2/22 Goldeneye, BC herring, Cascade Loop, BC fish farms, Ostrich Bay Cr, Gaslink pipe, Snake dams, CG ship, border closure, BC COVID rules

Barrow's goldeneye [Blair Dudeck]

 
Barrow's goldeneye Bucephala islandica
Barrow's goldeneye is a medium-sized sea duck of the genus Bucephala, the goldeneyes. This bird was named after Sir John Barrow. The genus name is derived from Ancient Greek boukephalos, "bullheaded", from bous, "bull " and kephale, "head", a reference to the bulbous head shape of the bufflehead. (Wikipedia)

Quota for B.C.'s lone remaining herring roe fishery too high, says scientist
Quota rates for the Pacific herring fishery will remain largely unchanged this year, according to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, including another year of a 20 per cent harvest in the critical Strait of Georgia zone, B.C.'s only remaining commercial herring roe fishery. But a senior research scientist with the David Suzuki Foundation says government fishery managers should have taken a more conservative approach and cut the Strait of Georgia quota to 10 per cent. Karin Larsen reports. (CBC)

Cascade Loop gets National Scenic Byway designation
The varied landscape of the region, from the jagged peaks of the North Cascades to the pebbled beaches of Fidalgo Island, is often cited as a reason Skagit County residents love living here. The Cascade Loop, of which Highway 20 through Skagit County is a part, is now federally recognized for that beauty. On Jan. 19, the Cascade Loop was one of 34 National Scenic Byways designations approved by the U.S. Department of Transportation. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald0

Federal plans to close fish farms stir emotions on Vancouver Island
As a commercial fisherman and salmon farmer, James Walkus says he sees the merits of both industries and he’s convinced the two can coexist. The 81-year-old Indigenous leader and entrepreneur from Port Hardy said wild salmon has provided him with a way of life for decades, but he supports the expansion of aquaculture and opposes the federal government’s decision to phase out almost 20 salmon farms on northern Vancouver Island within 18 months. Dirk Meissner reports. (Canadian Press)

Ostrich Bay Creek culvert replacement will bring traffic delays to Kitsap Way this summer
The city of Bremerton will tap into a state public works board loan to replace three culverts along Ostrich Bay Creek in the next year, starting with an aging culvert underneath Kitsap Way this summer. Ostrich Bay Creek, the city’s most polluted stream, flows from Harlow Drive underneath Kitsap Way into Ostrich Bay by Madrona Point. The culvert that carries the creek under Kitsap Way near the southbound Highway 3 exit ramp was built in 1927 and is undersized, city stormwater project manager Gunnar Fridriksson said. Christian Vosler reports. (Kitsap Sun)

A pipeline runs through it: Coastal GasLink is crossing hundreds of waterways in northern B.C.
A major B.C. pipeline will cross about 625 streams, creeks, rivers and lakes, many of them fish bearing, during construction of one of the largest private sector projects in Canadian history, according to the company building it. The $6.6-billion pipeline is designed to carry natural gas, obtained by hydraulic fracturing — also known as fracking — in northeastern B.C., to a $40-billion LNG terminal on the province's North Coast for export to Asia. Coastal GasLink  says its environmental experts have devoted 43,000 hours to lessening the impact on fish and aquatic habitat along the route. Betsy Trumpener reports.(CBC)

Snake River dams proposal draws accolades, criticism
It’s a “pinch me, this is real” moment, said Amy Grondin. July through September, the Port Townsend resident fishes for salmon in the waters off Washington and Alaska. This time of year, she’s an activist for restoration of fish populations, which she said are critical to the North Olympic Peninsula’s economy. Those populations are suffering, Grondin said, as are fishermen. So when she heard Republican U.S. Rep. Mike Simpson of Idaho announce a proposal to breach all four Lower Snake River dams — infamous for blocking salmon passage — she saw a ray of hope. Diane Urbani de la Paz reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Cost of Coast Guard ship nears $1B as questions mount over federal shipbuilding plan
The federal government has quietly revealed that it plans to pay nearly $1 billion to build a new ocean research vessel for the Canadian Coast Guard whose original cost was supposed to be one-tenth that amount. The new cost estimate for the offshore oceanographic science vessel represents the latest blow to Ottawa's multibillion-dollar plan to build new ships for the Royal Canadian Navy and Coast Guard, first revealed more than a decade ago and beset by problems ever since. Lee Berthiaume reports. (Canadian Press)

Border closure reaches a year — U.S., Canada extend non-essential travel ban to March 21 (Bellingham Herald)

British Columbians worst in Canada at following COVID-19 rules all the time, new poll suggests 
New poll results show a significant number of Canadians are planning to bend COVID-19 rules over spring break and that when it comes to breaking those rules year-round, British Columbians are one of the worst offenders. According to an Insights West survey of about 1,600 Canadians conducted online in early February, only 48 per cent of people claim to be following COVID-19 restrictions and guidelines all the time. In B.C., that number drops to 34 per cent — which is 14 to 22 points lower than other provinces. (CBC)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  225 AM PST Mon Feb 22 2021   
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH TUESDAY MORNING   
TODAY  W 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 15 ft at 14 seconds subsiding to 13 ft at  14 seconds in the afternoon. Rain likely in the morning then a  chance of rain in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  W wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. W swell  13 ft at 14 seconds. A chance of rain in the evening then rain  likely after midnight.

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