2/17 Red-twig dogwood, Inslee's salmon, green crab eDNA, crab raid, BC floods, BC fuel subsidies, quake impact, oyster planting, WA-BC ferry

Red-twig dogwood [Native Plants Pacific NW]

Red-Twig Dogwood Cornus sericea
Red-Twig Dogwood is found throughout most of northern and western North America, extending into Mexico in the west. Red-Twig Dogwood is extremely variable; many cultivated varieties are available varying in stem color, size, and leaf variegation. It usually grows in moist soil, especially along streams and lakesides, in wet meadows, open forests and along forest edges. Some natives smoked the dried bark during ceremonies (hence the common name kinnikinnik which usually refers to Arctostaphylos uva-ursi). (Native Plants of the Pacific NW)

Governor’s renewed salmon strategy faces decisive period in the current Legislature
State legislation designed to enhance salmon habitat by requiring protective buffers along streams has been set aside pending further discussions over the coming year. Meanwhile, several other salmon-protection measures proposed by the governor could move forward with decisive funding from the Legislature. Chris Dunagan writes. (Puget Sound Institute)

Washington researchers identify new tool in fight to contain invasive green crabs: eDNA
State wildlife officials are requesting more than $8.5 million in emergency funding from the Legislature to boost the fight against invasive European green crabs. A new tool might make that more effective: environmental DNA. New research from scientists at the University of Washington and Washington Sea Grant confirms that eDNA works as well as physical trapping to detect the crabs' presence. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Boundary Bay raid nets hundreds of illegal crab traps
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard mounted a five-day search of Boundary Bay in White Rock for illegally set and abandoned crab traps. According to the DFO, the raid was conduced between Feb. 7-11 and retrieved 312 crab traps. Most were illegal, while some were “ghost” or abandoned traps. The operation used the CCG’s hovercraft Moytel, backed by three DFO patrol vessels. The Vancouver-based Whale Protection Unit was also utilized. David Carrigg reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Study suggests climate change made B.C. floods twice as likely
Catastrophic floods that swamped much of southern B.C. last fall were at least twice as likely because of climate change, suggests new research from Environment Canada. The study, now undergoing peer review, concludes that the likelihood of similar events in the future will only increase as global warming continues to upend normal weather patterns. “We do find substantial ongoing increases in the probability of these kinds of events,” said Nathan Gillett, an atmospheric physicist and manager of the Canadian Centre for Climate Modelling and Analysis. In November, B.C. saw three events come together to create unprecedented flooding. (Canadian Press)

BC’s Fossil Fuel Subsidies Are Second Highest in Canada
The B.C. government handed out $1.3 billion in fossil fuel subsidies over the past two fiscal years, according to a new report by the International Institute for Sustainable Development, an independent think tank. That includes $765 million during the 2020-21 fiscal year and $566 million in the first nine months of the current fiscal year, which ends March 31. The report crunched the numbers for Canada’s four main fossil fuel-producing provinces and found B.C. provided the second-highest amount in subsidies, behind only Alberta. Michelle Gamage reports. (The Tyee)

Maps show Cascadia quake impact on region
When the Cascadia Subduction Zone earthquake rocks the North Olympic Peninsula, the temblor’s tsunami waves will roll across La Push in about 10 minutes, surging to Port Angeles in an hour and to Port Townsend 30 minutes later, according to a state inundation study. "The earthquake shaking can last 3 to 6 minutes, so if you’re protecting yourself for 3 to 6 minutes while the shaking is happening, and then a tsunami arrives 4 to 6 minutes later, that’s not any time at all, really, to evacuate,” Corina Allen, chief hazards geologist at the Washington Geological Survey, said Wednesday while presenting the study’s results. Paul Gottlieb reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

How to Plant Millions of Oysters in a Day
Conservationists and community members collaborate on an ambitious project to revive oysters in a Chesapeake Bay tributary. Ally Hirschlag reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Sidney-Anacortes ferry may not run this year
While other businesses are looking forward to a “nearly normal” tourist season amid softening pandemic restrictions, Washington State Ferries is casting doubt on whether it will be able to ­operate its Sidney-to-Anacortes ferry this summer. Spokesman Ian Sterling said no decision has been made on whether the ferry will operate next month or even later this year. He emphasized that a lot would have to go right for the service to resume between Sidney and Washington state. Andrew Duffy reports. (Times Colonist)

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  248 AM PST Thu Feb 17 2022   
TODAY  SW wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 7 ft  at 9 seconds. A slight chance of rain. 
TONIGHT  W wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 6 ft  at 8 seconds.

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