1/25 Moon snail, king tides, sea lice, BC mills, Gitanyow forestry, bad air effects, Salish Landing, Lake Goodwin PCBs, Salish Sea Stewards, goose kill, green bin dump

Moon snail

Moon snail Euspira lewisii
The moon snail is one of the largest intertidal snails that can be found in the Northwest. Found in mud flats and sandy intertidal areas from Ketchikan, Alaska to Baja California, Mexico, their shell can get up to 5.5 inches and the extended body can be up to 12 inches long. Males are smaller than females and they can live up to an impressive 14 years, which is often attributed to their lifestyles as voracious predators and their ability to quickly protect themselves against predation. (Northeast Environmental Center)

King tides showcase future sea level rise
...Paying attention to naturally occurring king tides is important because they provide a glimpse at what local sea level rise will look like in the future. Since we’re still working to curb greenhouse gas emissions, sea level rise is among the more certain climate change impacts.  Over the past century, for instance, sea levels have risen about eight inches in Seattle. The king tides of today will be our everyday high tides in the future. (WA Dept of Ecology)

Salmon farms not 'solely' to blame for growing B.C. sea lice infestations, claims DFO study
A government study claims fish farms aren't solely to blame for the growing prevalence of sea lice among wild salmon along the B.C. coast. The Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO) report, based on data provided by fish farm operators, claims that there is no "statistically significant association" between sea lice infestations among wild juvenile Chum and Pink salmon and the fish farms they migrate past along the B.C. coast. However, the report still notes that there has been an upward trend of sea lice infestation in the studied areas, which include Clayoquot Sound and the Discovery Islands, since 2013. Jon Hernandez reports (CBC)

B.C. announces more forestry supports as mills extend layoffs
B.C.'s provincial government has announced further supports for the forest industry as several mills have said temporary layoffs will extend into February due to poor market conditions. In Delta today, Forests Minister Bruce Ralston unveiled the B.C. Timber Sales Value-Added Manufacturing Program which sets aside dedicated fibre supply to small- and medium-sized secondary manufacturers. Ralston says 10 per cent of the available timber supply in the province will now be dedicated to manufacturing companies that don't have direct access to their own fibre supplies to bid on. (CBC)

Some feared the Gitanyow’s plan would hurt forestry. But land is protected — and industry is thriving
Ten years on, the Gitanyow’s land-use plan has helped protect vital ecosystems and set the stage for partnerships with companies while inspiring other nations across the country. Matt Simmons reports. (The Narwhal)

Air pollution is changing how our brain functions, researchers at UBC, UVic find
Researchers at the University of British Columbia and University of Victoria have found that exposure to traffic pollution is changing the way our brain works.... exposure to diesel exhaust for just two hours led to changes in brain function connectivity, a measure of how different regions of the brain interact with each other. The most affected regions are linked to memory and attention. Arrthy Thayaparan reports. (CBC)

Cleanup and construction are underway for this Bellingham waterfront park
Plans for a waterfront park that have been under way for several years should be moving ahead more quickly, now that the location has a new name and cleanup and construction are underway, Bellingham officials said this week. Salish Landing will be the new name for the 17-acre site that stretches from the south end of Cornwall Avenue along Bellingham Bay toward Boulevard Park. Robert Mittendorf reports. (Bellingham Herald)

County settles lawsuit over PCBs at former landfill near Lake Goodwin
Snohomish County’s insurer agreed in November to pay $415,000 for alleged contamination of land bought by a luxury homebuilder next to an old landfill near Lake Goodwin. In exchange, the county will retain the potentially contaminated land. Jake Goldstein-Street reports. (Everett Herald)

Salish Sea Stewards to start volunteer training
After two years of mostly remote training, the Salish Sea Stewards are back in full force for in-person training this winter. The program, which is run through the Skagit Marine Resources Committee, aims to give locals tools to contribute to the health of the Salish Sea. This year’s training includes topics such as kelp monitoring, forage fish, European green crabs and local geology. It runs on Tuesdays from February through April. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Little opposition, so goose plan poised to fly
A goose-management plan that includes egg addling and bird culls needed to clear a process in which opponents were asked to step forward, but few did. Carla Wilson reports. (Times Colonist)

Waste dumped on Cultus Lake area farmland came from Surrey green bins
Some of the waste dumped on a farmer’s field near Cultus Lake over six months last year came from Surrey household green bins. The discovery by neighbours, who alerted officials to the dump site soon after trucks started rolling into Columbia Valley in early spring, raises questions about how B.C.’s green waste is managed and tracked after it arrives at local composting facilities. Glenda Luymes reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Have you read the Salish Current?
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Free to read, free from ads. Catch the Current here.

Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  245 AM PST Wed Jan 25 2023
TODAY  SE wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 8 ft  at 14 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 7 ft  at 13 seconds.

--
"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

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told