7/31 Fireweed, WA initiatives fiscal impacts, BC fish farm suit, BC reconciliation, huckberries, Jill Yoneda swims

 

Fireweed [Ben Legler]

Fireweed Chamerion angustifolium
Fireweed is a tall showy wildflower that grows from sea level to the subalpine zone. A colorful sight in many parts of the country, fireweed thrives in open meadows, along streams, roadsides, and forest edges. In some places, this species is so abundant that it can carpet entire meadows with brilliant pink flowers. The name fireweed stems from its ability to colonize areas burned by fire rapidly (Edna Vizgirdas/USDA)

Today's top story in Salish Current: The hidden contamination of small plastics

What’s the cost if WA voters erase capital gains tax, end cap-and-trade?
Analyses bound for the state’s voter pamphlet examine the financial effects of Initiative 2109 and Initiative 2117 passing this fall. Jerry Cornfield reports. (Washington State Standard)

First Nations take feds, companies to court over B.C. fish farms
'Namgis and Kwikwasut'inuxw Haxwa'mis say 5-year licence extension infringes on their Aboriginal rights. (Canadian Press)

‘The risk is really high’: B.C. ministers backtrack on reconciliation initiative amid mounting political backlash
As the provincial election looms, First Nations leaders are frustrated with stalled progress on some government commitments to conservation and Indigenous Rights. Steph Kwetásel’wet Wood writes. (The Narwhal)

It’s huckleberry season in the Northwest
It’s huckleberry season in the Pacific Northwest. The juicy berries with a sweet and tart flavor can be found from July until September or early October, depending on how high into the mountains you go. Huckleberries thrive in the Rocky Mountains, and are often found in the forests of Oregon, Idaho, Washington state and Montana. As more people have moved to the region in recent years, these delicious and delicate berries are in higher demand. That’s causing problems. Lauren Paterson reports. (NW Public Broadcasting)

Raising money for Canuck Place Hospice, one swimming stroke at a time — for more than 50 hours
Jill Yoneda aims for a record-breaking 109 kilometre course across the Salish Sea. Gordon McIntyre reports. (Vancouver Sun)

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-  301 AM PDT Wed Jul 31 2024    
TODAY  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft  at 8 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 10 kt, becoming NW after midnight. Seas  around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 9 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 msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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7/30 Thimbleberry, rare rain, SCL on the Skagit, Puget Sound sharks, Zim Kingston, wildfire smoke, island cougar, The Stranger

 

Thimbleberry [Native Plants PNW]

Thimbleberry Rubus parviflorus
Thimbleberries have a hollow core, like raspberries, making the berries easy to fit on the tip of a finger like a thimble.  Thimbleberry is native from southeast Alaska to northern Mexico; eastward throughout the Rocky Mountain states and provinces to New Mexico; through South Dakota to the Great Lakes region. (Native Plants PNW)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Recognizing folk in the Salish Sea: Lopez Uncovered Music Festival / Contemplation on courage

Rare rain hits Washington ahead of 'intense and widespread heat' across the west
Washingtonians woke up to something quite rare Monday morning — rain. Sure, rainfall isn't exactly uncommon in the Northwest; however, rain on July 29 is very notable. According to the National Weather Service, measurable rainfall has occurred less frequently on July 29 than on any other day of the year (since records began in 1945) — only 5% of the time. The grand total rainfall for this day in Seattle has been .31 inches over the past 79 years. (KUOW)

A River of Deception
Historical documents reveal how Seattle City Light's dams deprived the Skagit River of fish, impacting the Upper Skagit Tribe's treaty rights for over a century. Rico Moore reports. (The Margin)

Two shark species documented in Puget Sound for first time by Oregon State researchers
Oregon State University researchers have made the first scientific confirmation in Puget Sound of two distinct shark species, one of them critically endangered. The presence of the broadnose sevengill shark and endangered soupfin shark in the sound, the southern portion of the Salish Sea, may indicate changes in what biologists in OSU’s Big Fish Lab describe as an economically, culturally and ecologically valuable inland waterway. Steve Lundeberg reports. (OSU Newsroom)

Safety board set to release report on Zim Kingston
The Transportation Safety Board plans to release a report this week stemming from its investigation of the Zim Kingston vessel, which lost 109 containers off Vancouver Island’s west coast and then caught in fire near ­Victoria in October 2021. Carla Wilson reports. (Times Colonist)

Wildfire smoke may be worse for your brain than other air pollution, study says
Wildfire smoke may be worse for brain health than other types of air pollution, according to new research linking it to an increased risk of dementia. At issue is fine particulate matter or PM2.5 – tiny particles about 30 times smaller than the diameter of a human hair that can be inhaled deep into the lungs and move to the bloodstream. This pollution – from traffic, factories and fires – can cause or worsen heart and lung diseases, and the new study adds to evidence it may play some role in dementia, too. (KNKX/Associated Press)

No need to panic? Cougar prowling Bowen Island has locals divided
Experts say people should be cautious about the island's latest visitor, and to keep pets and children inside after dark. Denise Ryan reports. (Vancouver Sun)

The Stranger newspaper sold to former state legislator Brady Walkinshaw
The Stranger, Seattle’s longtime alternative media outlet and self-proclaimed “only newspaper” has new ownership. Brady Walkinshaw, a former state lawmaker who represented central Seattle’s 43rd legislative district from 2013 to 2017, bought The Stranger and several other Index Media publications. Ashley Hiruko reports. (KUOW)

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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  318 AM PDT Tue Jul 30 2024    
TODAY  SE wind around 5 kt, veering to S late. Seas around  3 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 9 seconds. A chance of rain. Patchy  fog.  
TONIGHT  W wind around 5 kt. Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W  3 ft at 8 seconds. Patchy fog.

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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 msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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7/29 Summer squash, data centers, Monsanto settles, Whatcom 'glamping,' green crab, humpback freed, $240M to tribes, salmon habitat wildfires

 

Summer squash

Summer squash
Summer squash are squashes that are harvested when immature, while the rind is still tender and edible. Nearly all summer squashes are varieties of Cucurbita pepo, although not all Cucurbita pepo are considered summer squashes. The name "summer squash" refers to the short storage life of these squashes, unlike that of winter squashes.(Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Breaking the mold: Pacific Northwest women in combat sports

Data centers guzzle power, threatening WA’s clean energy push
Some Washington utility officials might face a daunting choice: violate a state green energy law limiting fossil fuel use or risk rolling blackouts. Artificial intelligence, which requires extraordinary computing power, is accelerating the need to build data centers across the world, and experts say the industry’s global energy consumption as of just two years ago could double by 2026. Data centers also are relied upon every day by businesses and people for internet searches, storing photos on the cloud and streaming videos. Lulu Ramadan and Sydney Brownstone report. (Seattle Times and Pro Public)

Monsanto agrees to settlement with Seattle over Duwamish River pollution
Ending an eight-year legal battle, chemical giant Monsanto has agreed to a $160-million settlement with Seattle for its part in polluting a river that runs through the heart of the city with toxins that posed a threat to humans, fish and wildlife, the city attorney's office said Thursday. (KNKX/Associated Press)

Needle moves on Whatcom Co. glamping resort as permits are filed for expansion
A luxury glamping resort proposed in Whatcom County is progressing despite almost two years of permitting delays and increasing concern from the project’s backers. The Oculis Lodge was branded as the “ultimate luxury lodging in the Cascade mountains,” to be built on a 2.16-acre parcel in Glacier, at the base of Mount Baker. Halfway through 2024, one of the domes is complete. On July 16, project founder Youri Benoiston submitted a Site Plan Review Application to Whatcom County to gain approval for the second phase of the project’s development — the construction of six additional domes on site. Rachel Showalter reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Claws for concern: The green crab epidemic threatening Washington clams
As Washington's coastal habitats face increasing pressure, scientists are intensifying their research into the European green crab, an invasive species wreaking havoc on local ecosystems. Their focus is on understanding how these crabs contribute to the decline in Manila clam harvests, shedding light on the broader implications for the region's marine environment. A newly published study has shed light on a crucial piece of the puzzle regarding Washington’s coastal ecosystem Diana Opong reports. (KUOW)

Entangled humpback whale near Texada Island gets help from fisheries staff
Fisheries and Oceans Canada says it has successfully untangled fishing gear on a humpback whale that was first spotted by a ferry passenger... The whale named Smoke was trailing more than 50 metres of line and gear, while still travelling quickly despite the entanglement, and it took several hours to locate and free the animal. (Canadian Press)

US promises $240 million to improve fish hatcheries, protect tribal rights in Pacific Northwest
The U.S. government will invest $240 million in salmon and steelhead hatcheries in the Pacific Northwest to boost declining fish populations and support the treaty-protected fishing rights of Native American tribes, officials announced Thursday. The departments of Commerce and the Interior said there will be an initial $54 million for hatchery maintenance and modernization made available to 27 tribes in the region, which includes Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Alaska. Rebecca Boone reports. (Associated Press/Washington Post)

B.C. salmon group offers recommendations for after wildfire devastates salmon habitat
The Pacific Salmon Foundation recently released a list of possible human actions to rehabilitate salmon habitat damaged by 2023’s destructive wildfire season in B.C. The playbook is a compilation of “best practices,” giving guidance on how to better integrate salmon after the devastation of wildfire, with approaches to improving their habitat and accelerating the recovery of salmon habitat devastated by forest fires. Alexandra Mehl 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-  244 AM PDT Mon Jul 29 2024    
TODAY  SE wind around 5 kt, veering to SW this afternoon. Seas  around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 2 ft at 9 seconds. Rain early this  morning, then a chance of rain late this morning and afternoon.  
TONIGHT  SW wind around 5 kt, backing to SE after midnight.  Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 9 seconds. Showers  likely, mainly in the evening.

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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 msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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7/26 Scotch broom, wildfires from space, octopus farming, offshore wind, week in review

Scotch broom

 
Scotch broom Cytisus scoparius
Scotch broom is an upright shrub in the pea family, with yellow flowers. It grows primarily in open, dry meadows and along roads. Scotch broom crowds out native species and negatively impacts wildlife habitat. It is native to Europe. Scotch broom crowds out native species and negatively impacts wildlife habitat. It can form dense, impenetrable stands that degrade farmland and create fire hazards. The dense stands may prevent or slow forest regeneration and restoration of upland sites and wetland buffers. Scotch broom produces toxic compounds, which in large amounts can cause mild poisoning in animals such as horses. (Washington Invasive Species Council)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Breaking the mold: Pacific Northwest women in combat sports

Spotting Wildfires from Space
As wildfire seasons intensify, the Canadian government is investing $170 million to install fire-detecting satellites. Jen St. Denis reports. (The Tyee)

Octopus farming in the U.S. would be banned under a new bill in Congress
A controversial plan to commercially farm octopus for meat has led to a U.S. bill that would ban the practice, along with any imports linked to it. Bipartisan legislation to ban octopus farming was introduced in Congress on Friday. Bill Chappell reports. (NPR)

Environmentally, Offshore Wind Is … Fine
How often can you say that about an energy generation system? Ashley Braun reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 7/26/24: Tofu Friday, salmon farm rule, wetlands, Project 2024, Indigenous search-and-rescue, Intalco fine, hottest days, WA culvert plan, WA natural gas ban, Hakai Magazine.

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-  200 AM PDT Fri Jul 26 2024    
TODAY  NW wind around 5 kt, backing to W late. Seas 3 to 4 ft.  Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 9 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.  
SAT  W wind around 5 kt, rising to 5 to 10 kt in the afternoon.  Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 8 seconds. 
SAT NIGHT  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W  3 ft at 9 seconds.  
SUN  SW wind around 5 kt. Seas around 3 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 msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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7/25 Cordgrass, Capitol Lake, shad, culverts, natural gas, wildfires, PSE wind energy, SRKWs, seal dives, Hakai Magazine

English cordgrass [Island County]

English cordgrass Spartina anglica
Four species of Spartina are invasive in the Pacific Northwest. In Island County, Spartina anglica has been the most widespread. This species grows and spreads rapidly in the intertidal zone not only displacing native plant species such as eelgrass (Zostera marina), but also changing the very nature of the habitat. Watch for Spartina anglica in areas of mudflats, salt marsh, loose cobble or gravel beaches, and on sand beaches. (Sound Water Stewards)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Bellingham strives to protect trees on public, private land

If you like to watch: Is this finally the beginning of the end for Capitol Lake?
Teams of engineers are descending on a near-empty Capitol Lake to prepare for the removal of the Fifth Avenue Dam and the return of a natural tidal estuary. Tony Overman reports. (The Olympian)

There’s a new top fish of the Columbia River — and it doesn’t mind the warm water
Each spring, a chrome tide of fish native to the East Coast floods the Northwest’s mightiest river by the millions. Shad, not salmon, are thriving in the warm, still water created by hydroelectric dams throughout the Columbia River Basin. Some years, they make up more than 90% of fish migrating upstream. The 10-year average return of adult Chinook to the Columbia through 2023 was 690,906 fish. Shad? More than 3 million. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

WA nears a plan to remove key culverts for salmon — after spending $4B
As the Washington State Department of Transportation spends billions of dollars removing concrete and metal pipes that block spawning salmon, another state agency is finally finishing a strategy to fix all the state’s fish migration barriers. Department of Fish and Wildlife officials last week revealed key parts of a plan to prioritize which of tens of thousands of these man-made blockages would, if replaced, bring back the most salmon. Without the strategy — which has taken more than four years to produce — the Inslee administration has been sinking billions into stream restorations that, in many cases, are ineffective or useless today. Mike Reicher reports. (Seattle Times)

Voters to decide on pace of Washington’s transition off natural gas
State election officials on Wednesday certified an initiative for the November ballot that seeks to reverse Washington’s controversial tactics to phase out natural gas use in homes and other buildings. Supporters of Initiative 2066 began gathering signatures in mid-May and turned in 533,005 signatures earlier this month. State law required at least 324,516 be from registered voters. Jerry Cornfield reports. (Washington State Standard)  See also: Vancouver reverses ban on the use of natural gas in new homes The council voted 6-5 in favour of the change, with Mayor Ken Sim casting the tie-breaking vote remotely (CBC)

Smoke from Sooke-area wildfire blankets Greater Victoria
The fire was an estimated 169 hectares on Wednesday afternoon, with smoke spreading as far as Vancouver. Jeff Bell reports. (Times Colonist)

Puget Sound Energy building two massive wind energy projects in Montana
As Montana citizens and groups pressure the state’s largest public utility, NorthWestern Energy, to add more renewable energy to its portfolio while the company continues pushing a series of natural-gas power plants, a Washington-based utility is building an expansive wind farm that will send power to the Seattle area. Puget Sound Energy is also contracting with an energy developer for another project, and has a third project on the drawing board as a possibility. Darrell Ehrlick reports. (Daily Montanan)

Can B.C.'s southern resident orcas be taken off the path to extinction?
The southern resident killer whale known as Tahlequah captured global sympathy in 2018 when she pushed the body of her dead calf for more than two weeks in waters off British Columbia's south coast. Brenna Owen reports. (The Canadian Press)

For Seals, Big Hearts Mean Big Dives
Some seals and sea lions regularly hold their breath for more than 10 minutes as they forage for food along the ocean floor, and a new study indicates that the key to their lengthy breath holds lies in their hearts. Marina Wang reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Hakai Magazine to close down
Founding editor Jude Isabella wrote yesterday to readers: "The only way to deliver this bad news is bluntly: Hakai Magazine will cease to publish at the end of 2024. For nearly a decade, we’ve made our cozy berth within the Tula Foundation, voyaging alongside its core missions that conduct long-term ecological research in British Columbia and deliver essential healthcare of Guatemalan mothers and babes. It has been a privilege beyond measure.... We’re actively looking for new funding sources—if you have ideas, please get in touch, because we’re open to suggestions. Over the next six months, we will keep you informed of our progress in finding a new haven for our next chapter."

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-  205 AM PDT Thu Jul 25 2024    
TODAY  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft  at 9 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 9 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 msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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7/24 Bamboo, Intalco penalty, hydrogen-powered ferry, Capitol Lake, hot planet, Skagit sockeye, indigenous aquaculture summit

Bamboo

 
Bamboo Phyllostachys vivax
Phyllostachys vivaxis the fastest growing timber bamboo for height and cane diameter.  It’s well suited to Seattle and Puget Sound weather, producing large canes by early summer.  Vivax is a top contender for 2nd and 3rd story/ above fence line privacy. (Bamboo Collective)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Homeless in heartbreak and love

Intalco Aluminum agrees to $5.25 million penalty for hazardous pollution violations at Ferndale
Intalco Aluminum, the company that operated the shuttered aluminum smelter in Ferndale, has agreed to pay $5.25 million as part of a settlement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The settlement stems from Clean Air Act violations discovered during a 2019 EPA inspection of the site that revealed “a significant number of instances from 2017 to 2020 when the facility failed to maintain and operate air pollution control systems and exceeded emission limits,” according to an EPA news release issued Tuesday. Robert Mittendorf reports. (Bellingham Herald)

The world’s first fully hydrogen-powered ferry just launched. It was built in Bellingham
Bellingham-based boat manufacturers All American Marine has built for San Francisco Bay Ferry the "Sea Change," billed as the “world’s first commercial passenger ferry powered 100% by zero-emission hydrogen fuel cells.” Daniel Schrager reports. (Bellingham Herald)

What lies beneath Capitol Lake? Estuary work to find answer
Plans to restore Capitol Lake to its natural state as the Deschutes River estuary are moving forward. This week, those who visit downtown will be able to see the lake at its lowest levels and what’s been lying beneath the waters for years. The Washington State Department of Enterprise Services is temporarily lowering the lake levels to gather data for the design of the future restored Deschutes Estuary, according to a news release from the department. Ty Vinson reports. (The Olympian)

Planet Sets Record for Hottest Day Twice in a Row
Researchers with the European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service said Sunday was Earth’s hottest day. Then it happened again on Monday. Derrick Bryson Taylor reports. (NY Times)

Sockeye salmon season extended on Skagit River
Anglers can continue to cast for sockeye salmon on the Skagit River after the state Department of Fish and Wildlife has again extended the season. The sockeye fishery on the Skagit River from the West Mount Vernon Bridge to the Dalles Bridge in Concrete now runs through July 31. Vince Richardson reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Pacific Northwest Indigenous Aquaculture Summit to be Held in August
The Kurt Grinnell Aquaculture Scholarship Foundation, in partnership with the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, will host the first Pacific Northwest Indigenous Aquaculture Summit on August 26, 27, and 28th, 2024 at the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe’s 7 Cedars Resort on the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. ((Perishable News)

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-  209 AM PDT Wed Jul 24 2024    
TODAY  SW wind around 5 kt, veering to W 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to  4 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 8 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 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 msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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7/23 Japanese knotweed, zebra mussels, Project 2025, offshore wind turbines, Hwy 20 fire, search-and-rescue, underwater forests

Japanese Knotweed [Jennifer Andrews]

 

Japanese Knotweed Polygonum cuspidatum
It is a very aggressive escaped ornamental that is capable of forming dense stands, crowding out all other vegetation and degrading wildlife habitat. It can also create a fire hazard in the dormant season. It is difficult to control once established. It is often found in waste places, gardens, roadsides and stream and riverbanks. (WA Noxious Weed Control Board)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Community Voices: Where to, Whatcom County industrial lands? / Small school, big opportunity

On the Frontlines of Stopping Zebra Mussels
This is how the destructive, invasive species is battled. One lake at a time. Steve Burgess reports. (The Tyee) 

Project 2025’s extreme vision for the West
The demolition of public lands, water and wildlife protections are part of conservatives’ plan for a second Trump term. Michelle Nijhuis and Erin X. Wong report. (High Country News)

Are offshore wind turbines in Washington's future?
If voters decide in November to keep the cap-and-invest program, the state has plans that could bring the technology to its coastal waters. John Stang reports. (Crosscut)

Highway 20 closes again due to wildfire
Highway 20 over the North Cascades is closed due to increased activity of the nearby Easy wildfire. A 9-mile section of the highway was closed at 4 p.m. Sunday from Granite Creek (milepost 148) to Easy Pass trailhead (milepost 157). Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Coastal B.C. First Nations take the lead on many marine search-and-rescue missions
New formalized role and funding helps First Nations become integral part of coastal search and rescue. Hope Lompe reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Squaxin Tribe fights to save Puget Sound’s vanishing underwater forests
Hundreds of acres of underwater forests in Puget Sound are vanishing. Reports show over the past century and a half bull kelp in the region has declined 90 percent. Today, the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) announced a new partnership with the Squaxin Island Tribe to protect these critical marine habitats. Lauren Donovan reports. (Fox/AOL)

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-  316 AM PDT Tue Jul 23 2024    
TODAY  W wind 5 to 10 kt, rising to 10 to 15 kt this afternoon.  Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 8 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to around 5 kt after  midnight. Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 5 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 msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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7/22 Beach knotweed, salmon farm rules, raven sculpture, beavers, wetlands

Beach knotweed [Sound Water Stewards]

 

Beach knotweed Polygonum paronychia
This plant belongs to the knotweed or buckwheat family (Polygonaceae). Beach knotweed is found on coastal dunes and sandy beaches from northern California to southern Vancouver Island. It is native in the Pacific Northwest. Other common names for it are black knotweed and smartweed.(Sound Water Stewards)

Today's top story in Salish Current: An American tradition / An unexpected journalist in a time of unrest

Environmental groups push for toughening of salmon farm rule change
New federal rules for fish farms have cut the amount of allowable sea lice in farmed salmon but environmental groups say it doesn’t amount to much. A coalition of environmental groups is urging Fisheries Minister Diane Lebouthillier to strengthen those conditions under the new licensing agreements that will last until the end of this decade. Sea lice have been one of the major focal points for critics of salmon farming over the years, because the harmful parasites thrive in close quarters and can spread to wild salmon populations that pass nearby. Hope Lompe reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Raven sculpture stolen from Shoreline trailhead
A raven sculpture has been stolen from the Interurban Trail trailhead at 145th Street in Shoreline, the city said in a statement. The sculpture, called “Emissary Raven,” was created by artist Tony Angell, and was donated to the city by the Shoreline Rotary in 2005. Xavier Martinez reports. (Seattle Times)

'Nuisance' beavers relocated, put to work in dried-up watershed
Beavers named Thor and Edda were moved as part of a project using beavers to restore wetlands. Michelle Gomez reports. (CBC)

Washington State Has Been Sitting on a Secret Weapon Against Climate Change
Wetlands are carbon-storage powerhouses — and many are unmapped. Natalia Mesa reports. (High Country News/The Atlantic)

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-  246 AM PDT Mon Jul 22 2024    
TODAY  W wind 5 to 10 kt, rising to 10 to 15 kt late this  morning and afternoon. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at  9 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W  4 ft at 7 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 msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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7/19 Ants, more flies, Vancouver quake, crows, Vancouver carbon reduction, week in review

 

Ant

Ants
There are an estimated one million billion ants currently living on Earth, spread out over 12,000 different species. That’s a lot of ants! Luckily, there are only four common types of ants you have to worry about here in Washington: Odorous house ants, carpenter ants and pavement ants. (Sound Pest Control)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Initiative to repeal Whatcom County child care tax goes to court / Incumbents draw challengers in Skagit County commissioner races

Regarding flies
Reader Wendy Feltham writes: "Thanks for another great blog! I just had to reply this time, because so many native flies are important pollinators, especially of our native wildflowers. They're beneficial in other ways, and quite beautiful as well.  One example is the Syrphidae family of "flower flies," also known as "hover flies." In his excellent field guide to PNW Insects, Merrill A. Peterson writes, "Flies are often considered a nuisance, as many species can cause painful bites..., transmit pathogens..., and some are serious pests of crops. However, many flies are beneficial in various ways. Some process dead organic matter and animal waste, limiting its accumulations. Others are valuable pollinators of crops and wildflowers. Still others are natural enemies of pest insects..., and flies and fly larvae are important sources of food for many other organisms , including fish, bats, and birds." [Wendy also shared some of her photos, thank you.]

Scientists creating first maps of Metro Vancouver’s earthquake hazards
Scientists are creating the first data set that will systematically map local earthquake hazards across Metro Vancouver. The data being collected will form a “comprehensive, high calibre, high quality product that hasn’t been generated up until now in Canada,” said Sheri Molnar, associate professor at Western University. Nathan Griffiths reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Seattle crows are so smart, they’re challenging what we know about evolution
Researchers have made startling discoveries in recent years about a crow’s ability to communicate, solve problems, remember people, and use tools. What they’re discovering about crow brains is changing how scientists understand intelligence — and bringing into question our accepted version of evolution. Stephen Howie reports. (KUOW)

Vancouver not on track to meet carbon reduction target by 2030
Vancouver’s five-year climate plan began in 2020. With that timeline coming to an end next year, the report recommends the city refresh a plan to 2030, one that includes stepping up efforts to meet the emissions targets. A report to city council next week recommends directing staff to refresh the climate plan in order to meet the targets. Tiffany Crawford reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Inslee to agency leaders: Money's too tight for new programs
With tax collections down and costs climbing, Washington’s outgoing governor tamps down expectations as he makes spending decisions in his final budget proposal. Jerry Cornfield reports. (Washington State Standard)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 7/19/24: Beekeeping Friday, Tacoma heat, butterflies, plastic bag ban, Kus-kus-sum salmon, Marysville stormwater, seagrass and plastic, Seattle Aquarium, tribal climate, The Blob.

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 Jul 19 2024    
TODAY  NW wind 5 to 10 kt, rising to 10 to 15 kt this  afternoon. Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: NW 2 ft at 3 seconds  and W 2 ft at 9 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: NW  2 ft at 3 seconds and W 2 ft at 10 seconds. 
SAT  W wind 5 to 10 kt, rising to 10 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: NW 2 ft at 4 seconds and W 2 ft at  9 seconds.  
SAT NIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: NW  2 ft at 5 seconds and W 4 ft at 8 seconds.  
SUN  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at  9 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 msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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7/18 Flies, Seattle Aquarium, BC ferries, tribal climate, sea otter pups, BC wildfires, The Blob

Fly

 

Flies
Shoo, fly. There are many different flies in Washington. Some of the most common are cluster flies, house flies, drains flies and fruit flies.Even though flies do not bite, flies are considered dangerous.  In the course of their travels (through excrement, sewers, decaying vegetation, etc.),  they pick up and spread disease, human pathogens, and parasites.  (Pro Pest Control)

Today's top story in Salish Current: 42nd and 40th Legislative District primary vote will eliminate one contender

Seattle Aquarium’s Ocean Pavilion to open in August
Seattle Aquarium’s new, $160 million Ocean Pavilion will open Aug. 29. The 50,000-square-foot exhibit space is already transforming the city’s central waterfront, and will feature the region’s largest tropical reef ecosystem, with sharks, rays, other animals and plants. Vonnair Phair reports. (Seattle Times)

Work starts on new battery-electric B.C. Ferries vessels
Construction has begun on the first two of B.C. Ferries’ new battery-electric hybrid Island-class vessels. The work is being done at Damen Shipyards in Romania. When completed, the vessels will be the first in the fleet to operate exclusively in battery-electric mode. Andrew A. Duffy reports. (Times Colonist)

WA awards $52 million from carbon auctions for tribal climate adaptation
More than $50 million in revenue from the state’s carbon market auctions is going to 32 tribal nations across the Northwest for clean-energy projects and efforts to better safeguard communities from the effects of climate change. Isabella Breda reports. (Seattle Times)

Second abandoned sea otter pup rescued in B.C. in less than a month
A second abandoned sea otter has been rescued in the waters off Vancouver Island, marking the first time the Vancouver Aquarium Marine Mammal Rescue Society has had to take care of two fragile pups at the same time. (Canadian Press)

Dry forests 'very receptive to ignition': B.C. Wildfire Service
Over a dozen new fires have sparked across the province over the last 24 hours, and the B.C. Wildfire Service says dry forests in much of the province are "very receptive to ignition." The wildfire service's online dashboard, as of 5 p.m. PT Wednesday, reports 161 active wildfires in B.C. Within the the last 24 hours, 16 more fires have started and 41 were declared out. In the last seven days, 136 were declared out. (CBC)

Birthing the Blob
In 2013, a huge marine heatwave known as the Blob hit the northeast Pacific Ocean. Temperatures soared to dangerous new highs, killing millions of marine animals and disrupting the broader ocean ecosystem in ways that have yet to—and may never—return to normal. Michael Allen reports. (Hakai Magazine)

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-  236 AM PDT Thu Jul 18 2024    
TODAY  NW wind around 5 kt, backing to W 15 to 20 kt. Seas  around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 2 ft at 10 seconds. 
TONIGHT  NW wind 10 to 15 kt, becoming N around 5 kt after  midnight. Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 2 ft at 9 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 msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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7/17 Gnats, Marysville stormwater, Bellingham Bay, 'chemically altered water, Stanley Park GBH, seagrass and plastics

 

Gnat

Gnats
Gnats are a group of tiny, winged flies. They belong to the fly order Diptera, which includes mosquitoes, flies, and maggots. You may also hear them called biting midges or blackflies, among other names. There are, among many other types, fungus gnats and biting gnats. (WebMD)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Where San Juan County District 2 candidates stand

At new Marysville water treatment facility, plants filter out pollutants
The city’s new stormwater treatment plant isn’t landmarked by large tanks and pipes — or any buildings for that matter. Near the shore of Ebey Slough, the plant — charged with treating 460 acres of urban runoff — looks like a park, with paved walkways and rows of native grasses. Ta'Leah Van Sistine reports. (Everett Herald)

Just how filthy is Bellingham Bay — and who is cleaning it up?
People are fighting two main sources of pollution in Bellingham Bay: legacy contamination from old industrial and manufacturing sites, and new and ongoing pollution from sewage and trash. Ben Long reports. (CDN)

City probing whether polluted water ended up in creek
The city of Victoria and others are probing allegations that an operation in the Burnside-Gorge area dumped close to one million litres of “chemically altered water” into a storm drain. Roxanne Egan-Elliott reports. (Times Colonist)

Stanley Park's great blue herons are back for another nesting season
 The return of spring in Vancouver also brings the return of great blue herons to Stanley Park, and the return of the park board's live camera monitoring their nests. "Heron cam" is now in its ninth year, but the colony itself has been around considerably longer. According to the Vancouver Park Board, records of herons nesting in Stanley Park stretch back to 1921. (CTV News)

Seagrass and Plastic Are Not Friends
In 2021, what sounded like a good news story hit the media: in the Mediterranean, seagrasses were trapping plastic waste, capturing fragments in their leaves and locking microplastics in seafloor sediments. The news cycle was spurred by a study of Neptune grass, which showed that when this seagrass species sheds its leaves each autumn some of that plastic debris is jettisoned back to shore, slightly cleaning the marine environment. At the time, scientists and reporters billed the Mediterranean seagrass as a potent ally in the fight against marine plastic pollution. But that hopeful narrative is, unfortunately, too optimistic and only tells part of the story. Sean Mowbray reports. (Hakai Magazine)

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-  235 AM PDT Wed Jul 17 2024    
TODAY  NW wind 5 to 10 kt, rising to 15 to 20 kt. Seas 3 to  4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 10 seconds.  
TONIGHT  NW wind 15 to 20 kt, becoming N 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 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 msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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7/16 Fleas, single-use plastic bags, salmon-safe water, Kus-kus-sum salmon, Stanley Park trees

Flea

Fleas
Fleas can cause great discomfort to our pets and leave us with small itchy bites, often on our legs. Their bites can cause allergic reactions and scratching can lead to infection. Fleas are capable of picking up plague from wild rodents and transmitting the bacterial disease to people.

Today's top story in Salish Current: Where San Juan County District 1 candidates stand

Single-use plastic bags banned as next round of B.C. plastic regulations kicks in
Plastic shopping bags and other single-use products are no longer available at British Columbia stores as the government implements the latest step in its plan to phase out certain plastic items and keep harmful chemicals out of landfills. Businesses may no longer provide single-use plastic shopping bags, and they must charge a minimum of $2 for new reusable bags or 25 cents for new paper bags. (Canadian Press)

Salmon-safe water upgrades coming to Tumwater golf course
The Tumwater Valley Golf Course was the state’s first municipal golf course to be Salmon-Safe certified, a designation it received in 2019 that means the city is significantly improving the environmental health of the 200-acre course along the Deschutes River. But the course sits in a valley with housing developments and major roads — including I-5 — surrounding it. Its parking lot hasn’t been updated since it was built in 1969, and untreated stormwater carrying pollutants runs beneath the lot and dumps directly into the river. Ty Vinson reports. (The Olympian)

Bringing Salmon Home to Kus-kus-sum
In 2020, the Comox Valley Project Watershed Society finally raised enough funds to purchase the eight-acre site from lumber producer Interfor, and in 2021, the land was transferred to the society. Since then, it has removed more than 12,000 cubic metres of concrete from the industrial site and revegetated five acres of it. The project is being led by the society, with the help of an intergovernmental partnership between the K’ómoks First Nation and the City of Courtenay. Pippa Norman reports. (The Tyee)

City of Vancouver faces lawsuit over Stanley Park tree-cutting
The City of Vancouver and a contractor are facing a lawsuit by advocates over a plan that would see up to a third of the trees in Stanley Park cut down. The city's park board had begun cutting down thousands of trees last summer in a bid to mitigate what it said was "imminent" fire and public safety risks posed by dead and dying trees that were affected by a Western hemlock looper moth infestation. Akshay Kulkarni reports. (CBC)

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-  236 AM PDT Tue Jul 16 2024    
TODAY  E wind around 5 kt, rising to 5 to 10 kt late this  morning, then becoming NE early this afternoon, backing to NW  late. Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 9 seconds. Areas  of fog this morning.  
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft  at 9 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 msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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7/15 Mosquitoes, Tacoma heat, butterflies, WA wolf count, Skagit sockeye, methane rules, Sheila Harrington

Mosquito

Mosquitoes
Over 40 different mosquito species can be found in Washington, and many are vectors for diseases, such as West Nile virus, western equine encephalitis, and St. Louis encephalitis. Avoid mosquito bites, don't give mosquitoes a home, and support community control programs. (WA DOH)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Bellingham Pride: love shines loud / Islanders launch campaign to renew Land Bank’s funding

Tacomans struggle with high temperatures, heat and access to cooling varies across the city
Shade is a problem for Tacomans.  The city is dense and in the Puget Sound region, it has the lowest amount of tree canopy cover for cities.  nThis city lacks the infrastructure to respond to heat events, said Ailene Ettinger, a quantitative ecologist with The Nature Conservancy. Lauren Gallup reports. (Northwest Public Broadcasting)

Butterfly sightings in Metro Vancouver plummet
Fewer butterflies are flying around Metro Vancouver this year, and their scarcity is leaving scientists and community members with more questions than answers. Extreme swings in weather may be to blame, but planting more native trees in cities could help. Abby Luciano reports. (CBC)

Why Washington’s wolf count is under scrutiny
Ahead of a vote on lowering the animals’ “endangered” status, wildlife advocates and others question whether the figures are inflated. A state agency defends the data.  Alex Brown and Laurel Demkovich report. (Washington State Standard)

Skagit River sockeye season extended
The sockeye salmon fishery on the Skagit River from the Highway 536 bridge in Mount Vernon to the Dalles Bridge in Concrete will be extended, running July 16 to July 24. (Skagit Valley Herald)

WA adopts landfill rules to combat methane leaks
New rules intended to keep a tighter lid on methane gas leaking from the state’s landfills as food and garbage decompose went into effect last month. The state Department of Ecology estimates the new rules will affect 26 landfills, around half of those in the state, and will decrease landfill-related methane emissions by around 1.6 million metric tons a year. That would be a 38% reduction, according to environmental nonprofit Industrious Labs. Amanda Zhou reports. (Seattle Times)

Conservationist details nature preservation efforts on Salish Sea islands in new book
A long-time conservationist on B.C.'s west coast has penned a new book highlighting the importance of protecting nature on and around the islands of the Salish Sea.  Sheila Harrington, a Lasqueti Island resident who has been involved with conservation efforts for 30 years, travelled by boat to 17 islands in the Salish Sea to interview more than 50 fellow conservationists about the history of efforts to preserve habitats in the area. (CBC)

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-  225 AM PDT Mon Jul 15 2024    
TODAY  NW wind around 5 kt, backing to W this afternoon. Seas  3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 7 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 10 kt, easing to around 5 kt after  midnight. Seas around 3 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 7 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 msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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7/12 Honey trapping, Columbia R treaty, spotted owl habitat, BC MPT, 6.4M quake, Ocean Wise, week in review

 

Careless talk costs lives

Honey trapping
Honey trapping is an investigative practice involving the use of romantic or sexual relationships for interpersonal, political (including state espionage), or monetary purpose. The honey pot or trap involves making contact with an individual who has information or resources required by a group or individual; the trapper will then seek to entice the target into a false relationship (which may or may not include actual physical involvement) in which they can glean information or influence o

Today's top story in Salish Current: Bellingham Pride: love shines loud / Islanders launch campaign to renew Land Bank’s funding

U.S. and Canada reach tentative deal on Columbia River Treaty update
It seeks to rebalance hydropower needs, while also addressing flood control and environmental concerns. The existing treaty has been in place since the 1960s. Laurel Demkovich reports. (Washington State Standard)

Feds propose to protect critical spotted owl habitat 1,000 times the size of Stanley Park
Advocates for protection of the old-growth forest dependent bird call doubling of habitat in proposed recovery strategy a ‘historic win’  Sarah Cox reports. (The Narwhal)

Waters off Vancouver Island now home to Canada's largest marine protected area
The area spans more than 133,000 square kilometres and covers “extraordinary seafloor features,” including more than 47 underwater mountains, known as seamounts. (Canadian Press)

6.4M quake that struck off B.C. is part of recent 'swarm': agency
13 quakes greater than around 4.0M detected in July in same area off Vancouver Island, Earthquakes Canada says. (CBC)

Ocean Wise pulls label from some Alaskan salmon fisheries
Sustainability group says there are questions over impact of Alaskan fisheries on chinook salmon heading south. (Canadian Press)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 7/12/24: Kebab Friday, SRKW, Carey Island, Clyoaquot Sound forests, 'deadbeat dams,' Baker R sockeye, PNW data centers, Columbia R sockeye, WA burn 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 Jul 12 2024    
TODAY  NW wind around 5 kt, backing to W 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to  5 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 8 seconds. Patchy fog early this  morning.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, becoming SW around 5 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 8 seconds.  
SAT  W wind around 5 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at  8 seconds.  
SAT NIGHT  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W  4 ft at 8 seconds.  
SUN  SW wind around 5 kt, veering to W in the afternoon. Seas  3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 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 msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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7/11 Honey badger, Columbia sockeye, WA burn ban, WA voter guide, 'fatbergs,' anchored freighter noise

Honey Badger

Honey Badger Mellivora capensis
The honey badger is part of the weasel family, related to skunks, otters, ferrets, and other badgers. Its proper name is ratel, but it gets the common name honey badger from what seems to be its favorite food: honey. Honey badgers are native to areas of Africa and Asia, from southern Morocco to Africa’s southern tip, and western Asia’s Caspian Sea, Turkmenistan, Afghanistan, Nepal, and western India. (San Diego Zoo)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Green invasion hits Orcas Island’s Cascade Lake / Child care crisis requires creative thinking, new ideas

Record sockeye salmon run on Columbia now threatened by hot water
Smashing records, sockeye salmon are booming up the Columbia River, in a run expected to top 700,000 fish before it’s over. But a punishing heat wave has made river temperatures so hot many may never make it their last miles home. With water temperatures above 80 degrees in the Okanogan River, sockeye are stacking up at its mouth and waiting rather than entering the tributary to get to their spawning grounds across the U.S.-Canada border. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Washington issues burn ban on state lands
A burn ban is in effect for all state lands in Washington. The state Department of Natural Resources on Wednesday issued the statewide ban on outdoor burning, campfires, the use of charcoal briquettes and prescribed burns on its lands. The ban started at 1 p.m. on Wednesday and will go until at least Sept. 30, 2024. Laurel Demkovich reports. (Washington State Standard)

WA Statewide Voter Guide 2024
Welcome to your one-stop shop for Washington’s 2024 election. (CascadePBS)

'Fatbergs' rearing ugly presence at Metro Vancouver's Lulu Island sewage treatment plant
Accumulations of congealed fat aren't uncommon in Metro Vancouver sewer pipes but officials say this is the first time clogs, known colloquially as 'fatbergs,' have shown up at Lulu Island to this degree. Derrick Penner reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Salish Sea anchored freighter noise mitigations permanent, ships will stay
A pilot program intended to help deal with noise issues from cargo ships anchored off the southern Gulf Islands and eastern Vancouver Island, including the Cowichan Valley, will become permanent. Robert Barron reports. (Parksville Qualicum Beach News)

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-  304 AM PDT Thu Jul 11 2024    
TODAY  W wind 5 to 10 kt, rising to 10 to 15 kt this afternoon.  Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 7 seconds. Patchy fog this  morning.  
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, becoming SW 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 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 msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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7/10 'Akohekohe, heat waves, Baker sockeye, entangled humpback, PNW data center

Crested honeycreeper [Jim Denny/USFWS]

 
`Akohekohe Palmeria dolei
The crested honeycreeper is the largest (honeycreeper remaining on Maui Nui. A distinctive brush of white feathers curling forward over the bill comprises the crest, giving the species its English name. The bird is endangered wherever found. (USFWS)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Public has its say in comprehensive planning

Oregon state climatologist says heat waves getting hotter, more frequent and coming earlier
People across the region have been sweltering under a heat wave that’s pushed highs into the 90s for days. Some places have even seen triple-digit temperatures. Jess Hazel reports. (OPB)

Baker sockeye tribal fishery returns after banner year
Upper Skagit Indian Tribe fishers celebrated the return of the Baker River sockeye fishery this week. A record number of sockeye salmon swam through the Baker River last year, with about 65,000 returning. This year, Upper Skagit tribal fishers are hoping for more of the same. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Entangled humpback whale in B.C. 'a really challenging' case, DFO says
Marine mammal rescuers in British Columbia are searching for an entangled humpback whale in the waters off northern Vancouver Island. The three-year-old whale, known as Vector, was photographed by a wildlife tour operator on Friday in the Johnstone Strait near Campbell River. The photos, shared online, show a length of rope or fishing gear wrapped tightly around the mammal. Todd Coyne reports. (CTV News)

PNW data center boom could imperil power supply within 5 years
The Pacific Northwest’s power grid could be pushed beyond its limits in just five years by the staggering electricity demands of the booming data center industry, regional power planners recently reported. A forecast by the Northwest Power and Conservation Council highlights a looming conflict between an increasingly digital world and utilities’ capacity to meet surging power demand. The forecast cautioned that data centers could consume as much as 4,000 average megawatts of electricity by 2029 — enough to power the entire city of Seattle five times over. Lulu Ramadan reports. (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-  543 AM PDT Wed Jul 10 2024    
TODAY  W wind 5 to 10 kt, rising to 15 to 20 kt. Seas 3 to  4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 5 seconds. Areas of dense fog early  this morning, then patchy fog late this morning.  
TONIGHT  W wind 15 to 20 kt, easing to 10 to 15 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 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 msato at salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate



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