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.

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