped, tar-stained, red and yellow cordage, poison-green fishing nets and bleached consumer plastics in various stages of decay were being unloaded from the weatherbeaten hull of the tall-masted cargo ship KWAI, which had returned to Honolulu that morning with its hold bearing 67 tons of marine trash collected from the Great Pacific Garbage Patch during 35 days at sea. Mindy Pennybacker reports. (Star-Advertiser)

U.S. court allows Dakota Access oil pipeline to stay open, but permit status unclear
A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday said the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL) does not have to be shut and drained per a lower court order, but a legal battle continued over the permit that allowed the line to be finished. U.S. regulatory officials may still need to issue another environmental assessment for DAPL before deciding if the 570,000-barrel-per-day oil pipeline can keep operating, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia said. (Reuters) See also: What's next for the Dakota Access Pipeline? Recent court rulings cast doubt on future Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Goodbye, 'pea soup': City funding cleanup of Kitsap Lake's persistent algae blooms
It’s a familiar sight to residents living on the shores of Kitsap Lake: each summer, around the beginning of June, a bright green algae begins to creep across the water. Cyanobacteria, or blue-green algae, is a potentially toxic algae that has been a persistent problem for homeowners and lake-users for years. Blooms can be harmful to people and pets and have forced closures of Kitsap Lake and its beaches every year for the last five years, much to the chagrin of residents like Jay O’Connor. O’Connor, who has lived on the lake for 16 years, first noticed the blooms around 2008. The yearly explosions of algae seem to get worse every year, he said. Christian Vosler reports. (Kitsap Sun)

KNKX to stop airing Weather with Cliff Mass, effective immediately
"...We turn to our regular commentators for their expertise and points-of-view when it comes to sports, food and the weather. But if a commentator, even on his own independent platform, delivers rhetoric that is offensive and inaccurate, we cannot support it. This is the case today with Cliff Mass. His post on his personal blog compares recent events in Seattle to Kristallnacht, the 1938 pogrom carried out by Nazi Germany, and draws distorted, offensive parallels between protesters and Nazi Brownshirts. We abhor the comparison and find it sensationalized and misleading — it does not reflect who we are and what we stand for at KNKX. The segment Weather with Cliff Mass will no longer air on KNKX." (KNKX)

Frognal Holdings LLC Bankruptcy Filing
Frognal Holdings LLC filed for voluntary Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection July 23, 2020, in the Western District of Washington. The debtor listed an address of 1610 Everett Mall Way, Everett, and is represented in court by attorney Christine M. Tobin-Presser. Frognal Holdings LLC listed assets up to $30,921,624 and debts up to $11,302,231. The filing's largest creditor was listed as Shaughnessy Capital LLC with an outstanding claim of $10,309,406. [Frognal Estates, formerly known as Horseman's Trail, is a proposed single-family subdivision project for 112 lots. It is an assembly of three currently forested parcels totaling 22.34 acres in the Picnic Point neighborhood, an area between Mukilteo and Edmonds.]

Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 232 AM PDT Fri Aug 7 2020
TODAY Light wind becoming E to 10 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 10 seconds. A slight chance of showers.
TONIGHT E wind to 10 kt becoming S after midnight. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 10 seconds. Showers likely.
SAT 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 in the afternoon. W swell 5 ft at 9 seconds. A slight chance of showers in the morning.
SAT NIGHT W wind 15 to 25 kt easing to 10 kt after midnight. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft subsiding to 1 ft or less after midnight. W swell 7 ft at 9 seconds.
SUN NW wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 11 seconds.

Thursday, August 6, 2020

8/6 Cattail, UBC ammonia, Site C settlement, Pressentin Park, noctiluca bloom

Cattails

Cattails are wetland plants with a unique flowering spike, flat blade like leaves that reach heights from 3 to 10 feet. They are one of the most common plants in large marshes and on the edge of ponds. Two species are most common in US: broad leaved cattail (T. latifolia) and narrow leaf cattail (T. angustifolia).

UBC loses appeal of conviction for dumping ammonia into stream
The University of B.C. has lost its appeal of a $1.155-million fine and conviction for allowing ammonia to be discharged from the Thunderbird ice rinks into a tributary of the Fraser River. In November 2018, Provincial Court Judge Bonnie Craig found UBC guilty of offences under the Fisheries Act, namely permitting the deposit of a deleterious substance into water frequented by fish. Keith Fraser reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Agreement between province, BC Hydro, First Nation, ends legal fight over Site C
A British Columbia First Nation has ended its legal battle against the provincial government and BC Hydro over the Site C dam, a project the nation originally claimed was a $1-billion treaty violation. A statement from the Ministry of Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation says the Prophet River First Nation, province and BC Hydro have reached agreements ending the civil claim. The matter involved the allegation that development of BC Hydro’s Site C dam on the Peace River in northeastern B.C., would destroy Indigenous territory and violate Aboriginal rights protected by Treaty 8. The statement, released jointly by the province, Crown utility and First Nation, says B.C. will work to improve land management and restore traditional place names in areas of cultural significance. Prophet River also receives ongoing payments while the Site C project is operating, and provincial Crown lands will be transferred to the nation along with a licence for woodland management. (Canadian Press)

Local salmon project gets boost from Cooke Aquaculture fine
A plan to offer recreation opportunities and improve salmon habitat where a bend in the Skagit River hugs Marblemount is getting a boost in funding. The $265,600 being given to the nonprofit Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group comes from a penalty levied against Cooke Aquaculture for a 2017 incident in which a company net pen broke, allowing Atlantic salmon to get into the Salish Sea. The money will allow for completion of Pressentin Park, which has been in the works for several years in coordination with Skagit County Parks and Recreation. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Noctiluca bloom in Chuckanut Bay may be a first
The Washington Department of Ecology has reported a noctiluca bloom in Chuckanut Bay. The department says they first became aware of the bloom after a citizen scientist sent in photos taken Tuesday. Oceanographer Christopher Krembs says this bloom may be a first for the region. Over the last 10 years, Krembs says he has not documented a noctiluca bloom in Chuckanut Bay. Noctiluca is not harmful to humans but it can be an indicator of excess nutrients and possible changes to the food web, oceanographer Juila Bos says. (KOMO)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 230 AM PDT Thu Aug 6 2020
TODAY W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 1 to 2 ft. W swell 5 ft at 8 seconds. A slight chance of rain.
TONIGHT W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SW to 10 kt after midnight. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 11 seconds. A slight chance of showers.

Wednesday, August 5, 2020

8/5 Catnip, Land and Water Fund, Pebble Mine, Pilchuck dam, white ravens, treetop protest, wildfires, Colstrip, ocean megaprovinces

Catnip Nepeta cataria
Catnip is a species of the genus Nepeta in the family Lamiaceae, native to southern and eastern Europe, the Middle East, Central Asia, and parts of China. It is widely naturalized in northern Europe, New Zealand, and North America. The names catnip and catmint are derived from the intense attraction about two-thirds of cats have toward them. (Wikipedia)

President Trump signs bill permanently funding Land and Water Conservation Fund
A landmark bill committing $900 million a year for land conservation and a one-time $9.5 billion boost to help catch up over the next five years on maintenance needs at national parks was signed into law by President Donald Trump Monday.The Great American Outdoors Act, S. 3422, will increase by two or three times the historic average amount of money spent by Congress for the Land and Water Conservation Fund. The program, used to fund acquisitions from willing sellers for federal, state and local open space and outdoor recreation, is paid for from royalties earned on oil and natural gas leases on public lands. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

President’s son Donald Jr. on Twitter calls for blocking Alaska mine in sensitive fishing area
Two tweets, one by the president’s son and one by Vice President Pence’s former top staffer, on Tuesday called for stopping a giant gold and copper mine from being built in Alaska at the world’s greatest sockeye salmon fishery. Steven Mufson, Brady Dennis and Ashley Parker report. (Washington Post)

Another Washington dam removal — and 37 more miles of salmon habitat restored
Washington’s dam-busting summer is still rolling, with two more dams coming down on the Pilchuck River, opening 37 miles of habitat to salmon for the first time in more than a century. The $2 million dam removal project is a collaboration between the City of Snohomish and Tulalip Tribes, and will benefit multiple species of salmon, including threatened chinook salmon, crucial food for endangered southern resident killer whales. It’s the state’s second dam teardown project in two months. In July, the city of Bellingham blew up its Nooksack Diversion Dam on the Middle Fork of the Nooksack River, opening 16 miles of habitat for salmon, including chinook. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

More sightings of rare white ravens on Vancouver Island
Mike Yip says the mysterious white ravens are considered leucistic — not albino, which have no pigment at all. These ravens have blue eyes and likely have genetic defects that dilute their natural colour. “They are a freak of nature,” Yip said. Darron Kloster reports. (Times Colonist)

60-plus days of tear gas leaves lingering questions about environmental
Public agencies are trying to answer a question on the minds of many, including a U.S. congressman and Oregon lawmakers: What will all that tear gas mean for trees, water and wildlife? Monica Samayoa and lauren Dake report. (OPB)

SFU professor mounts high-altitude protest against Trans Mountain pipeline expansion
Tim Takaro is by himself but insists he isn't alone. Takaro, 63, is protesting the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project by camping out in a cluster of trees in Burnaby, B.C. Takaro is a professor of health sciences and environmental health at Simon Fraser University and a former physician, having retired from clinical medicine in December 2019. He and other environmental activists say trees along the Brunette River near the boundary between Burnaby and New Westminster are slated to be felled between now and Sept. 15 as part of pipeline construction. Liam Britten reports. (CBC)

Nanaimo-area wildfire is potential threat to Island marmots
A wildfire burning out of control on Green Mountain southwest of Nanaimo poses a potential threat to Vancouver Island marmots. Adam Taylor, executive director of the Marmot Recovery Foundation, said his team is still trying to determine where exactly the 160,000 square metre fire is burning on the mountain, which provides important habitat for the critically endangered herbivores. Lindsay Kines reports. (Vancouver Sun) See also: Olympic National Park fire held at 84 acres Firefighters continued efforts Tuesday to stamp out the East Beach Road Fire, with containment rising to 65 percent from 30 percent Monday and the burning area remaining at 84 acres, the Western Washington Type 3 Incident Management Team said. Michael Carman reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Demolition starts on Colstrip's oldest units
Demolition has started on parts of Colstrip Power Plant used to service its oldest units. Construction workers began demolishing the Unit 1 and 2 cooling towers in July. The work comes 13 months after owners Talen Energy and Puget Sound Energy said it was uneconomical to keep running the units, which were shut down for good in January. Tom Lutey reports. (Billings Gazette)

The Ocean’s 12 Megaprovinces
Determining the borders of the ocean’s ecological regions is challenging. On land, different ecoregions such as rainforest or tundra can be classified by the species of animals and plants and their abundances, but in the ocean, most species are microscopic, and their movements mean boundaries are ever-changing. Typically, scientists studying the distribution of life in the sea use satellite images to measure a region’s chlorophyll levels—a chemical compound made by photosynthesizing phytoplankton—to get an idea of how much life is in an area. But these measurements don’t differentiate between species of phytoplankton, some of which support specific combinations of animal and plant life. New research led by Maike Sonnewald, a physical oceanographer at Princeton University in New Jersey, outlines a new way to classify marine ecosystems. She says that the ocean can be broken down into 100 different ecoprovinces, which together make up 12 main megaprovinces with similar balances of animal and plant species. Jackie Snow reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca- 232 AM PDT Wed Aug 5 2020
TODAY W wind to 10 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 3 ft at 11 seconds.
TONIGHT W wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 3 ft at 9 seconds. A chance of rain in the evening then rain likely after midnight.