11/3 Blue elderberry, wolf management, Roosevelt elk, salmon management, shellfish toxin, BC COVID, BC enviro assessments

Blue elderberry [Native Plants PNW]

 
Blue Elderberry Sambucus nigra ssp. cerulea
Blue Elderberry is found from southern British Columbia to California; to western Montana through west Texas. Elder trees were important in Celtic folklore and mythology; they were considered sacred to fairies and were used for making wands.  The “Elder Wand” was one of the “Deathly Hallows” in the Harry Potter book series.  In Europe, elderflowers are widely used to make syrups, cordials and liqueurs. Northwest natives ate the berries fresh, dried, steamed, or boiled. Dana Kelley Bressette writes. (Native Plants PNW)
 
Washington to manage wolves within borders after fed action
The state of Washington will take over management of most wolves within its borders early next year, after the U.S. government announced Thursday that gray wolves in the Lower 48 states would be delisted from the federal Endangered Species Act. The Department of Fish and Wildlife and Indian tribes have for years been managing a growing population of wolves in the eastern third of the state. The DFW often finds itself in the middle of conflicts between ranchers and environmental groups when wolves eat livestock. Nicholas K. Geranios reports. (AP)

Vancouver Island's Roosevelt elk fall prey to poachers
The illegal killing of Roosevelt elk on Vancouver Island continues to pose a threat to a population already listed as being of special concern in B.C. Two more elk were found dead near Nanaimo a week ago following a spike in killings last spring that highlighted a persistent problem on the Island. Lindsay Kines reports. (Times Colonist)

Washington state salmon management challenged by anglers
The state Department of Fish and Wildlife has argued that a group run by a fishing guide has no legal standing after the group challenged the agency’s management of salmon in the region. The Skagit Valley Herald reported that the group named Fish Northwest claimed that the department failed to meet requirements set by a 1974 landmark decision mandating that state officials co-manage fishing areas with treaty tribes. (AP)

Shellfish toxin forces closure of Vashon Island beaches
Washington health officials have closed Vashon-Maury Island’s Quartermaster Harbor beaches due to unsafe levels of a shellfish toxin. The closure includes all species of shellfish including clams, geoduck, scallops, mussels, oysters and snails. The closure does not include crab or shrimp. Crabmeat is not known to contain the PSP toxin, but the guts can contain unsafe levels. (AP)

6 more have died as B.C. confirms unprecedented 1,120 new cases of COVID-19 over the weekend
B.C.'s COVID-19 numbers continue to grow at an unprecedented rate, with another six deaths and 1,120 new cases confirmed over the weekend. Bethany Lindsay and Alex Migdal report. (CBC) See also: Canadian Ambassador to U.S. says there is no justification to change border restrictions  Ross Andersen reports. (CTV) "The facts on the ground with respect to the virus will dictate our choices and the facts right now argue for maintaining the measures as they are," Canada’s Ambassador to the United States Kirsten Hillman said.

B.C. committed to regional environmental assessments, but experts warn they might never happen
COVID-19 has delayed the Environmental Assessment Office’s work on establishing regulations for regional assessments, which will look at the cumulative effects of all past, present and future industrial projects. Matt Simmons reports. (The Narwhal)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  221 AM PST Tue Nov 3 2020   
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON   
TODAY  SE wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell 10 ft  at 12 seconds. Rain in the morning then showers likely in the  afternoon. 
TONIGHT  S wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. SW swell  7 ft at 10 seconds. Rain and a slight chance of tstms.

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