4/12 Evergreen huckleberry, offshore wind farm, crab plan, ocean noise, Yakima beetle, Skagit farm water

 

Evergreen Huckleberry [Native Plants PNW]

Evergreen Huckleberry Vaccinium ovatum
Evergreen Huckleberry is found on the west side of the Cascade Mountains from British Columbia to California.  Along the coast of California, it is common to the redwoods but sporadic further south. It is very common in second growth forests, especially along edges and openings. (Native Plants PNW)

Seattle developer pushes for WA’s first floating offshore wind farm off Olympic Peninsula
Trident Winds, a wind energy developer based in Seattle, submitted an unsolicited lease request Monday to the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management to build a floating offshore wind farm — the state’s first — about 43 miles off the coast of the Olympic Peninsula, near Grays Harbor. The proposed site — dubbed the Olympic Wind project — would provide 2,000 megawatts of clean energy to 800,000 homes, according to the developer. If all goes the company’s way, construction would begin in 2028 and the wind farm would become operational in 2030. Nicholas Turner reports. (Seattle Times)

Oregon finalizes first-ever management plan for Dungeness crabs
Oregon’s Dungeness crab industry wants seafood lovers to know that it’s taking steps to make sure the fishery is sustainable. That led to the creation of the state’s first-ever Dungeness crab management plan. Chris Lehman reports. (KLCC)

An ocean of noise: how sonic pollution is hurting marine life
Today’s oceans are a tumult of engine roar, artificial sonar and seismic blasts that make it impossible for marine creatures to hunt or communicate. We could make it stop, so why don’t we? David George Haskell reports. (The Guardian)

In the Yakima Valley, tiny beetles are posing major problems for growers
The iridescent green and copper-colored bugs are creating major headaches for the state's Department of Agriculture and growers of some of Washington's biggest cash crops. State officials say trapping and eradicating this beetle will come with a multimillion dollar price tag, and it'll take several years to determine if their efforts are successful. Libby Denkmann and Noel Gasca report. (KUOW)

Skagit County farm to fight Ecology fine over water fights
In response to being fined by the Department of Ecology for irrigating without a water permit, Skagit Valley Farms stated: “It is very important to our farm to operate in full compliance with the law and we are committed to continuing to work with Ecology to come into voluntary compliance with state water rules....The Department implies that our actions purposefully harmed other farmers and fish. This is not the case, and not provable. We strive to be good neighbors and responsible food producers,” Skagit Valley Farm stated. Maddie Smith reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Now, your tug weather--
301 AM PDT Tue Apr 12 2022   
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT THROUGH THIS AFTERNOON   
TODAY  SW wind to 10 kt becoming E 15 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft in the  afternoon. W swell 12 ft at 11 seconds. Showers in the morning  then showers likely and a slight chance of tstms in the  afternoon. 
TONIGHT  SE wind to 10 kt rising to 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 10 ft at 10 seconds. Showers  likely and a slight chance of tstms in the evening then a chance  of showers after midnight.

--

"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter. 

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told