2/2 Purple shore crab, fish farm ban, Oly marmots, Thurston Co habitat, Billy Frank Jr. statue, Minnesota media, democracy watch.

Purple shore crab

Purple shore crab Hemigrapsus nudus
The purple shore crab is a common crab of the family Varunidae that is indigenous to the west coast of United States, Canada, and Mexico. H. nudus was first described in 1847 by Adam White, and in 1851, James Dwight Dana formally classified the species. (Wikipedia) Under most rocks on Puget Sound shores you can find tiny black or gray hairy shore crabs ranging in size from smaller than a fingertip to about the size of a half-dollar. These are of two species, Hemigrapsus nudus and H. oregonensis. (WDFW)

Today's top story in Salish Current:  OPALCO surveys suggest renewable energy is popular — with conditions 

Appeals court upholds ban on fish farms in B.C.'s Discovery Islands
Canada’s Federal Court of Appeal has upheld Ottawa’s decision to end salmon farming in B.C.’s Discovery Islands. The Jan. 29 ruling, the latest in nearly five years of litigation, stems from a December 2020 decision by then Fisheries Minister Bernadette Jordan to phase out open-net pen salmon farms in the Discovery Islands. Stefan Labbé reports.(Times Colonist) 

Olympic marmots under review
The Olympic marmot is being considered for the endangered species list, the U.S. Department of Fish and Wildlife Service has announced. Elijah Sussman reports. (Peninsula Daily News) 

$489,000 state grant backs Thurston County’s salmon recovery planning in south Puget Sound
Thurston County, in partnership with the Thurston Conservation District, has been awarded a $489,000 grant  from the Washington State Department of Commerce to take a broad look at how county programs work together to protect and restore ecosystems such as rivers, wetlands, and forests for salmon populations. (KOMO) 

A Seattle foundry is continuing its work on a Billy Frank Jr. statue. It’s slated to be installed in DC later this year
Billy Frank Jr. is being honored by the state and nation. An 11-foot tall statue and pedestal of him will be installed at the National Statuary Hall in Washington, D.C., later this year. A copy of the full statue will also be installed at Washington state’s Legislative Building. Anna King reports. (NW Public Broadcasting) 

In Minneapolis, all-encompassing immigration story tests a newsroom in midst of digital transition
With the eyes of a nation upon it, the Minnesota immigration enforcement effort has tested a local newsroom in the midst of a digital transformation — and it hasn't left the local journalists overmatched. David Bauer reports. (Associated Press) 

Democracy Watch

• Trump says feds won't respond to protests unless asked in Democratic-led cities (AP) 
• Trump’s Kennedy Center has no Black History Month events following cancellations (Washington Post) 
• Trump’s Profiteering Hits $4 Billion (The New Yorker) 
• Fact-Checking Trump Officials on Minnesota (NY Times) 

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Here's your tug weather— West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  252 AM PST Sun Feb 1 2026    
MON  SE wind 15 to 20 kt, easing to 10 to 15 kt in the  afternoon. Seas 5 to 8 ft. Wave Detail: E 3 ft at 4 seconds and W  7 ft at 15 seconds. Rain.  
MON NIGHT  SE wind 5 to 10 kt, becoming E 10 to 15 kt after  midnight. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: E 2 ft at 4 seconds and W  6 ft at 13 seconds. Rain, 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)salish-current.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



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