3/15 Quince, 'forever chemicals,' sunflower sea star, Haisla LNG, derelict gear, Audubon name, Island Trust, Salish Sea wonders

Flowering quince [Monrovia]

Flowering quince
Flowering quince, (genus Chaenomeles), genus of three species of flowering plants in the rose family (Rosaceae), native to eastern Asia. Flowering quince is cultivated primarily as an ornamental for its showy flowers, though its astringent applelike fruit can be used in preserves and liqueurs and holds some potential as an alternate fruit crop. (Britannica)

EPA moves to limit toxic 'forever chemicals' in drinking water
The Environmental Protection Agency on Tuesday proposed limiting the amount of harmful "forever chemicals" in drinking water to the lowest level that tests can detect, a long-awaited protection the agency said will save thousands of lives and prevent serious illnesses, including cancer. (Associated Press)

WA lab scrambles to save sunflower sea star, which may get listed as threatened
Once an ubiquitous delight of the Salish Sea, the sunflower star may soon be listed as threatened. A small lab at Friday Harbor could breed a new generation of the species. Isabella Breda reports. (Seattle Times)

BC Approves New LNG Plant, Introduces Oil and Gas Emission Caps
Haisla Nation welcomes green light, but critics sound warning on threat to province’s climate plan. Andrew MacLeod reports. (The Tyee)

Program searches for derelict crab pots, solutions
Throughout the Salish Sea, thousands of derelict crab pots still collect Dungeness crabs, leaving the creatures trapped and reducing the harvest. The Northwest Straits Foundation...is in the second year of a program to find and remove derelict crab pots. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

National Audubon Society, pressured to remove slave-owning naturalist’s name, keeps it
The prominent bird conservation group weighed — but decided against — shedding its ties to John James Audubon, a famed naturalist who was also an unabashed enslaver. Dino Grandoni reports. (Washington Post)

Islands conservancy receives funding to address biodiversity loss
The Island Trust Conservancy has received a $660,000 funding boost to address biodiversity loss in the Island Trust area. The money, from the federal government via Environment and Climate Change Canada, will ensure the conservancy’s species-at-risk program can continue over the next three years. (Vancouver Island Free Daily)

Islands Trust passes nearly $10 million budget for upcoming year
Islands Trust finalized the $9.7 million budget at their early March council meeting. It’s an approximate $600,000 increase from last year’s $9.1 million total. Most of this, $8.6 million, will go toward operations, with $651,296 designated for special projects and $134,300 to buy capital assets. Alex Kurial reports. (Bowen Island Undercurrent)

Wonders of the Salish Sea
Wonders of the Salish Sea is back for its 7th year. Join in to learn about magnificent marine mammals - and a dog, beaked creatures (including octopuses!), small fish that have a big impact, and giants - in the seaweed world that is, as well as the many stories that bring this wondrous ecosystem to life. March 27, April 3, 17 & 24, 7 to 9pm. Online via Zoom. Suggested $25.00, subsidies available. All welcome! (Wonders of the Salish Sea)

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-  244 AM PDT Wed Mar 15 2023   
TODAY  NW wind 10 to 20 kt becoming W 5 to 15 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 4 ft at 9 seconds  building to W 7 ft at 10 seconds in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt becoming N to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 7 ft at 10 seconds.

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