12/2 Decorator crab, NW salmon, kokanee, catch-and-release, Everett sewage, saddle patches, 'dead salmon hat,' YVR sea level rise, small tree harvest, fossil tracks, whale watch rules

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Graceful Decorator crab [Rebecca Reader-Lee]

Graceful Decorator crab Oregonia gracilis
This crab decorates more liberally than any of the other decorator crabs in this area. During decoration, pieces of material are attached to specialized hooked setae and also interact with pappose setae. The crab's chelae are small and delicate. In males the chelipeds are longer than the walking legs, but in females they are shorter. Will eat carrion. Predators include Pacific halibut. In Puget Sound area, eggs may be carried during most seasons. Recently hatched eggs are orange-red; eggs nearly ready to hatch are reddish-brown. (Encyclopedia of Puget Sound)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Indigenous Fashion Show highlight of Native American Heritage Month

2024 saw some good news for Pacific Northwest salmon
Zombie kokanee tumbled downstream as new waves of crimson fish dashed through the riffles making the journey to their spawning grounds. The creek was alive with hundreds of these landlocked sockeye amid the biggest return of the salmon in the Lake Sammamish watershed in a decade...In addition to these little red freshwater fish, some oceangoing salmon have returned in big numbers. Isabella Breda reports. (Seattle Times)

King County’s little red fish swims back from brink of extinction
It’s been a banner year for kokanee salmon, which nearly disappeared from Lake Sammamish, east of Seattle. More of the little red fish have spawned in streams above the lake, King County’s second largest, in 2024 than at any other time in a decade.Kokanee are sockeye salmon that spend their whole lives in freshwater, rather than migrating to the ocean and back like most salmon. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

Catch-and-release fishing causing many salmon to die. Here's how to fix the problem, say UBC researchers
A six-year UBC study finds injuries from hooks, nets and handling as leading to high mortality rates of coho and Chinook salmon. Tiffany Crawford reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Everett water pollution facility’s new permit aims to protect salmon
The state Department of Ecology last month approved a water quality permit that cleared the way for Everett’s Water Pollution Control Facility to better monitor PBDE chemicals found in flame retardant that harms Chinook salmon. Eliza Aronson reports. (Everett Herald)

For Killer Whales, Saddle Patches are Like Fingerprints
Each killer whale has a distinct pattern of pigmentation behind its dorsal fin. How do these patterns vary around the world? Marina Wang reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Orcas revive 'dead salmon hat' trend from the 1980s
Researchers in Washington have noticed at least one orca balancing salmon on its head in Puget Sound this fall, taking the dead fish for a ride and possibly snacking on it.  Darron Cloister reports. (Times Colonist)

Rising sea levels could put Vancouver’s airport underwater
YVR — the second busiest airport in Canada — sits on an island that could be flooded due to climate change, a new Senate committee report warns. Shannon Waters reports. (The Narwhal)

How Harvesting Small Trees Could Create a Future for BC Forestry
Thinning in planted forests can be beneficial for ecosystems and industry. So why isn’t the province doing it yet? Zoë Yunker reports. (The Tyee)

95-million-year-old fossil tracks found in northeastern B.C., says paleontologist
Track may have come from a 'very big bird or else a bird-like dinosaur' (CBC)

New rules for whale watching
Beginning Jan 1, 2025, boaters in Washington state will be required to stay 1000 yards away from Southern Residents. The distance is based on best available science showing the harmful impact of noise and disturbance on the ability of Southern Residents to find and catch their prey. Orca Network hosts a free webinar about the new rule on Dec 3., 6-8 p.m. with guest speakers from the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. Register here.  https://givebutter.com/STWRulewebinar Also: On Dec. 10, The Whale Trail hosts a program featuring Capt. Alan Myers, WDFW Enforcement, speaking about new distance regulations and researchers Mark Sears and Maya Sears discussing their fieldwork and recent encounters with the orcas, including a rare superpod in October. Halls of Fauntleroy, 9131 Fauntleroy Way SW, 7 p.m. Tickets.

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Here's your tug weather—
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  300 AM PST Mon Dec 2 2024    
TODAY  SE wind 10 to 15 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: E 2 ft  at 4 seconds and W 5 ft at 14 seconds.  
TONIGHT  SE wind 5 to 10 kt, rising to 10 to 15 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: E 2 ft at 4 seconds and W  5 ft at 13 seconds.

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