1/26 Playing possum, BC salmon farms, BC glaciers, enviro justice, WA bear hunt, Sound Waters, Methuselah the fish

Playing possum [Wikipedia]

 
Playing possum
Apparent death, colloquially known as playing dead, feigning death, or playing possum, is a behavior in which animals take on the appearance of being dead. It is an immobile state most often triggered by a predatory attack and can be found in a wide range of animals from insects and crustaceans to mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Apparent death is also referred to as thanatosis, animal hypnosis, immobilization catatonia, or tonic immobility, the latter of which is preferred in the scientific literature on the subject. (Wikipedia)

New salmon farm proposals for B.C. coast raise questions about Ottawa’s promised 2025 phase-out
A raft of proposals to expand open-net pen salmon farms on the B.C. coast, including a plan for a new salmon farm off the north-east coast of Vancouver Island, is raising questions about whether fish farming will really be phased out in the province or whether companies will find ways, such as partnerships with First Nations, to circumvent federal Liberal government pledges to remove open-net pen salmon farms from B.C. waters by 2025. Judith Lavoie reports. (The Narwhal)

B.C. glaciers melting 7 times faster in past decade than previous years, UNBC study finds
Glaciers in British Columbia and Alberta have been melting an average of seven times faster over the past decade than in previous time periods, according to a new study from geologists at the University of Northern British Columbia. PhD candidate Alexandre Bevington and professor Brian Menounos used new technology to conduct the study. Winston Szeto reports. (CBC)

British Columbia developing plan to protect drinking water, ecosystems
The B.C. government announced Tuesday it is developing a new strategy to protect watersheds and drinking water, in response to threats posed by climate change combined with the effects of urban and industrial development. Severe drought, wildfires, flooding and landslides in British Columbia last year show that responding to climate change requires focusing on water and strengthening natural defences provided by healthy watersheds, an expert says. (Canadian Press)

E.P.A. Chief Vows to ‘Do Better’ to Protect Poor Communities
The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday will announce stepped-up enforcement and monitoring to help disadvantaged communities struggling with polluted air and water. Lisa Friedman reports. (NY Times)

Washington commission to reconsider 2022 spring bear hunt
The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission will reconsider a controversial spring bear hunt that the commission had recently postponed. In November, the commission did not update permits for a 2022 spring bear hunt after a 4-4 split decision. A majority of commissioners needed to authorize the 2022 special hunt permits, which meant the upcoming spring season would not happen. Since the November vote, hunting groups petitioned the commission to open the 2022 spring bear hunt. Courtney Flatt reports. (NW News Network)

‘True alien life form’ will be the talk of Sound Waters
Sound Waters University is an annual one-day educational conference on all things relating to the Salish Sea and its surroundings. This is its 28th year and the theme is “Hope in Action.”es, native pollinators and anemones. For the second year in a row, the event is online. Register here. soundwatersuniversity.org Kira Erickson reports. (Whidbey Mews-Times)

Meet Methuselah, the oldest living aquarium fish
Meet Methuselah, the fish that likes to eat fresh figs, get belly rubs and is believed to be the oldest living aquarium fish in the world. Methuselah is a 4-foot-long (1.2-meter), 40-pound (18.1-kilogram) Australian lungfish that was brought to the San Francisco museum in 1938 from Australia.  Biologists at the California Academy of Sciences believe Methuselah is about 90 years old, with no known living peers. Haven Daley reports. (Associated Press)

Starry flounder
Reader David Beatty adds to yesterday's info bit about the starry flounder that: "A physiological feature of the Starry Flounder is its tolerance of a wide range of salinities. It is a euryhaline species that enters estuaries and even for short distances into freshwater. At low tide, juveniles are often found in the fresh water flowing over sand and mud. More? Try Ken Jones Fishing.

Black Diamond
Last Friday's info bit about the town of Black Diamond brought a response from Nicole Loeffler-Gladstone of Puget SoundKeeper Alliance who pointed out that Puget Soundkeeper helped support the permanent closure of the mine. John Henry Number 1 Coal Mine had been out of operation since 1999, but options to resume mining were on the table until our settlement. ["Black Diamond Coal Mine Agrees to Permanent Closure" July 1, 2021]  "Thank you for featuring the beautiful Pagani House! I see it as a reminder that restoring and remediating land can be a way to honor those who faced (and continue to face) the impossible choice of working in extractive and destructive industries."

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  226 AM PST Wed Jan 26 2022   
TODAY  SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell  6 ft at 14 seconds. Patchy fog. 
TONIGHT  SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell  5 ft at 13 seconds. Areas of fog.

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