8/2 Pacific cod, illegal water use, 'rights of nature,' BC wildfires, farms in drought, car tire chemical ban, jellyfish terror, sea critter relo, Penn Cove captures

 Pacific cod [NOAA]

Pacific cod Gadus macrocephalus
Pacific cod range from Japan to the Bering Sea and to Santa Monica, California, but are rare south of northern California. The Pacific cod can grow up to 114 centimeters (3.7 feet) in length, weigh up to 22.7 kilograms (50 pounds), and live up to 13 years. Commonly caught off the Washington coast by commercial harvesters using otter-trawls and longline gear. Recreational harvest within Puget Sound is now closed, with the exception of restricted fishing in the San Juan Islands and Strait of Juan de Fuca. (WDFW)

News Release: Whatcom County farm fined for illegal water use
The Washington Department of Ecology has issued a $12,000 fine to RAN General Partnership for illegally irrigating about 40 acres of crops in Whatcom County in June and July of 2023. Despite being informed of the lack of water rights, provided technical assistance multiple times, and being issued a cease-and-desist order last summer, RAN proceeded to clear land, install irrigation equipment, and plant and irrigate blueberries on three parcels in northern Whatcom County. None of the parcels have water rights. (WA Dept. of Ecology)

Only in a society separated from nature does ‘Rights of Nature’ make sense
Commentary: There are many ways to interpret the idea of the “rights of nature” — so many layers that most of us can forget that we are nature. Elisabeth Robson writes. (Salish Current)

BC Breaks Records for Area Burned in Wildfires, Data Show
See this season’s damage on our timeline. And the year’s not even over. Christopher Cheung reports. (The Tyee)

‘Sell them for nothing or watch them starve’: farmers face difficult decisions amid B.C. drought
As B.C.’s drought worsens, farmers are scrambling to protect their livestock and crops. The impacts could be felt for years to come. Matt Simmons reports. (The Narwhal)

Tribes call for feds to ban chemical in car tires that is linked to salmon deaths
So far, a more environmentally-friendly alternative to keep tire rubber from degrading hasn’t emerged. Bill Lucia  reports. (Washington State Standard)

This jellyfish was the terror of the sea 500 million years ago
Burgess Shale fossils from B.C. are oldest adult swimming jellyfish ever found, scientists say. Emily Chung reports. (CBC)

Scuba divers relocate Point Hudson creatures
On Thursday and Friday, 30 scuba divers carefully removed a shiny orange sea squirt and a sponge clump, 40 anemone, six-rayed sea stars, leafy hornmouth snails, mussels, crabs and other invertebrates from their old haunts on Hudson Point’s south breakwater to an underwater pile of rocks nearby...It was an unanticipated but satisfying outgrowth of the port’s $15 million Hudson Point breakwater demolition and construction project that began last September. Paula Hunt reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Remembering the Penn Cove captures
Celebrate Tokitae, the sole survivor, by gathering on Aug. 6 for the 53rd anniversary of the 1970 Penn Cove orca capture from 1:30 to 3:30 p.m. at the Coupeville Wharf. Dockside event, free. Boat tour, $75. Orca Network.

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Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  219 AM PDT Wed Aug 2 2023   
TODAY  W wind to 10 kt rising to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 1 to 2 ft building to 2 to 4 ft in the afternoon. W  swell 2 ft at 9 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt easing to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 to 4 ft subsiding to 1 to 2 ft after midnight. W  swell 1 ft at 8 seconds.

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