7/1 Red sea urchin, killer whales are one, SCOTUS enviro decisions, Quagga mussels, CO2 removal, habitat loss fine, grey whale, spiky creature

Red sea urchin [Hugh Ryono]

 

Red sea urchin Mesocentrotus franciscanus
Sea urchins belong to a group of marine invertebrates called echinoderms, which means spiny-skinned animals. They are related to sea stars, sea cucumbers, and sand dollars. Like their relatives, sea urchins do not have a brain or heart. (Aquarium of the Pacific)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Introducing Salish Current’s new managing editor

All killer whales will remain one species — for now, according to marine mammal committee
A formal proposal to designate resident and Bigg’s killer whales as separate species has been rejected by a committee widely recognized as the authority in naming new marine mammal species. The proposal for new orca species, put forth by a team of geneticists and marine mammal biologists, was based on the distinct genetic, physical and behavioral differences observed between resident killer whales, which eat fish, and Bigg’s, or transient, killer whales, which eat marine mammals. Christopher Dunagan reports. (Puget Sound Institute)

A String of Supreme Court Decisions Hits Hard at Environmental Rules
A spate of decisions over the past two years by the Supreme Court has significantly impaired the Environmental Protection Agency’s authority to limit pollution in the air and water, regulate the use of toxic chemicals and reduce the greenhouse gasses that are heating the planet. This term, the court’s conservative supermajority handed down several rulings that chip away at the power of many federal agencies. Coral Davenport reports. (NY Times)

Washington on-guard for troublesome mussel found in Idaho
Washington is upping efforts to keep an invasive freshwater mussel from gaining a shell-hold in the state’s rivers and lakes, using tactics ranging from DNA testing to shellfish-sniffing dogs. Quagga mussels can cause major problems as layers of them crust over components of hydroelectric dams and locks, or clog drinking water or irrigation systems. Fisheries and fish ladders that allow salmon to bypass dams could be disrupted, too. The mussels can also outcompete native species, throw off water quality, and otherwise degrade ecosystems. Bill Lucia reports. (Washington State Standard)

Metro Vancouver plans 2025 trial to remove CO2 from sea water
The project, expected to launch next year, would be done by a private firm and researchers at UBC, at no cost to the region. Tiffany Crawford reports. (Vancouver Sun) 

B.C. ranch, contractor fined $545,000 for salmon habitat loss
A British Columbia cattle company and a contractor have been fined $545,000 for destroying habitat along the Chilcotin and Kleena Kleene rivers, says Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). The fines followed a six-year DFO investigation and three court cases that determined Altherr & Schellenberg Cattle Co. of Williams Lake, B.C., and Bayliff Enterprises altered land to increase its area for farming. Isaac Phan Nay reports. (CBC)

A warning signal from grey whales: The animals are getting smaller
A population of grey whales that feeds off B.C.'s coast has seen its adult population physically get smaller over the past two decades, a new study has found. Stefan Labbé reports. (Times Colonist)

Alien-like creature with protruding spikes that lived 500 million years ago discovered in B.C.
The creature — that looks like a worm with a spiky exterior — had 11 lobopods (or appendages), with claws at the end. (National Post)

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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  219 AM PDT Mon Jul 1 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: NW 2 ft at  5 seconds and W 5 ft at 11 seconds.  
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 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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