3/8 Sun dog, marbled murrelets, BC coral reef, ghost gear glut, WA legislature bills, week in review

 

Sun dogs [Gopherboy6956/Public Domain]

Sun dog
The sun dog is a member of the family of halos caused by the refraction of sunlight by ice crystals in the atmosphere. Sun dogs typically appear as a pair of subtly colored patches of light, around 22° to the left and right of the Sun, and at the same altitude above the horizon as the Sun. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Washington lawmakers vote to shore up ferry service on final day of session

Science notebook: Winter studies of Puget Sound's threatened marbled murrelets
For years now, scientists have been braving the cold winter waters of Puget Sound to study one of the region's most enigmatic seabirds, the marbled murrelet. Listed as threatened under the Endangered Species Act in Washington, Oregon, and California, marbled murrelets nest in old-growth forests but find their food at sea. Much research on the birds has centered around the spring and summer breeding season, but less is known about what the murrelets do in winter. That puzzle prompted a team of scientists from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to head out on the water last January. Eric Wagner reports. (Salish Sea Currents)

Government closes bottom-contact fishing near rare B.C. coral reef
The reef, located about 500 kilometres northwest of Vancouver, is the most northern known coral reef in the Pacific Ocean. (Canadian Press)

In Graphic Detail: Gluts of Ghost Gear
Each year, a staggering amount of fishing gear is discarded into the ocean. Elena Kazamia reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Bills, bills, bills: What passed and failed in the 2024 legislative session
Washington lawmakers proposed over 1,000 bills this year. What’s headed to the governor’s desk and what got left behind. Laurel Demkovich, Grace Deng and Jerry Cornfield report. (Washington State Standard)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 3/8/24: Women's Day!, Nisqually park, illegal dumping, forest fires, military training, George Heyman, methanol-fueled tugs, hydro output.

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Here's your weekend tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  257 AM PST Fri Mar 8 2024    
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM THIS AFTERNOON THROUGH  LATE TONIGHT TODAY  SE wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 15 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. SW swell 3 ft at 9 seconds.  
TONIGHT  SE wind 10 to 20 kt. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft. W swell  5 ft at 11 seconds building to 7 to 8 ft at 13 seconds after  midnight.  
SAT  S wind 15 to 25 kt becoming SW 10 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft subsiding to 1 to 3 ft in the  afternoon. Mixed swell W 8 ft at 12 seconds and SE 8 ft at  9 seconds.  
SAT NIGHT  S wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft. Mixed  swell W 6 ft at 10 seconds and SE 8 ft at 9 seconds.  
SUN  SE wind 15 to 25 kt. Wind waves 3 to 5 ft. Mixed swell SW  7 ft at 12 seconds and SE 9 ft at 10 seconds.

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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. It is included as a daily feature in the Salish Current newsletter. Click here to subscribe. Questions? Email mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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