12/13 Warty tunicate, BC drought, sunken tires, Living Planet Index, Columbia-Snake fish recovery, samurai wasp, East Sooke Park, Miller Peninsula SP, Sinclair Inlet derelict vessels

Warty tunicate [iNaturalist]

Warty tunicate Pyura haustor
Pyura haustor is a species of sessile ascidian, or sea squirt, that lives in coastal waters in the north-eastern Pacific Ocean, attached to rocks or artificial structures. Common names for this species include the wrinkled seapump, the wrinkled sea squirt and the warty tunicate.  Like other tunicates, this sea squirt draws in large quantities of water through its buccal siphon, filters out the edible particles and expels the water through the atrial siphon. The diet includes the eggs and larvae of crustaceans, echinoderms, mollusks and other tunicates.(iNaturalist)

We need to talk about B.C.’s drought
In the depths of this record-breaking B.C. drought, pretty much everyone I know is tormented by two opposing sentiments: 1) Overwhelming joy at the endless summer we’re having and 2) A growing sense of anxiety about how nearly three months with no rain in much of B.C. is impacting, well, all other living things. As salmon and red cedar suffer during what many are calling Augtober, we’re reminded of the alarming rate at which our climate is changing. Emma Gilchrist writes. (The Narwhal)

B.C. Hydro looks to protect fish as drought leaves some reservoirs at record-low levels
B.C. Hydro says drought conditions in the province have left some of its reservoirs at or near record-low levels. While there is enough water at its larger facilities to meet the demand for power, the Crown utility says it has had to adapt to the impacts of climate change to keep fish alive downstream. A new report titled "Casting drought" says the system at Campbell River has had the lowest water inflows for the month of September in 53 years. Water inflows in the Lower Mainland since the beginning of September are close to all-time lows. (CBC)

Groups working to remove thousands of tires from Puget Sound
The Washington Scuba Alliance (WSA) has teamed up with Coastal Sensing and Survey to locate 500,000 tires that were put underwater in Puget Sounds and Hood Canal in the 70s to create fish habitat. The organization said a recent study revealed the decomposing tires are poisoning sea life including Coho salmon. Karina Vargas reports. (KOMO)

The 2022 Living Planet Index Is Out. Here’s How to Understand It.
Researchers Report a Staggering Decline in Wildlife. Here’s How to Understand It. The latest update to an important assessment found that populations had declined by an average of 69 percent since 1970. But that might not mean what you think. Catrin Einhorn reports. (NY Times)

National report details ways to boost fish recovery in Columbia, Snake rivers
Local leaders and researchers are finding new solutions to an old problem: helping endangered salmon and steelhead species across the Columbia River Basin. Improving fish hatcheries, reintroducing young fish into dam-blocked areas and better water quality were listed as first-step solutions to fish recovery in the Columbia and Snake rivers, according to a report published last month from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association. Sydney Brown reports. (Longview Daily News)

Samurai wasps poised to help B.C. with its stink bug problem
Stink bugs threaten crops, orchards and backyard gardens because they eat apples, grapes, peaches, berries, peppers, beans, tomatoes and hazelnuts...The bugs are present in Metro Vancouver, the Fraser Valley, on Vancouver Island and in the Kelowna area. The working theory is that they travelled with goods shipped from Asia when they started appearing in B.C. in 2015. The good news: one of their natural predators also appears to have hitched a ride. Josh Grant reports. (CBC)

East Sooke Park expands by 16 hectares with land acquisition
The Capital Regional District has acquired a 15.9-hectare parcel to add to East Sooke Regional Park. The land, near Anderson Cove, is one of the last remaining large tracts of undeveloped land adjacent to the park...The area is considered an important habitat for large carnivores such as wolves, cougars and black bears, as well as for many smaller organisms, including the warty jumping slug, considered a species of special concern under the federal Species at Risk Act. Darron Kloster reports. (Times Colonist)

Open house to spotlight changes at Miller Peninsula State Park
State parks leaders will host an open house this month to give an overview of proposed changes and hear from community members about plans for the Miller Peninsula State Park property. Staff from Washington State Parks will host the event set for 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. next Tuesday at the 7 Cedars Resort, 270756 U.S. Highway 101. This in-person-only open house will begin with a brief introduction and overview of the planning work to date, status of the project and anticipated next steps, parks officials said. by Michael Dashiell reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Port Orchard police marine patrol unit removes 35 derelict vessels on Sinclair Inlet
With limited resources and staff shortages, the Port Orchard Police Department marine patrol unit managed to remove 35 derelict vessels on Sinclair Inlet over a year, addressing potential environmental and public safety concerns... The marine patrol unit ultimately impounded five derelict vessels and will destroy them later. Peiyu Lin reports. (Kitsap Sun) 

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Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  250 AM PDT Thu Oct 13 2022   
TODAY  SE wind to 10 kt in the morning becoming light. Wind  waves 1 ft or less. W swell 3 ft at 11 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 4 ft  at 9 seconds.

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