6/28 Golden eagle, Home Depot hydrofluorocarbons, daytime anchorage, paper mill layoffs, week in review

Golden Eagle [WDFW]

 

Golden eagle Aquila chrysaetos
Golden eagles have a broad distribution throughout the mountainous areas of the state, especially in eastern Washington. Outside of Washington, golden eagles breed over much of the west from Alaska to northern Mexico and east into the Atlantic Provinces. The population size of golden eagles in Washington is low. This species is of concern due to declines in the distribution and abundance of its primary prey species, jackrabbits and ground squirrels. Across its range, additional mortality factors include continued exposure to lead in the environment and collisions at wind energy facilities. (WDFW)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Tribes seek to turn the tide on ocean acidity

WA fines Home Depot $1.6M for selling hydrofluorocarbon products
The state has fined The Home Depot $1.6 million for selling illegal hydrofluorocarbon products after two years of trying to get the corporation to comply with the law, the state Ecology Department announced Thursday. John Stang reports. (CascadePBS)

Daytime anchorage now permanent for ships in Gulf Islands
The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority has announced that a pilot program to prevent freighters from arriving and departing at night in the Southern Gulf Islands has been made permanent. Residents had complained that when ships drop anchor in the middle of the night the noise is so loud that "it makes you jump out of bed." Tiffany Crawford reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Mass layoffs planned at McKinley paper mill
Nearly 200 workers at the McKinley Paper Mill in Port Angeles will lose their jobs Aug. 25, according to an email sent to employees this week. In the email, McKinley Paper Company Operations Director Issac Rosas said an “indefinite mass layoff affecting approximately 193 employees” will begin Aug. 25. Peter Segall reports. (Peninsula Daily News)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 6/28/24: Food truck Friday, BC PFAS, salmon farm die-offs, log booms, WA wolves, Great Bear marine system, downwind pollution, Aleutian Isle fine, AK salmon season, Home Depot hydrofluorocarbons.

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Here's your weekend tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  306 AM PDT Fri Jun 28 2024    
TODAY  W wind around 5 kt, veering to NW late. Seas around  3 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 10 seconds. TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 10 kt, easing to around 5 kt after  midnight. Seas around 3 ft in the evening, then around 2 ft or  less. Wave Detail: W 2 ft at 9 seconds.  
SAT  W wind around 5 kt. Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft  at 11 seconds. A chance of showers in the afternoon.  
SAT NIGHT  W wind around 5 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W  4 ft at 12 seconds. A chance of showers.  
SUN  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at  11 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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6/27 Fool's gold, sunk ship penalty, downwind pollution ruling, AK salmon season

 

Fool's Gold

Fool's Gold
Fool's Gold can be one of three minerals. The most common mineral mistaken for gold is pyrite. Chalcopyrite may also appear gold-like, and weathered mica can mimic gold as well. (USGS)

Today's top story in Salish Current: A tale of two student uprisings

Owner of sunken ship off San Juan Island fined over diesel leak in Salish Sea
The Aleutian Isle, a 58-foot fishing boat, sank in the Haro Strait in August 2022. The Washington Department of Ecology estimates that the wreck leaked 1,300 to 1,600 gallons of diesel into the water. Just 1/3 of the fuel was collected in clean-up efforts and Ecology has fined boat owner Matthew Johnston $18,000. (My Bellingham Now)

Supreme Court halts enforcement of the EPA’s plan to limit downwind pollution from power plants
The Supreme Court is putting the Environmental Protection Agency’s air pollution-fighting “good neighbor” plan on hold while legal challenges continue, the conservative-led court’s latest blow to federal regulations. The justices in a 5-4 vote on Thursday rejected arguments by the Biden administration and Democratic-controlled states that the plan was cutting air pollution and saving lives in 11 states where it was being enforced and that the high court’s intervention was unwarranted. Mark Sherman reports. (Associated Press)

As salmon season kicks off, some Alaska fishermen fear for their futures
A year into the the crisis in Alaska’s $6 billion commercial fishing industry, there are some signs of recovery, but major threats persist, many of which fishermen feel powerless to affect. Nathaniel Herz reports. (Washington State Standard)

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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  248 AM PDT Thu Jun 27 2024    
TODAY  W wind 5 to 10 kt, rising to 10 to 15 kt late this  morning and afternoon. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at  8 seconds. A slight chance of rain early this morning.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 6 seconds and W  2 ft at 11 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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6/26 Goldfish, Great Bear marine ecosystems, brandt goose research, 'blatantly false' ads, solar array, AP local news

 

Goldfish

Goldfish Carassius auratus
The goldfish is a freshwater fish in the family Cyprinidae of order Cypriniformes. It is commonly kept as a pet in indoor aquariums, and is one of the most popular aquarium fish. Goldfish released into the wild have become an invasive pest in parts of North America and Australia. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: When ‘lock ‘em up’ doesn’t make sense

$335M committed to protecting ecosystems off B.C. coast
The federal government has announced a new financing initiative for 17 First Nations in British Columbia to expand protection for marine ecosystems off the coast of the Great Bear Rainforest. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau told a news conference announcing the Great Bear Sea Project Finance for Permanence initiative that it will add about 14,000 square kilometres of newly protected areas. (Canadian Press)

Local aviary site of brant goose research
Maynard Axelson’s Fir Island aviary is a hub of feathered activity. Recently, the Washington Brant Foundation founder opened the aviary to research involving a species he has studied extensively — brant geese. Vince Richardson reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Pressure Builds to Ban ‘Blatantly False’ Ads
Canadian politicians, climate researchers and the UN are among those calling for laws against LNG greenwashing. Amanda Follett Hosgood reports. (The Tyee)

Largest solar array in Washington to take flight in Arlington
Announced Monday, the Arlington Municipal Airport is partnering with Veregy for a new clean energy project. (Everett Herald)

The Associated Press to launch sister organization to fundraise for state, local news
The Associated Press announced [Tuesday] it will create a sister organization to fundraise for and support state and local journalism. Governed by an independent board of directors, the 501(c)3 charitable organization will help AP sustain, augment and grow journalism and services for the industry, as well as help fund other entities that share a commitment to state and local news. (Associated Press news release)

Have you read the Salish Current? 
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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  252 AM PDT Wed Jun 26 2024    
TODAY  W wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft  at 7 seconds. A chance of rain late this morning. Rain this  afternoon.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 8 seconds.  Rain.

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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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6/25 Goldenrod, thousand logs, WA wolves, BC silica sand, Roberts Bank megaport, Everett Herald

Western Canada Goldenrod [Ben Legler]

 

Goldenrod Solidago lepida
This plant grows from Alaska to California (including British Columbia) and east across North America to the Atlantic coast. In Washington state, this plant grows on both sides of the Cascades crest and along the coast.

Today's top story in Salish Current: Shaw Island house purchase by county makes no sense

The Estuary Smothered by a Thousand Logs
For decades, scientists have known that allowing the timber industry to store logs in estuaries kills marine life. So why does British Columbia still permit it? Larry Pynn reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Vote nears on ending ‘endangered’ status for WA wolves
The Washington State Fish and Wildlife Commission will decide next month on lowering gray wolves’ status under the state’s endangered species law. Environmentalists and others say this would lead to inadequate protection for the animals when they still haven’t recovered in parts of the state. State Department of Fish and Wildlife officials and others contend that not much would change in terms of how the animals are shielded from hunting and argue the move makes sense because wolf numbers have strongly rebounded. Laurel Demkovich reports. (Washington State Standard)

A mine proposed in B.C. would supply the fracking industry —  by way of 55,000 truck trips per year
As B.C.’s LNG industry heats up, a company is proposing to mine silica sand — used in fracking — in B.C.’s interior forests. Here’s what you need to know. Shannon Waters reports.(The Narwhal)

Conservation groups are back in court to protect the Southern Resident Killer Whales from the devastating impacts of the Roberts Bank megaport
Conservation groups are at Vancouver Federal Court [Monday] fighting to uphold laws aimed at protecting endangered species by challenging the approval of the Roberts Bank Terminal 2 project by way of a judicial review. Represented by Ecojustice lawyers, the David Suzuki Foundation, Georgia Strait Alliance, Raincoast Conservation Foundation and the Wilderness Committee will argue that approval of this megaport is unlawful, as the project cannot be deemed “justified” under environmental assessment legislation when it contradicts another statute — the Species at Risk Act. (ecojustice)

Everett Herald newsroom strikes amid layoffs
News staff at The Daily Herald marched through downtown Everett for a one-day strike Monday, following a dozen layoffs in the newsroom and a year of unsuccessful labor negotiations. “We hope that people who live in these communities can see our passion, because it’s there,” said Sophia Gates, one of 12 Herald staffers who lost jobs last week. Caleb Hutton reports. (Everett Herald)

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  251 AM PDT Tue Jun 25 2024    
TODAY  NE wind around 5 kt, backing to NW early this afternoon,  rising to 5 to 10 kt late. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at  9 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft  at 8 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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6/24 Goldfinch, BC salmon farm die-off, killing owls, decarbonized Hawaii, BC PFAS, plankton, humpback

American Goldfinch [Rodney Campbell]

American Goldfinch  Carduelis tristis
The American Goldfinch was designated as the Washington State Bird in 1951. This beautiful golden bird is found throughout our state and is commonly seen in flocks in fields, bushes and trees. (Audubon Washington)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Team JD completes R2AK on after a week’s sailing from Victoria

Mass mortality: A fish scientist follows a tip about die-offs at B.C. salmon farms
DFO and operator attribute mass die-off to low oxygen, but one scientist who visited one far-flung site in a kayak worries the real cause could be more complicated. Stefan Labbé reports. (Times Colomist)

Lands commissioner wary of federal plan to kill thousands of owls
Washington’s public lands commissioner, Hilary Franz, is voicing skepticism about a federal proposal to kill thousands of barred owls in the Pacific Northwest to help the threatened northern spotted owl. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife is proposing to kill about 500,000 barred owls, living on millions of acres of land between California and Washington, over three decades. Bill Lucia reports. (Washington State Standard)

Youth activists win ‘unprecedented’ climate settlement in Hawaii
In what's called an "historic" settlement with a group of young climate activists, Hawaii officials will fully decarbonize the state’s transportation systems, taking all actions necessary to achieve zero emissions no later than 2045 for ground transportation, sea and inter-island air transportation. (The Guardian)

B.C. launches lawsuit against makers of 'forever chemicals'
The British Columbia government has filed a class-action lawsuit against manufacturers of so-called "forever chemicals" it says are involved in the widespread contamination of drinking water systems. B.C. has filed similar class-action lawsuits in the past, targeting tobacco manufacturers in 1998 and opioid makers in 2018 to recover health-care costs associated with those substances. (Canadian Press)

What the smallest organisms living in Puget Sound can tell us
Who knew Puget Sound is sizzling with life too tiny to see: plankton. There are billions of one-celled plants, stoked by the rays of the sun as our slice of the northeastern Pacific turns toward its maximum feast of light on the summer solstice, a spectacular 16 hours of daylight. And then there are the zooplankton: tiny creatures that feast on the phytoplankton — and in turn feed everything else. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Rescued humpback returns with new calf, but entanglement dangers remain
The confirmation of the humpback calf came as a pleasant surprise to scientists and rescuers, but with the grim reminder that entanglements are continuing all along the B.C. coast. Darron Kloster reports. (Times Colonist)

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  208 AM PDT Mon Jun 24 2024    
TODAY  W wind around 5 kt, rising to 5 to 10 kt late this  morning and afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at  11 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 10 kt, easing to around 5 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 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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6/21 Plankton, old-growth plan, BC aquaculture, river dams damage, beavers, PFAS limits, Everett Herald layoffs, week in review

Plankton

 

Plankton
Sheldon J. Plankton, more commonly known only as Plankton, is a green planktonic copepod who is Mr. Krabs' business rival. He runs an unsuccessful restaurant called the Chum Bucket alongside Karen, a waterproof supercomputer who is his sidekick and wife. (SpongeBobia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: A matter of taste: pushing boundaries at the Lincoln

Old-growth forest plan offers protections, but no ban on cutting
Old trees are back in the spotlight with the release of a U.S. Forest Service plan to preserve old-growth forests. The plan follows a directive by President Joe Biden in April 2022 to protect mature and old-growth forests on national forestlands in an attempt to protect biodiversity and help fight climate change. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Federal minister wants B.C. to be model for global aquaculture
Federal Fisheries Minister Diane Lebouthillier says the country's "strict rules" on banning open-net salmon farming are necessary since the goal is to make British Columbia "a model" in global aquaculture. (Canadian Press)  See: William Shatner dives into salmon farm debate with profanity-laden campaign Canadian actor William Shatner is wading into the debate over open-pen salmon farming in British Columbia, saying it's time to stop being polite in an F-word-filled video that calls for an end to the ocean farms. (Canadian Press)

Feds acknowledge dams devastated NW tribes and fish stocks
A Department of Interior report marks the first time the government has detailed the harm caused by 11 dams in the Snake and Columbia river basins. Alex Baumhardt reports. (Washington State Standard)

How beavers are helping and harming salmon restoration in WA
The hungry behavior is adding wrinkles to King County’s plans to restore salmon habitat. The beavers, which ultimately help salmon in a balanced ecosystem, are eating so much that they are undoing some of the costly work it takes to bring salmon back to these wetlands in greater numbers. Lynda Mapes and Paulo Villalobos Saborío report. (Seattle Times)

The EPA's new limits on PFAS in drinking water face legal challenges
Water utilities and chemical companies are challenging a recent rule from the Environmental Protection Agency that limits some PFAS, or “forever chemicals,” in drinking water. At least three lawsuits against the rule were filed in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit this month, ahead of a June 10 deadline for submitting such challenges. The Safe Water Drinking Act, requires parties challenging a regulation to file a petition within 45 days of its publication in the Federal Register.  Pien Huang reports. (NPR)

Everett Herald’s new owner appears to censor story about layoffs
The company that recently bought Snohomish County’s largest newspaper, the Everett Herald, told its newsroom Wednesday that about half of them would be laid off. Then a story that staff wrote about the layoffs disappeared from the website. The story was replaced Thursday afternoon with a version that appears friendlier to the newspaper’s new ownership, Mississippi-based Carpenter Media Group. Scott Greenstone reports. (KUOW)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 6/21/24: Indigenous People's Friday, 'Big One,' BNSF trespass, log booms, kelp forests, sewage plant cost, 'war in the woods,' NW Strait Commission, BC fish farm ban.

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Here's your weekend tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  250 AM PDT Fri Jun 21 2024    
TODAY  NW wind 5 to 10 kt, becoming W 10 to 15 kt this  afternoon. Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 7 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 6 seconds.  
SAT  NW wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas around 2 ft or less. A chance of  showers in the afternoon.  
SAT NIGHT  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W  3 ft at 8 seconds. A chance of showers with patchy drizzle.  
SUN  SW wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at  11 seconds. A chance of showers.

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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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6/20 Solstice, BC fish farms, uncounted emissions, 'flotel,' chronic wasting disease

Solstice

 

Solstice June 20, 2024, 1:50 p.m. (PDT)
A solstice is the time when the Sun reaches its most northerly or southerly excursion relative to the celestial equator on the celestial sphere. Two solstices occur annually, around June 20–22 and December 20–22. In many countries, the seasons of the year are determined by the solstices and the equinoxes.

Today's top story in Salish Current: Bringing the butterflies home

Ban on open net fish farms in B.C. delayed to 2029
The Canadian federal government says it will ban open net salmon farms in British Columbia starting in 2029 in a plan that will renew more than 60 licences across the province for another five years. Stefan Labbé reports. (Times Colonist)

Canada’s uncounted emissions
As Canada cuts back on emissions at home, how much are its exports contributing to global emissions? The answer comes down to how they are counted. Jaela Bernstien reports. (CBC)

LNG company plans to use ’floatel’ near Squamish without local permit
The company behind a natural gas project near Squamish has withdrawn its application for a local permit to house workers in a converted cruise ship, and is instead pressing ahead on the basis of a provincial order. (Canadian Press)

High Steaks Plate: Chronic Wasting Disease Transmissibility to Humans
Chronic wasting disease is of high concern to hunters, ecologists, and outdoor enthusiasts. An infection can spread through a herd, decimating local populations. It has been spreading throughout North America for decades. Cases have been reported in at least 34 states, including Idaho. Mary Ellen Pitney reports. (NW Public Broadcasting)

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  245 AM PDT Thu Jun 20 2024    
TODAY  E wind 5 to 10 kt, backing to N early this afternoon,  backing to W late. Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 2 ft at  6 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, becoming SW 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 6 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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6/19 Dinoflgellate, Bush wheat, North Shore plant, 'war in the woods,' BC LNG pipe, NW Straits, OR beavers, Canada geese, news layoffs

Noctiluca scintillans [Maria Antónia Sampayo]

 

Noctiluca scintillans
Noctiluca scintillans is a marine species of dinoflagellate that can exist in a green or red form, depending on the pigmentation in its vacuoles. It can be found worldwide, but its geographical distribution varies depending on whether it is green or red. This unicellular microorganism is known for its ability to bioluminesce, giving the water a bright blue glow seen at night. However, blooms of this species can be responsible for environmental hazards, such as toxic red tides. They may also be an indicator of anthropogenic eutrophication.(Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Community Voices / Time to rethink our county health board?

New Washington State University spring wheat variety named for Black family with deep roots in Washington
The brand new Bush wheat out of Washington State University is named for the Bush family. You might not have heard of them of until now. Settler George Bush was a Black pioneer on the Oregon Trail. He aided Indigenous populations battling disease, saved fellow settlers during the famine of 1852 and helped develop what’s now the city of Tumwater, a recent Washington State University Insider story said. Anna King reports. (NW Public Broadcasting)

Metro Vancouver launches independent review of $3.86B plant
Metro Vancouver is launching an independent review of the cost of a new wastewater treatment plant that is four years beyond its original completion date and more than five times over budget. The original cost of the North Shore Wastewater Treatment Plant in 2018 was $700 million and it was expected to open in 2020. The estimated cost has since ballooned to $3.86 billion, and the timeline for completion has been extended until 2030. (Canadian Press)

B.C.'s 'war in the woods' grounds to be permanently protected
Old-growth forests that were environmental and Indigenous rights battlegrounds over clearcut logging in the 1980s and 1990s during British Columbia's "war in the woods" are set to receive permanent protections in a land and forest management agreement. The B.C. government says an agreement Tuesday with two Vancouver Island First Nations will protect about 760 square kilometres of Crown land in Clayoquot Sound by establishing 10 new conservancies in areas that include old-growth forests and unique ecosystems. (Canadian Press)

Three things you need to know about B.C.’s newest pipeline for the LNG export industry
Plans are underway for the Nisg̱a’a Nation to buy TC Energy’s 800-kilometre Prince Rupert Gas Transmission LNG pipeline, linking gas from northeast B.C. to the proposed Ksi Lisims LNG facility. Construction is set to start this summer, on Nisg̱a’a lands. Matt Simmons reports. (The Narwhal)

New bill aims to ensure permanent funding for Northwest Straits Commission
Legislation to permanently reauthorize the Northwest Straits Commission in Puget Sound was introduced by U.S. Sen. Patty Murray and U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen on Tuesday, June 18. If passed, the bill would secure the commission’s future and its support of community-led marine and shoreline conservation efforts. Isaac Stone Simonelli reports. (CDN)

No longer considered predators, Oregon beavers get new protections from state
Oregon’s state animal has for years been classified as a “predator” by the state fish and wildlife agency, and that’s meant that the North American Beaver has lived largely unprotected from private landowners who can kill them at will. The beavers will now be classified solely as “furbearers,” an animal whose fur has commercial value, and no longer be classified as “predators.” Alex Baumhardt reports. (Washington State Standard)

‘They Poop Every 12 Minutes’
In the 1970s, Canada geese were imported to the Lower Mainland for hunting and “wildlife viewing.” Unlike the Canada geese that are native to the area, these birds didn’t migrate, but lived in B.C.’s south coast all year long. Today, that population of non-migrating geese is booming, forcing municipalities to find ways to try to control the number of birds and the mess they leave. They’ve been semi-affectionately called “cobra chickens,” with some worrying about their ability to seemingly take over streets and entire neighbourhoods. Jen St. Denis reports. (The Tyee)

Big layoffs at Everett's Herald, Sound Publishing
Carpenter Media Group, a Southern newspaper chain, this week informed a union that it will lay off 62 people at Sound Publishing newspapers in Washington state that it acquired in January. The cuts include more than half the unionized newsroom employees at The Daily Herald of Everett. Brier Dudley writes. (Seattle Times)

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  244 AM PDT Wed Jun 19 2024    
TODAY  E wind 5 to 10 kt, backing to NW late. Seas around 3 ft.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 6 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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6/18 Coralline algae, BNSF trespass, Molt Blitz, log booms, kelp forests, hunting & fishing fines

Coralline algae

 

 Coralline algae
Coralline algae are widespread in all of the world's oceans, where they often cover close to 100% of rocky substrata. A close look at almost any intertidal rocky shore or coral reef will reveal an abundance of pink to pinkish-grey patches, distributed throughout the rock surfaces. These patches of pink "paint" are actually living crustose coralline red algae. The red algae belong to the division Rhodophyta, within which the coralline algae form the order Corallinales. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: 'Historic' Samish Nation housing part of effort to build presence on ancestral land

Railroad owes nearly $400M to WA tribe, judge rules
BNSF Railway Co. must pay the Swinomish tribe $394 million for violating the terms of an agreement that allowed the railroad to run trains across a strip of the tribe’s land in northwest Washington, a federal judge ruled Monday.  U.S. District Judge Robert Lasnik ruled last year against the railroad for trespassing between 2012 and 2021 as it sent trains carrying crude oil from North Dakota through the Swinomish Reservation, en route to refineries near Anacortes. Determining what amount of money the railroad owed the tribe was left for another phase of the proceedings, which included a bench trial Lasnik oversaw earlier this month. Bill Lucia reports. (Washington State Standard)

Help search for invasive crab during the Salish Sea-wide Molt Blitz
The University of Washington is asking Washingtonians to help create the largest-ever single-day data set of crab molts collected in the state on Thursday. The Salish Sea-wide “Molt Blitz” calls for residents to monitor the shorelines for molts, or the old shells crabs shed when they grow. Collecting and recording these molts provides valuable data for researchers on which species of crab are present in an area, including the invasive European green crab. Vonnair Phair reports. (Seattle Times)

Research finds log booms harmful to B.C. salmon and fish habitats
Studies led by First Nations, conservation groups and UBC point to harm caused by storage of logs on rivers. Akshay Kulkarni reports. (CBC)

UVic researchers aim to regrow kelp forests
A kelp nursery in Bamfield could be growing the next Salish Sea kelp forest. Robyn Bell reports. (Capital Daily)

Fines for illegal hunting and fishing more than double in B.C.
Fines going from $345 to $1,495, up from the current range of $115 to $575, in bid to deter poachers. (Canadian Press)

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  310 AM PDT Tue Jun 18 2024    
TODAY  W wind around 5 kt, veering to NW 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to  4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 7 seconds and W 2 ft at 11 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: NW 2 ft at 6 seconds and  W 2 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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6/17 Coral, Grip Rd gravel mine, Dabob Bay, Big One, seafood farming, beloved crows

Lophelia pertusa [Marine Life Info Network]

Cold-water corals
Most people associate corals with tropical waters—like the vibrant corals found in the Indo-Pacific. But you may be surprised to find that a stunning variety of corals live in the chilly waters of the Pacific Northwest. Cold-water corals eat plankton and other small organisms and can be found up to 6,000 feet below the surface. (Seattle Aquarium)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Bellingham port hearing set for issuing bonds for modernization

Hearing examiner again approves Grip Road gravel mine
A Skagit County hearing examiner has approved a permit for a gravel mine northwest of Sedro-Woolley. Concrete Nor’west has been trying since 2016 to open a mine on 51 acres near Grip and Prairie roads. Residents near the site have opposed the mine because of concerns about road safety, and about noise and environmental impacts. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)  See also: Permitting Pitfalls It’s been nine years since a gravel mine was proposed in Skagit County. After multiple appeals and a lawsuit, the application is at a standstill. Megan Neufeld reports. (The Planet Magazine)

Dabob Bay expansion
Washington Department of Natural Resources is holding a public hearing today  at 6 p.m. in Quilcene on a proposal to expand the boundaries of the Dabob Bay Natural Area by 3,860 acres to include globally rare forest types, streams, wetlands, shorelines and connecting habitats. Comment form here.

New research highlights where 'The Big One' earthquake could hit
New research offers a clearer picture of a fault line hundreds of kilometres long off the West Coast that is predicted to generate a major earthquake and tsunami commonly known as "The Big One." The study  confirms that the northern part of the fault, close to Vancouver Island and Washington, is most likely to produce a major earthquake. Isaac Phan Nay reports. (CBC)

The world is farming more seafood than it catches. Is that a good thing?
Last week, the FAO released its annual report on the state of aquaculture — which refers to the farming of both seafood and aquatic plants — and fisheries around the world. A new report from the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, or FAO, has found that more fish were farmed worldwide in 2022 than harvested from the wild, an apparent first. Frida Garza reports. (Grist/KNKX)

Seattle crows, beloved and feared, may be playing us with their primate-sized brains
Seattle has a thing about crows. Crows are ubiquitous to the city — a single roost at the University of Washington Bothell campus is home to as many as 16,000 birds. The sight of thousands of crows flying toward the campus at dusk has become one of Seattle’s signature attractions for those in the know. Stephen Howie reports. (KUOW)

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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  222 AM PDT Mon Jun 17 2024    
TODAY  W wind 5 to 10 kt, rising to 10 to 15 kt late. Seas 3 to  5 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 7 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 7 seconds and W  2 ft at 11 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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6/14 Sandstone, Makah whale hunt, environmental racism, endangered turtles, tarred murres, week in review

 

Sandstone [NPS]

Sandstone
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar, because they are the most resistant minerals to the weathering processes at the Earth's surface. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: After disaster strikes, how much is it worth to rebuild?

After nearly 25 years, federal officials approve a limited Makah whale hunt
A federal official has given the green light for members of the Makah tribe to resume exercising their treaty right to whaling, based on a request first made in 2005. Their last hunt took place in 1999.  With a waiver under the Marine Mammal Protection Act in hand, the tribe will be authorized to hunt and kill up to three eastern North Pacific gray whales per year over the next decade. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Canada just pledged to tackle environmental racism. What does that mean?
For nearly a decade, Ingrid Waldron has pushed for a federal bill to address the racial inequities of environmental harm in Canada. It finally passed. (The Nsrwhal) Denise Balkissoon reports. (The Narwhal)

A head start for Puget Sound's endangered turtles
The Puget Sound region is known for its salmon-filled estuaries and coastal forests, but on the southern portion of its range, evergreens give way to small patches of rolling grasslands that are home to some of Washington's rarest species. One of those species, the northwestern pond turtle, was recently proposed for listing under the Endangered Species Act. A captive breeding program is preparing these turtles for the challenges of life in the wild. Sarah DeWeerdt reports. (Salish Sea Currents Magazine)

At an Oregon wildlife centers, birds treated after mystery tar-like pollution
On May 19, a common murre arrived at the Wildlife Center of the North Coast in Olney with a patch of its underside that was nearly black, coated with a viscous, tar-like goop. Researchers still aren’t sure exactly what that goop is, or where it came from. Olivia Palmer reports. (Astorian)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 6/14/24: Cucumber Friday, BC salmon farms, rare fish, BC endangered species, low ocean oxygen, TMX oil quality, North Shore sewage plant, sandpiper vs port.

Have you read the Salish Current? 
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Here's your weekend tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  219 AM PDT Fri Jun 14 2024    
TODAY  S wind 5 to 10 kt, veering to W this afternoon. Seas  3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 11 seconds. Showers this  morning. A slight chance of tstms until late afternoon. A chance  of showers this afternoon. TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft  at 10 seconds. Showers.  
SAT  SW wind around 5 kt, becoming W 10 to 15 kt in the  afternoon. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 2 ft at 3 seconds and W  4 ft at 9 seconds. Showers.  
SAT NIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 2 ft at 4 seconds and W  4 ft at 9 seconds.  
SUN  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at  8 seconds. A chance of showers in the afternoon.

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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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6/13 Basalt, wildfire season, Roberts Bank Terminal, Blackie Spit, BC oil quality concerns, North Shore sewage plant

 

Basalt

Basalt
Basalt is an aphanitic extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron exposed at or very near the surface of a rocky planet or moon. More than 90% of all volcanic rock on Earth is basalt. (Wikipedia)

Wildfire season expected to come earlier and be slightly more active than usual in Washington
Drought conditions and Washington's low snowpack are contributing to expectations that fire activity will exceed what's considered typical. Helen Smith reports. (KING)

Can a tiny shorebird stop the massive expansion of a container port?
This is the story of a mud wrestle at the Fraser River delta. On one side, a government proposal for a massive expansion of a container port. On the other, a tiny bird, the sandpiper, which relies on this place as its last stopover on a migration as long as 7,000 miles. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Conservationists call out trampling of sensitive Surrey park
Blackie Spit, in Boundary Bay in Surrey, B.C., is an important stop for dozens of species of migratory birds, but the environmentally sensitive habitat is threatened when people fail to stay on the designated pathway. Rafferty Baker reports. (CBC)

Oil refiners raise quality concerns over TMX pipeline shipments
U.S. oil refiners and West Coast traders are flagging concerns about the quality of crude shipped on the newly completed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion (TMX), warning that high vapour pressure and acidity limits could deter purchases of Canadian heavy barrels. The $34 billion expansion started operations last month and has nearly tripled shipping capacity to Canada's Pacific Coast to 890,000 barrels per day (bpd). Arathy Somasekhar and Nia Williams report. (Thomson Reuters)

North Shore sewage plant's bombshell budget a 'crossroads' for Metro Vancouver
The $2.83 billion cost overrun at Metro Vancouver’s North Shore wastewater treatment plant project landed like a bombshell that has prompted bigger questions about how the regional district handles such big projects and even how it’s governed. Derrick Penner reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  239 AM PDT Thu Jun 13 2024    
TODAY  W wind around 5 kt, rising to 15 to 20 kt. Seas 3 to  4 ft. Wave Detail: NW 3 ft at 4 seconds and W 4 ft at 11 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 15 to 20 kt, becoming SW 10 to 15 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 5 seconds and W  5 ft at 11 seconds. A chance of showers after midnight.

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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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6/12 Quartz, commencement

 

Quartz [Wikipedia]

Quartz
Quartz is our most common mineral. Quartz is made of the two most abundant chemical elements on Earth: oxygen and silicon. Atoms of oxygen and silicon join together as tetrahedrons (three sided pyramids). These stack together to build crystals. (University of Waterloo)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Four island kids chase an ‘impossible’ dream

Salish Sea News and Weather takes a break today to attend an early morning commencement ceremony for our granddaughter who is graduating today from high school. News and Weather will return tomorrow. 

Mike.

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  901 PM PDT Tue Jun 11 2024    
WED  NW wind 5 to 10 kt, becoming W 10 to 15 kt in the  afternoon. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: NW 2 ft at 4 seconds and  W 6 ft at 10 seconds.  
WED NIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 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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6/11 Chert, BC endangered species ruling, coastal low oxygen, BNSF derailment cause

Chert

 

 Chert
Chert is widespread, but not widely known by the public as a distinct rock type. Chert has four diagnostic features: the waxy luster, a conchoidal (shell-shaped) fracture of the silica mineral chalcedony that composes it, a hardness of seven on the Mohs scale, and a smooth (non-clastic) sedimentary texture. Many types of chert fit into this categorization. (ThoughtCo.)

Today's top story in Salish Current: How a tragedy unfolded, step by step

Environment Minister Guilbeault broke the law in stalling potential spotted owl emergency order: court
‘Precedent-setting decision’ finds federal ministers must act with urgency when species face imminent threats to survival or recovery. Ainslie Cruickshank reports. (The Narwhal)

PNW coast suffers from low oxygen, study finds. It’s becoming the norm
About half of the water near the seafloor off the Pacific Northwest coast experienced low-oxygen conditions in 2021, according to a new study. And those hypoxic conditions, which are expected to become common with global warming, threaten the food web, the study found. The study from Oregon State University, published in Nature Scientific Reports, used data from 2021 to map out oxygen levels across the bottom 32 feet of the Pacific Northwest continental shelf. Amanda Zhou reports. (Seattle Times)

Federal agency says cause of last week’s BNSF derailment near Custer has been identified
Federal Railroad Administration has determined that the derailment of six Burlington Northern Santa Fe train cars last week was caused by a gap in switch points left by a previous train which had passed through. The train was carrying molten sulfur which did not spill. (Bellingham Herald)

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  224 AM PDT Tue Jun 11 2024    
TODAY  S wind 10 to 15 kt, veering to W late this morning,  rising to 15 to 20 kt this afternoon. Seas 4 to 6 ft, building to  5 to 8 ft this afternoon. Wave Detail: W 8 ft at 12 seconds.  Showers early this morning, then a slight chance of showers late  this morning.  
TONIGHT  W wind 15 to 20 kt, easing to around 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 6 to 9 ft, subsiding to 5 to 7 ft after midnight.  Wave Detail: W 9 ft at 12 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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6/10 Agate, Bil Anders, BC salmon farms, I-2117 fiscal impact, NW bees, sunfish, BC mushrooms, plastic culture

Agates

 

Agate
Agate is the banded variety of chalcedony, which comes in a wide variety of colors. Agates are primarily formed within volcanic and metamorphic rocks. Agate Pass or Agate Passage is a high-current tidal strait in Puget Sound connecting Port Madison and mainland Kitsap County. Agate is a small community located on southern Puget Sound on the north side of the entrance to Hammersley Inlet. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: 25 years later, memories of pipeline disaster still haunt families / Readers remember: Whatcom Creek, June 10, 1999

Apollo 8 astronaut dead after plane crash off the San Juans
Former Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders is dead at the age of 90 after an older-model plane crashed into the water and sank near the north end of Jones Island. Anders’ son Greg confirmed that his father was the lone pilot on the plane. Anders flew the first manned space mission to orbit the moon on Christmas Eve of 1968, known as the Apollo 8 “Genesis Flight.” It was then that he took the iconic “Earthrise” photo that shows the planet as a shadowed blue marble from space. Jason Upton reports. (My Bellingham Now)

Court rejects bid to review minister's order to B.C. salmon farms
The Federal Court has rejected a bid by two First Nations and salmon farm operators to review Ottawa's decision to not renew licences for 15 open-net Atlantic salmon farms in the waters off British Columbia.(Canadian Press) See also: Are B.C.’s open-net pen salmon farms closing — or not? Shalu Mehta writes. (The Narwhal)

Judge rejects attempt to keep budget effects of November initiatives off ballots
Information about how a trio of ballot measures would affect Washington’s budget can be printed on ballots this November, a judge ruled Friday. Thurston County Superior Court Judge Allyson Zipp denied a request from Republican Party Chair Jim Walsh and Mainstream Republicans of Washington Chair Deanna Martinez to keep the “public investment impact disclosures” for the three citizen initiatives from appearing.  Laurel Demkovich reports. (Washington State Standard)

Fewer Northwest bees shipped to California’s almonds could be a buzzkill for Washington and Oregon crops
Commercial beekeepers around the United States rent more than 2 million hives to pollinate almond crops in California. Hundreds of thousands of those hives are trucked from the greater Northwest.  However, there’s a problem this year. The pandemic, international shipping problems and over-planting have led to a glut of nuts in California, and almond growers there are in bad economic shape. Many of them are reducing their top expenses – like bees. That’s an issue for the beekeepers of the Northwest who rely on the income – and for the bees themselves. Anna King reports. (NWPB)

Rare 7-foot fish washed ashore on Oregon’s coast gets worldwide attention
A massive rare fish thought to only live in temperate waters in the southern hemisphere has washed up on Oregon’s northern coast, drawing crowds of curious onlookers intrigued by the unusual sight. The 7.3-foot hoodwinker sunfish first appeared on the beach in Gearhart on Monday, the Seaside Aquarium said in a media release. It was still on the beach on Friday and may remain there for weeks, the aquarium said, as it is difficult for scavengers to puncture its tough skin. (Associated Press)

Post-wildfire mushroom picking rush in B.C. causing conflicts
B.C. says it is not ruling out regulating wild mushroom picking after an Indigenous community said a rising number of foragers are infringing on its land, with one case involving alleged threats of physical violence and intimidation. The provincial response comes after the Skwlāx te Secwepemcúl̓ecw First Nation said the areas devastated by the Lower East Adams Lake and Bush Creek wildfires last year are now sprouting large numbers of morel mushrooms, attracting many foragers who are putting new pressures on the land's fragile ecosystem. Chuck Chiang reports. (Canadian Press)

Creating a throw-away culture: How companies ingrained plastics in modern life
Plastic became ingrained in modern life in large part because the plastics industry started working in the 1950s to convince people to embrace the material as cheap, abundant and disposable. The marketing campaign worked so well that litter soon became a problem across the U.S., and there was a public backlash. The industry responded by pitching recycling. But almost from the outset, corporations knew that recycling probably wouldn’t work to rein in waste, multiple investigations have shown.Michael Copley reports. (NPR)

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  211 AM PDT Mon Jun 10 2024    
TODAY  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft  at 10 seconds.  
TONIGHT  NW wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W  4 ft at 12 seconds. Showers likely after midnight.

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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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6/7 Fern, lowest tides, Olympia oak, poison hemlock, Kayak Pt Park, Skagit sockeye, week in review

 

Fern
Fern from "Charlotte's Web" is the female human protagonist in the story, she is the one who saves Wilbur, a main character, from being slaughtered just because he is a runt. Fern's father is a farmer, and he allows Fern to care for the piglet. Fern forms a special bond with the pig that she names Wilbur. Some Fern.

Today's top story in Salish Current: There’s more to farmers markets than meets the eye

Where to see creatures as Puget Sound has lowest tides of year
More of the intertidal zone — where crabs, sculpin and sea stars hang out — will be exposed Thursday and Friday than at any other time this year. The Puget Sound area is forecast to see a the low tide on Friday at -3.32 feet, -2.95 feet Saturday and -2.31 feet Sunday. Amanda Zhou reports. (Seattle Times)

Tumwater mayor pauses plan to cut down historic Davis-Meeker oak tree
Tumwater Mayor Debbie Sullivan responded Tuesday night to an outpouring of concern from council members and the public and paused her plans to have the 400-year-old Davis-Meeker oak tree removed. The decision was made at the end of the Tumwater City Council’s June 4 meeting after dozens of members of the public voiced their concerns about the removal of the historic tree. Sullivan’s decision to have the tree removed also didn’t sit well with the council. Ty Vinson reports. (The Olympian)

King County warns of spread of toxic weed poison hemlock
Beware of the poison hemlock, an invasive weed so toxic it can be lethal, King County officials say. Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) has the ability to spread rapidly and often resembles other edible plants. But eating just a few of its leaves can kill. Paulo Villalobos Saborío reports. (Seattle Times)

Kayak Point, the county’s most popular park, to reopen by next weekend
After almost a year of construction, Kayak Point Regional Park will reopen ahead of schedule on June 14, the county announced Thursday. County staff closed the most popular park in the Snohomish County system on July 5, 2023, for the first phase of construction. The total project costs $20 million.
Ta'Leah Van Sistine reports. (Everett Herald)

Portion of Skagit River to open for sockeye fishing
The Skagit River from the Highway 536 bridge in Mount Vernon to the Dalles Bridge in Concrete will be open to sockeye salmon fishing from June 16 to July 15.  A limit of four sockeye salmon with a minimum size of 12 inches can be retained daily as harvestable numbers are forecast to return to the Baker River system. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 6/7/24: Legoland Friday, ocean acid, Thea Foss Waterway, whale protection, camas, disaster recovery, charging ferries, naming orca species.

Have you read the Salish Current? 
Independent, fact based news for Whatcom, San Juan and Skagit counties. Community supported, free from ads. Read the latest weekly newsletter here.

Here's your weekend tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  218 AM PDT Fri Jun 7 2024    
TODAY  E wind 5 to 10 kt, backing to N late. Seas 3 to 5 ft.  Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 11 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind around 5 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W  4 ft at 11 seconds.  
SAT  W wind around 5 kt, rising to 5 to 10 kt in the afternoon.  Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 10 seconds and W 3 ft at  17 seconds.  
SAT NIGHT  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W  2 ft at 5 seconds and W 6 ft at 15 seconds.  
SUN  W wind around 5 kt, rising to around 10 kt in the  afternoon. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W 2 ft at 6 seconds and W  6 ft at 14 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.



Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate



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