6/18 Horsetail, shellfish permit, Kay Treakle, TM oil spill, helping salmon, BC ferries, Salish Sea stewards

Common horsetail [US Forest Service]

Common Horsetail Equisetum arvense
An herbaceous perennial relative of ferns, common horsetail consists of two types of stems; sterile, non- reproductive and photosynthetic, and reproductive and non- photosynthetic. Common horsetail is distributed throughout temperate and arctic areas of the northern hemisphere, growing typically in moist soils.  It has a long history of cultural use with Native Americans and ancient Roman and Chinese physicians using it to treat a variety of ailments. It is still of interest today as an herbal remedy because of its purported effectiveness as a diuretic. Robinson Sudan writes. (US Forest Service)

Washington shellfish growers reeling after judge throws out general permit
A federal judge has thrown out a general permit for the shellfish industry in Washington that has reduced the regulatory burden on them for decades. Now, growers will have to apply individually to continue existing operations. And an industry group is planning to appeal. Criticism of the commercial shellfish industry in Washington’s tidelands has been mounting for years, because of concerns about its impacts on the iconic coastal waters and ecosystems. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX) See also: Farmed Shellfish Is Not Immune to Climate Change  Touted as a sustainable source of protein, shellfish aquaculture may reach a tipping point by 2060. Kimberly Riskas reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Kay Treakle took on oil tankers and nuclear reactors. Cancer took the Tacoma activist too soon.
Kay Treakle, according to her longtime husband, Bruce Hoeft, was fearless and funny. Blunt and unflinching. Strategic and whip smart. Tireless, empathetic and a constant advocate for the underdog. Treakle, an accomplished and steadfast environmental activist who died June 10 at the age of 65 after a two-year battle with liver cancer, was also unquestionably Tacoma, until the very end, Hoeft explained. “She just wanted to get (expletive) done, always,” Hoeft, said Tuesday, channeling a small slice of his wife’s no-nonsense style. Matt Driscoll reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Trans Mountain oil spill bolsters Sumas First Nation opposition to twinned pipeline
An oil spill at a Trans Mountain pipeline pump station in Abbotsford, B.C., over the weekend has bolstered the Sumas First Nation's opposition to seeing the pipeline twinned through its territory.... Sumas First Nation Chief Dalton Silver said trust is stretched thin and that the spill response co-ordination has been frustrating. "It's not going all that well as far as Indigenous involvement in a territory that we look at as unceded territory," he said.  He said since learning about the spill on Saturday morning it's been a challenge to get independent monitors on-site. He's also concerned about how and when details are being communicated to the Nation.  Chantelle Bellrichard reports. (CBC)

Everything counts when helping young salmon survive their risky journey to the sea
Chris Dunagan follows up with more reporting on salmon survival, the Seattle seawall, a fish ladder on the Green River's Howard Hansen Dam, and the history of the 'no net loss' policy of wetlands and critical shoreline habitats. (Puget Sound Institute)

The scramble to help Chinook salmon past landslide danger zone
One of the most important food sources for the Northwest’s endangered orcas was devastated by a rockslide last year, Canadian officials have revealed. Officials are now scrambling to help this year’s Chinook salmon migrate past the danger zone on Canada’s Fraser River to avoid a repeat of last year’s disaster. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

Transport minister unhappy with B.C. Ferries' plans to cut sailings
A plan by B.C. Ferries to cut sailings on many minor routes is unfortunate and premature, B.C.’s transportation minister says. Claire Trevena is calling on the company to put a hold on the cuts to 11 routes — including to her home on Quadra Island — as it negotiates with the provincial and federal governments...B.C. Ferries is targeting the most underutilized sailings on the 11 routes — Salt Spring/Vesuvius–Crofton, Earls Cove–Saltery Bay, Snug Cove–Horseshoe Bay, Powell River–Comox, Powell River–Texada, Nanaimo–Gabriola, Denman and Hornby islands, Campbell River–Quadra Island, Quadra–Cortes, and Skidegate–Alliford Bay on Haida Gwaii. The ferry corporation has not indicated when it intends to make the cuts. Rob Shaw reports. (Vancouver Sun)

Newest Salish Sea Stewards at the ready — and waiting
The popular volunteer training program that prepares participants for summer beach, boat and education work was held remotely this year due to the pandemic. Despite it marking the first time Salish Sea Stewards trainees didn't get their feet muddy or hands wet during the program, 22 new volunteers completed the 40 hours of lessons last week.   They join the roster of now hundreds of Salish Sea Stewards at the ready for projects including kayaking to monitor kelp, digging to monitor shellfish, seining beaches to evaluate marine life at restoration sites and staffing the visitor center at the Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)



Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  225 AM PDT Thu Jun 18 2020   
TODAY  W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. SW swell 3  ft at 11 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 12 seconds.




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6/17 Canarygrass, border closure, SRKW hunting, BC gas pipe, rising emissions, energy overhaul, manure

Ree canarygrass

Reed canarygrass Phalaris arundinacea
Reed canarygrass typically occurs in soils that are saturated or nearly saturated for most of the growing season. Established stands can tolerate extended periods of inundation. It grows in roadside ditches, river dikes, shallow marshes, wetlands and meadows.  Canarygrass is a major threat to natural wetlands. It out competes most native species as it forms large, single-species stands, outcompeting other species. Dense stands have little wildlife habitat value. Its invasion can cause siltation in irrigation ditches. Reed canarygrass can spread by seeds or by creeping rhizomes. The species will also produce roots and shoots from the nodes of freshly cut stems. (Washington Toxic Weed Control)

Canada-U.S. border to remain closed to non-essential travel for another month
An agreement has once again been reached between Canada and the United States to keep the border closed to all non-essential or "discretionary" travel for another month, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has announced. The extension on the existing agreement means that the border restrictions will stay in place until July 21, even as both countries continue to reopen their economies. Brooklyn Neustaeter (CTVNews)

Sound Strategy: Hunting with the Southern Residents
Southern Resident killer whales can tell a lot about salmon using only sound. This is especially interesting to Marla Holt, who studies how integral sound is to the lives of Southern Resident killer whales. Indeed, it’s critical to their hunting abilities. It is so precise that the whales can tell one species of fish from another. Their hunting is also easily interrupted by noise. Along with disturbance from boat traffic, noise is considered one of the key threats to these endangered whales. (NOAA Fisheries)

Coastal GasLink ramps up pipeline work, 4 months after Wet'suwet'en land conflict sparked rail blockades
Coastal GasLink is ramping up construction across northern B.C, just months after a high profile conflict over Wet'suwet'en land rights sparked RCMP raids on the pipeline route and rail blockades across the country. Now, the company says about 2,500 people will be putting pipe in the ground by September, along the 670 kilometre route, from the gas fields of northeastern B.C. to the Pacific. The $6.6 billion Coastal GasLink pipeline will carry natural gas to a $40 billion LNG terminal under construction in Kitimat, representing one of the largest private sector investments in Canadian history. Betsy Trumpener reports. (CBC)

Emissions Are Surging Back as Countries and States Reopen
After a drastic decline this spring, global greenhouse gas emissions are now rebounding sharply, scientists reported, as countries relax their coronavirus lockdowns and traffic surges back onto roads. It’s a stark reminder that even as the pandemic rages, the world is still far from getting global warming under control. Brad Plumer and Nadja Popovich report. (NY Times)

Absent From Stimulus Packages: Overhauling Energy, Climate Programs
Around the world leaders see opportunity in the global pandemic to address the other big problem humanity faces: climate change. The United Nations and International Energy Agency suggest all nations consider climate when drafting stimulus plans. The European Union is developing a plan that does that. But here in the United States, climate change and reducing greenhouse gas emissions have not been a part of the $3 trillion in relief packages passed so far. That’s despite the country’s history of passing big energy programs to boost the economy. Jeff Brady reports. (NPR)

B.C. fossil discovery demonstrates 50-million-year-old link between Canada and Australia
An insect fossil found near Kamloops, B.C., has researchers questioning the global movement of animals and evolutionary changes based on climate.  The fossil, estimated to be 50 million years old, was found in B.C., but its closest relatives now live exclusively in Australia. This has experts contemplating a Canada-Australia connection that had not been considered.  "I'm starting to see insects which are shared with Australia today and that's a little bit harder to explain, that's more mysterious," said paleontologist Bruce Archibald, who discovered the fossil. "Australia was not connected by land with B.C. [at that time]." (CBC)

Turning manure into money
Farmers and utilities are burning methane for energy — and curtailing a powerful greenhouse gas in the process. Jim Morrison reports. (Washington Post)



Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  229 AM PDT Wed Jun 17 2020   
TODAY  W wind to 10 kt rising to 10 to 20 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 1 ft or less building to 1 to 3 ft in the afternoon. W  swell 6 ft at 9 seconds. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell  5 ft at 9 seconds.




--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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6/16 Skunk cabbage, BC salmon, BC old-growth, BC forestry watchdog

Skunk cabbage

Skunk cabbage
Skunk cabbage is a perennial wildflower that grows in swampy, wet areas of forest lands. This unusual plant sprouts very early in the spring, and has an odd chemistry that creates its own heat, often melting the snow around itself as it first sprouts in the spring. (Gardening Knowhow)

Governments commit $3M to projects restoring B.C. salmon habitat
The B.C. and federal governments have announced funding for seven projects that will help restore salmon habitats in the province. The projects will receive $3 million over five years under the British Columbia Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund. New applications for the funding will be accepted from July 15 to Sept. 15. The projects will help salmon get upstream to reach spawning grounds, provide new information about their habits and populations, and contribute to ongoing efforts to have healthy salmon populations in the Pacific. (Canadian Press)

Scientists say the last of British Columbia’s old-growth trees will soon be gone, if policies don’t change 
Most of British Columbia’s old-growth forests of big trees live only on maps, and what’s left on the ground is fast disappearing, a team of independent scientists has found. A recent report revealed the amount of old-growth forest still standing in the province has been overestimated by more than 20% and most of the last of what’s left is at risk of being logged within the next 12 years. In the report, the scientists revealed most of the forest counted as old growth by the province is actually small alpine or boggy forest. It’s old — but the trees are not the giants most people think of when they are referring to old growth. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

B.C.’s forestry watchdog needs greater independence, ‘new path forward’: former board members
The 25-year-old institution must better address Indigenous Rights, climate change and the public interest, critics say. It’s up for the challenge, board chair promises. Stephanie Wood reports. (The Narwhal)



Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  228 AM PDT Tue Jun 16 2020   
TODAY  Light wind becoming NW 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind  waves less than 1 ft becoming 2 ft or less in the afternoon. W  swell 7 ft at 11 seconds. A chance of showers in the morning. 
TONIGHT  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 7 ft at 10 seconds.




--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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6/15 Dogwood, TM pipe spill, anchovies, reusable bags, plastic everywhere, rat poison, climate science, sea otters

Pacific Dogwood [Native Plants PNW]

Pacific Dogwood Cornus nuttallii
Dogwood is found from southwest British Columbia, western Washington and Oregon and on the west slopes of the Californian mountain ranges. Natives used the hard, dried wood for harpoon shafts and other implements.  The wood has also been used to make thread spindles, golf club heads and piano keys. It was named after Thomas Nuttall, an English botanist and zoologist. (Native Plants of the Pacific Northwest)

Trans Mountain Pipeline spill in Abbotsford estimated at up to 190,000 litres of crude oil
A spill of light crude oil on Saturday from the Trans Mountain Pipeline in Abbotsford, B.C. has now been estimated at between 150,000 to 190,000 litres, or up to 1,195 barrels. Trans Mountain says the pipeline was immediately shut down after learning of a spill at its Sumas Pump Station early Saturday morning.  It says the spill was confined to the facility's property and no waterways were impacted. (CBC)

How blooms of northern anchovies are helping bring more sea life back to Burrard Inlet
It's not easy to spot northern anchovies in murky sea water, but a school of these 10-centimetre-long fish can often set off a frenzy of hungry seabirds and sea mammals that reveals their underwater dance. The sight of anchovy scales catching the glint of the sun is becoming more common in B.C. waters, marine biologists say, and that could be drawing other, bigger species back to busy waterways like the Burrard Inlet in Metro Vancouver. Yvette Brend reports. (CBC)

Reusable bags slowly return to B.C. stores as plastic ones used during pandemic pile up
One of the unexpected consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic was the sudden pause imposed on the increasingly widespread acceptance and usage of reusable bags. But as some stores across B.C. are once again allowing shoppers to use their own bags to pack their groceries, returning to a habit many had before the height of the pandemic has been slow. Provincial officials lifted guidelines advising against reusable bags seven weeks ago, but some stores and shoppers have yet to return to the bring-your-own-bag routine.  Chad Pawson reports. (CBC)

From national parks to the deep sea, plastic pollution is showing up wherever scientists look
In 2017, Janice Brahney was examining dust that had blown across the wilderness of the Western United States to determine its nutrient composition. She slid her samples under a microscope, expecting to see the usual quartz and feldspar grains, pollen and random bug parts. Instead, what leaped from the lens were candy-colored shards and spherules — blue, pink and red plastics mixed with the dust like foul confetti. John Metcalfe reports. (Washington Post)

North Vancouver district to vote on banning rat poison over fears of impact on wildlife
District of North Vancouver council is voting to ban the use of rodenticides on its municipal properties because of the threat it poses to local wildlife. Council will vote on the ban Monday, and urge the province to consider B.C.-wide prohibition of anticoagulant rodenticides. Rat poison has been widely criticised for how it moves through the food chain after it's ingested by a rat. Trace amounts are found in local wildlife and can be harmful to predators like owls, according to a council report. Jon Hernandez reports. (CBC)


A War Against Climate Science, Waged by Washington’s Rank and File
Efforts to undermine climate change science in the federal government, once orchestrated largely by President Trump’s political appointees, are now increasingly driven by midlevel managers trying to protect their jobs and budgets and wary of the scrutiny of senior officials, according to interviews and newly revealed reports and surveys. Lisa Friedman reports. (NY Times)

What Happens When Sea Otters Eat 15 Pounds of Shellfish A Day 
Sea otter populations are rebounding in the eastern North Pacific. There, they devour huge quantities of shellfish and other marine critters that people like to eat, too. But any commercial losses to fisheries are far outweighed by economic benefits associated with the otters, according to a new study. The analysis, published in the journal Science, suggests that when sea otters return to their historic habitats, they fundamentally alter the ecosystem and produce financial gains that are potentially more than seven times greater than the costs. Nell Greenfieldboyce reports. (NPR)


Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  248 AM PDT Mon Jun 15 2020   
SMALL CRAFT ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 11 AM PDT THIS MORNING   
TODAY  SE wind 15 to 25 kt becoming W 10 to 20 kt in the  afternoon. Wind waves 2 to 4 ft. SW swell 4 ft at 7 seconds. Rain  in the morning then showers likely in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt in the evening becoming light. Wind  waves 2 ft o




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"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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6/12 Dogfish, Nuu-hhah-nulth land, 2nd hornet, Wood Creek trees, sea otters, tompot blennies

Pacific spiny dogfish

Pacific Spiny Dogfish Squalus suckleyi
Pacific spiny dogfish are more common off the U.S. West Coast and British Columbia than in the Gulf of Alaska or the Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands region. Spiny dogfish can live more than 80 years. Spiny dogfish aren’t able to reproduce until they’re older – females mature at an average age of 35, males mature at an average age of 19. Female spiny dogfish are internally fertilized, and pups are retained in utero for 18 to 22 months. Depending on their size, female spiny dogfish can have up to 22 pups each reproductive cycle. Females generally release their young during the fall in shallow bays. The newborn pups range in length from 8½ to 12 inches. (NOAA)
 
Nuu-chah-nulth Tribal Council refusing to reopen territory until specific COVID-19 protocols in place
A Vancouver Island First Nation has issued an order aimed at protecting its members from COVID-19, just as the B.C. government is making plans to reopen tourism. On Tuesday, the Nuu-hhah-nulth Tribal Council (NTC), representing 14 First Nations along 300 kilometres of territory, passed a motion prohibiting visitors on Nuu-hhah-nulth land until the health and safety of its own members can be guaranteed by the province. Bridgette Watson reports. (CBC)

2nd confirmed Asian giant hornet this year found 15 miles from 1st location
Officials with the Washington State Department of Agriculture reported today that the 2nd confirmed sighting of an Asian giant hornet (AGH) this year has been made. Officials say a resident in Bellingham reported finding what they suspected to be an AGH on Saturday, June 6th. WSDA officials said the resident found it on their porch wiggling around and stepped on it. (My Ferndale News)

Everett yanks Wood Creek acreage from surplus property list
The Wood Creek watershed will remain in its natural state for now. People rallied to keep 92½ acres of city-owned land just south of the Valley View neighborhood off the surplus property list last month. Mayor Cassie Franklin removed it May 27 during the Everett City Council meeting in response to public comment, city spokesperson Kimberley Cline said in an email. Ben Watanabe reports. (Everett Herald)

Sea Otters Can Be Money Makers, But Not Everyone Benefits
Sea otter populations are rebounding in the eastern North Pacific. There, they devour huge quantities of shellfish and other marine critters that people like to eat, too. But any commercial losses to fisheries are far outweighed by economic benefits associated with the otters, according to a new study. The analysis, published in the journal Science, suggests that when sea otters return to their historic habitats, they fundamentally alter the ecosystem and produce financial gains that are potentially more than seven times greater than the costs. Nell Greenfieldboyce reports. (NPR)

One Great Shot: Fighting to Mate
These British fish aren’t too polite to duke it out for mating rights. Henley Spiers writes. (Hakai Magazine)



Now, your weekend tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  246 AM PDT Fri Jun 12 2020   
TODAY  W wind to 10 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 10 seconds. Rain in the  morning then a chance of rain in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt in the evening becoming light. Wind  waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 9 seconds. A chance of  showers. 
SAT  W wind to 10 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind  waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 9 seconds. Showers likely. 
SAT NIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell  3 ft at 8 seconds. 
SUN  W wind 10 to 20 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 1 to 3 ft. W swell 3 ft at 8 seconds.




--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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6/11 Pill-bug, Seattle seawall, Pebble Mine, border closure, Tokitae, Skagit sockeye, SeaTimes furloughs

Pill-bugs

Pill-bug Armadillidium vulgare
Armadillidium vulgare is capable of rolling into a ball when disturbed; this ability, along with its general appearance, gives it the name pill-bug. The native distribution of A. vulgare ranges across Europe, especially in the Mediterranean Basin. A. vulgare has also been introduced to many locations in North America;  it is now one of the most abundant invertebrate species in California coastal grassland habitats. (Wikipedia)

New Seattle seawall improves migratory pathway for young salmon
Nobody with an understanding of marine life would describe Seattle’s downtown shoreline as a thriving ecosystem. More than a hundred years of city development have left its tidelands covered in fill, flanked with concrete and overshadowed by industrial piers. Yet salmon habitat seems to be improving there, scientists say, thanks to new features installed during replacement of the downtown seawall. Chris Dunagan reports. (Puget Sound Institute)

As the Pebble Mine Nears a Decision, Questions Surround its Environmental Review
Documents unveiled by a Freedom of Information Act request show agencies’ behind-the-scenes critiques of the proposed Pebble Mine. Ashley Braun reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Canada-U.S. border closure to be extended beyond June 21, sources say
The Canada-U.S. border closure to all non-essential traffic will be extended beyond the June 21 date set last month, sources tell CBC News.  Sources with direct knowledge of the situation have confirmed to CBC News that Canada and the United States are holding talks about extending the border restrictions but the agreement has yet to be signed. Katie Simpson and Peter Zimonjic report. (CBC)

Lummi Nation’s new fight to bring orca Tokitae home
It's been 50 years since the southern resident orca Tokitae was taken from her family in the Salish Sea and became known as Lolita, a main attraction at the Miami Seaquarium in Florida. "We don't recognize her name as Lolita. That's a showgirl name placed upon her by her slave members," said Sit Ki Kadem (Doug James), a part of Lummi Nation. "No one should have to spend 50 years in captivity," says Tah-Mas (Ellie Kinley). After unsuccessful attempts to bring her home, two tribal members of Lummi Nation, Tah-Mas and Squil-le-hel-le announced a new partnership with a nonprofit environmental law organization called Earth Law Center. (KCPQ)

Skagit River closing to sockeye fishing
There will be no fishing for sockeye salmon this season on the Skagit River. Fishery managers for the state Department of Fish and Wildlife made the decision to close sockeye fishing on the Skagit beginning Tuesday, June 16, and continuing until July 15 due to low projected returns...With an expected return of as many as 13,242 or as few as 8,056, forecasted returns of wild Skagit sockeye are the lowest encountered in the last five years, potentially falling below even fishery manager's broodstock goals. Vince Richardson reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)


Seattle Times Newspaper Guild members face 10-week furlough
On June 9, the Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild wrote: "Seattle Times employees were notified last week they will have their hours reduced later this month in response to the loss of advertising revenue during the coronavirus pandemic. The company has instructed members of our union, the Pacific Northwest Newspaper Guild, to take unpaid days over a 10-week period, with specifics varying by department. We are grateful the SharedWork program is available in Washington state to allow workers to collect unemployment benefits for these days."



Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  229 AM PDT Thu Jun 11 2020   
TODAY  W wind to 10 kt becoming 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 10 seconds. A slight  chance of showers in the morning then a chance of showers in the  afternoon. 
TONIGHT  NW wind 5 to 15 kt in the evening becoming light. Wind  waves 2 ft or less. W swell 6 ft at 10 seconds. A chance of  showers.




--
"Salish Sea News & Weather" is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe, send your name and email to msato (@) salishseacom.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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6/10 Elwha nearshore, BC salmon, WA budget, BC-WA virus, BC hybrid ferry, funding Puget Sound, whale-watch biz

Elwha nearshore 6/8/20 [CWI]

Elwha nearshore June 8
Anne Shaffer from Coastal Watershed Institute writes: "June is a transitional month in the Salish sea nearshore. Weather patterns are unstable, wind and long day light drive upwelling that in turn fuels plankton blooms, and migrating juvenile fish are (finally!) beginning to appear in large numbers. In the Elwha nearshore it’s a typical, (very) windy, unsettled June day. The persistent westerlies and northwest swell continue to transport Elwha sediment and transform the Elwha delta. Smelt are spawning along the intertidal Salish Sea now. Since the restoration of around a mile of Elwha east delta, the shorelines of the entire Elwha drift cell are now documented and or potential surf smelt spawning habitat. Egg densities are low-but continue to grow. We'll be conducting our multi decade surf smelt spawn surveys next month-look for CWI teams on the beach! The WDFW Elwha hatchery also initiated their large annual release of 2.5 million young of the year Chinook this month. So fish eating birds-gulls, terns, loons, merganser-are abundant along the Elwha nearshore now-an excellent time for birding."

'Almost complete loss' of salmon runs at Fraser River slide last year 
Early runs of sockeye and chinook salmon were devastated last year when they couldn’t make it past a massive landslide on the Fraser River, government officials said Tuesday. The officials with Fisheries and Oceans Canada told a Commons committee that 99 per cent of early Stuart sockeye and 89 per cent of early chinook were lost. Rebecca Reid, the department’s regional director for the Pacific, said salmon survival improved later in the summer when work started to transport fish past the slide, helping them reach their spawning grounds. Mortality during the salmon’s long journey inland is already high and it’s hard to say what exactly causes their deaths, Eric Taylor, a zoology professor and fish expert at UBC said in an interview. (Canadian Press)

WA’s coming budget cuts could dwarf those of the Great Recession
Washington lawmakers are planning an emergency session to plug a hole of at least $7 billion in the state budget — one that may dwarf the shortfall they dealt with a decade ago during the Great Recession. Preliminary numbers suggest that, over the next three years, Washington state tax revenues will come in about $7 billion lower than previously expected. The actual revenue loss may be even greater, since the estimate is based on data from early in the coronavirus pandemic, before the economy collapsed further when unemployment soared and personal spending plummeted...Many of the areas targeted for possible reductions are the same ones that took a beating during the last recession. Those include higher education and many social services...Even if lawmakers use all of the state’s reserves, they will still face a three-year shortfall of about $4 billion, according to Inslee’s budget office. Melissa Santos reports. (Crosscut) See also: State agencies map out possible cuts to plug budget hole  Layoffs, cuts in human service programs, and delays for a slew of road projects loom if the state is forced to pare billions of dollars in spending in response to a budget crunch brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. Jerry Cornfield reports. (Everett Herald)

COVID-19: Warning issued as cases in U.S. states rise while tapering off in B.C.
Health Minister Adrian Dix warned Monday that while B.C. is flattening the COVID curve, things are getting worse south of the border. Dix said the number of COVID-19 cases is still climbing significantly in Washington state, Oregon, California and Arizona...The U.S.-Canada border was closed to non-essential travel on March 21 for a month. The ban has been extended twice since then and will be reviewed before June 21. David Carrigg reports. (Vancouver Sun)

BC Ferries' first hybrid electric vessel begins service Wednesday
The first of BC Ferries' new hybrid-electric vessels is taking its maiden voyage on Wednesday. The corporation said the Island Discovery will begin service with the Texada Island–Powell River route at 3 p.m. PT. The ship is one of six new vessels, known as Island Class ferries, which use diesel fuel to generate electricity stored in batteries on board. They're designed to be powered entirely by electricity once charging stations can be built at terminals, a statement said Tuesday. (CBC) See: Proposed cuts to ferry service lead to resignations on Denman and Hornby islands  Four members of the ferry advisory committee step down as BC Ferries looks to cut sailings. Kieran Oudshoorn reports. (CBC)

Funding for Puget Sound projects envisioned as part of a national stimulus package
Puget Sound recovery efforts could get a boost from a newly proposed five-year, $494-billion economic stimulus package, according to U.S. Reps. Denny Heck, D-Olympia, and Derek Kilmer, D-Gig Harbor. The two Washington congressmen, known for their efforts to help restore the Puget Sound ecosystem, spoke online Friday to more than 160 people during the first Virtual Puget Sound Days on the Hill forum. The event was sponsored by the Puget Sound Partnership, the agency coordinating the recovery of Puget Sound. While the bill’s future is uncertain, this so-called “Invest in America Act” would improve the nation’s eroding transportation systems and rebuild the crumbling infrastructure, according to the bill’s primary sponsor, U.S. Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. It would also help to lift the nation out of an economic slump brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, he said. Christopher Dunagan reports. (Puget Sound Institute)

‘Devastating’ season ails whale-watching firms
 As whale watching companies cautiously count down to a possible re-opening July 1, many are saying the economic damage from the pandemic shutdown has already been severe — and possibly fatal for some. “It’s devastating,” said Jennifer Steven, who owns the Whale Centre in Tofino. “We’ve already lost April, May and half of June. We’ve lost about 60 per cent of our international bookings for the summer...The federal government is expected to lift its ban on marine vessels with a capacity of more than 12 passengers on June 30, but the industry will still need the clearance to start from the provincial government. Darron Kloster reports. (Times Colonist) See also: Whale watch industry sits dockside during COVID-19 pandemic  Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Salish Current)





Now, your tug weather--
West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  254 AM PDT Wed Jun 10 2020   
TODAY  SE wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. SW swell 5 ft  at 9 seconds. Areas of drizzle in the morning. Scattered showers  in the afternoon. 
TONIGHT  NW wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell  6 ft at 10 seconds. Scattered showers.




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