6/17 Coral, Grip Rd gravel mine, Dabob Bay, Big One, seafood farming, beloved crows

Lophelia pertusa [Marine Life Info Network]

Cold-water corals
Most people associate corals with tropical waters—like the vibrant corals found in the Indo-Pacific. But you may be surprised to find that a stunning variety of corals live in the chilly waters of the Pacific Northwest. Cold-water corals eat plankton and other small organisms and can be found up to 6,000 feet below the surface. (Seattle Aquarium)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Bellingham port hearing set for issuing bonds for modernization

Hearing examiner again approves Grip Road gravel mine
A Skagit County hearing examiner has approved a permit for a gravel mine northwest of Sedro-Woolley. Concrete Nor’west has been trying since 2016 to open a mine on 51 acres near Grip and Prairie roads. Residents near the site have opposed the mine because of concerns about road safety, and about noise and environmental impacts. Emma Fletcher-Frazer reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)  See also: Permitting Pitfalls It’s been nine years since a gravel mine was proposed in Skagit County. After multiple appeals and a lawsuit, the application is at a standstill. Megan Neufeld reports. (The Planet Magazine)

Dabob Bay expansion
Washington Department of Natural Resources is holding a public hearing today  at 6 p.m. in Quilcene on a proposal to expand the boundaries of the Dabob Bay Natural Area by 3,860 acres to include globally rare forest types, streams, wetlands, shorelines and connecting habitats. Comment form here.

New research highlights where 'The Big One' earthquake could hit
New research offers a clearer picture of a fault line hundreds of kilometres long off the West Coast that is predicted to generate a major earthquake and tsunami commonly known as "The Big One." The study  confirms that the northern part of the fault, close to Vancouver Island and Washington, is most likely to produce a major earthquake. Isaac Phan Nay reports. (CBC)

The world is farming more seafood than it catches. Is that a good thing?
Last week, the FAO released its annual report on the state of aquaculture — which refers to the farming of both seafood and aquatic plants — and fisheries around the world. A new report from the United Nations’ Food and Agriculture Organization, or FAO, has found that more fish were farmed worldwide in 2022 than harvested from the wild, an apparent first. Frida Garza reports. (Grist/KNKX)

Seattle crows, beloved and feared, may be playing us with their primate-sized brains
Seattle has a thing about crows. Crows are ubiquitous to the city — a single roost at the University of Washington Bothell campus is home to as many as 16,000 birds. The sight of thousands of crows flying toward the campus at dusk has become one of Seattle’s signature attractions for those in the know. Stephen Howie reports. (KUOW)

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-  222 AM PDT Mon Jun 17 2024    
TODAY  W wind 5 to 10 kt, rising to 10 to 15 kt late. Seas 3 to  5 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 7 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 7 seconds and W  2 ft at 11 seconds.

---


"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 mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate



Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told


 

6/14 Sandstone, Makah whale hunt, environmental racism, endangered turtles, tarred murres, week in review

 

Sandstone [NPS]

Sandstone
Sandstone is a clastic sedimentary rock composed mainly of sand-sized silicate grains. Sandstones comprise about 20–25% of all sedimentary rocks. Most sandstone is composed of quartz or feldspar, because they are the most resistant minerals to the weathering processes at the Earth's surface. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: After disaster strikes, how much is it worth to rebuild?

After nearly 25 years, federal officials approve a limited Makah whale hunt
A federal official has given the green light for members of the Makah tribe to resume exercising their treaty right to whaling, based on a request first made in 2005. Their last hunt took place in 1999.  With a waiver under the Marine Mammal Protection Act in hand, the tribe will be authorized to hunt and kill up to three eastern North Pacific gray whales per year over the next decade. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)

Canada just pledged to tackle environmental racism. What does that mean?
For nearly a decade, Ingrid Waldron has pushed for a federal bill to address the racial inequities of environmental harm in Canada. It finally passed. (The Nsrwhal) Denise Balkissoon reports. (The Narwhal)

A head start for Puget Sound's endangered turtles
The Puget Sound region is known for its salmon-filled estuaries and coastal forests, but on the southern portion of its range, evergreens give way to small patches of rolling grasslands that are home to some of Washington's rarest species. One of those species, the northwestern pond turtle, was recently proposed for listing under the Endangered Species Act. A captive breeding program is preparing these turtles for the challenges of life in the wild. Sarah DeWeerdt reports. (Salish Sea Currents Magazine)

At an Oregon wildlife centers, birds treated after mystery tar-like pollution
On May 19, a common murre arrived at the Wildlife Center of the North Coast in Olney with a patch of its underside that was nearly black, coated with a viscous, tar-like goop. Researchers still aren’t sure exactly what that goop is, or where it came from. Olivia Palmer reports. (Astorian)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 6/14/24: Cucumber Friday, BC salmon farms, rare fish, BC endangered species, low ocean oxygen, TMX oil quality, North Shore sewage plant, sandpiper vs port.

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-  219 AM PDT Fri Jun 14 2024    
TODAY  S wind 5 to 10 kt, veering to W this afternoon. Seas  3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft at 11 seconds. Showers this  morning. A slight chance of tstms until late afternoon. A chance  of showers this afternoon. TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 4 ft  at 10 seconds. Showers.  
SAT  SW wind around 5 kt, becoming W 10 to 15 kt in the  afternoon. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 2 ft at 3 seconds and W  4 ft at 9 seconds. Showers.  
SAT NIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 2 ft at 4 seconds and W  4 ft at 9 seconds.  
SUN  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at  8 seconds. A chance of showers in the afternoon.

---


"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 mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate



Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told


6/13 Basalt, wildfire season, Roberts Bank Terminal, Blackie Spit, BC oil quality concerns, North Shore sewage plant

 

Basalt

Basalt
Basalt is an aphanitic extrusive igneous rock formed from the rapid cooling of low-viscosity lava rich in magnesium and iron exposed at or very near the surface of a rocky planet or moon. More than 90% of all volcanic rock on Earth is basalt. (Wikipedia)

Wildfire season expected to come earlier and be slightly more active than usual in Washington
Drought conditions and Washington's low snowpack are contributing to expectations that fire activity will exceed what's considered typical. Helen Smith reports. (KING)

Can a tiny shorebird stop the massive expansion of a container port?
This is the story of a mud wrestle at the Fraser River delta. On one side, a government proposal for a massive expansion of a container port. On the other, a tiny bird, the sandpiper, which relies on this place as its last stopover on a migration as long as 7,000 miles. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Conservationists call out trampling of sensitive Surrey park
Blackie Spit, in Boundary Bay in Surrey, B.C., is an important stop for dozens of species of migratory birds, but the environmentally sensitive habitat is threatened when people fail to stay on the designated pathway. Rafferty Baker reports. (CBC)

Oil refiners raise quality concerns over TMX pipeline shipments
U.S. oil refiners and West Coast traders are flagging concerns about the quality of crude shipped on the newly completed Trans Mountain pipeline expansion (TMX), warning that high vapour pressure and acidity limits could deter purchases of Canadian heavy barrels. The $34 billion expansion started operations last month and has nearly tripled shipping capacity to Canada's Pacific Coast to 890,000 barrels per day (bpd). Arathy Somasekhar and Nia Williams report. (Thomson Reuters)

North Shore sewage plant's bombshell budget a 'crossroads' for Metro Vancouver
The $2.83 billion cost overrun at Metro Vancouver’s North Shore wastewater treatment plant project landed like a bombshell that has prompted bigger questions about how the regional district handles such big projects and even how it’s governed. Derrick Penner 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-  239 AM PDT Thu Jun 13 2024    
TODAY  W wind around 5 kt, rising to 15 to 20 kt. Seas 3 to  4 ft. Wave Detail: NW 3 ft at 4 seconds and W 4 ft at 11 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind 15 to 20 kt, becoming SW 10 to 15 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 5 seconds and W  5 ft at 11 seconds. A chance of showers after midnight.

---


"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 mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate



Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told


6/12 Quartz, commencement

 

Quartz [Wikipedia]

Quartz
Quartz is our most common mineral. Quartz is made of the two most abundant chemical elements on Earth: oxygen and silicon. Atoms of oxygen and silicon join together as tetrahedrons (three sided pyramids). These stack together to build crystals. (University of Waterloo)

Today's top story in Salish Current: Four island kids chase an ‘impossible’ dream

Salish Sea News and Weather takes a break today to attend an early morning commencement ceremony for our granddaughter who is graduating today from high school. News and Weather will return tomorrow. 

Mike.

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-  901 PM PDT Tue Jun 11 2024    
WED  NW wind 5 to 10 kt, becoming W 10 to 15 kt in the  afternoon. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: NW 2 ft at 4 seconds and  W 6 ft at 10 seconds.  
WED NIGHT  W wind 10 to 15 kt, easing to 5 to 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 10 seconds.

---


"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 mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate



Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told


6/11 Chert, BC endangered species ruling, coastal low oxygen, BNSF derailment cause

Chert

 

 Chert
Chert is widespread, but not widely known by the public as a distinct rock type. Chert has four diagnostic features: the waxy luster, a conchoidal (shell-shaped) fracture of the silica mineral chalcedony that composes it, a hardness of seven on the Mohs scale, and a smooth (non-clastic) sedimentary texture. Many types of chert fit into this categorization. (ThoughtCo.)

Today's top story in Salish Current: How a tragedy unfolded, step by step

Environment Minister Guilbeault broke the law in stalling potential spotted owl emergency order: court
‘Precedent-setting decision’ finds federal ministers must act with urgency when species face imminent threats to survival or recovery. Ainslie Cruickshank reports. (The Narwhal)

PNW coast suffers from low oxygen, study finds. It’s becoming the norm
About half of the water near the seafloor off the Pacific Northwest coast experienced low-oxygen conditions in 2021, according to a new study. And those hypoxic conditions, which are expected to become common with global warming, threaten the food web, the study found. The study from Oregon State University, published in Nature Scientific Reports, used data from 2021 to map out oxygen levels across the bottom 32 feet of the Pacific Northwest continental shelf. Amanda Zhou reports. (Seattle Times)

Federal agency says cause of last week’s BNSF derailment near Custer has been identified
Federal Railroad Administration has determined that the derailment of six Burlington Northern Santa Fe train cars last week was caused by a gap in switch points left by a previous train which had passed through. The train was carrying molten sulfur which did not spill. (Bellingham Herald)

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-  224 AM PDT Tue Jun 11 2024    
TODAY  S wind 10 to 15 kt, veering to W late this morning,  rising to 15 to 20 kt this afternoon. Seas 4 to 6 ft, building to  5 to 8 ft this afternoon. Wave Detail: W 8 ft at 12 seconds.  Showers early this morning, then a slight chance of showers late  this morning.  
TONIGHT  W wind 15 to 20 kt, easing to around 10 kt after  midnight. Seas 6 to 9 ft, subsiding to 5 to 7 ft after midnight.  Wave Detail: W 9 ft at 12 seconds.

---


"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 mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate



Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told


6/10 Agate, Bil Anders, BC salmon farms, I-2117 fiscal impact, NW bees, sunfish, BC mushrooms, plastic culture

Agates

 

Agate
Agate is the banded variety of chalcedony, which comes in a wide variety of colors. Agates are primarily formed within volcanic and metamorphic rocks. Agate Pass or Agate Passage is a high-current tidal strait in Puget Sound connecting Port Madison and mainland Kitsap County. Agate is a small community located on southern Puget Sound on the north side of the entrance to Hammersley Inlet. (Wikipedia)

Today's top story in Salish Current: 25 years later, memories of pipeline disaster still haunt families / Readers remember: Whatcom Creek, June 10, 1999

Apollo 8 astronaut dead after plane crash off the San Juans
Former Apollo 8 astronaut William Anders is dead at the age of 90 after an older-model plane crashed into the water and sank near the north end of Jones Island. Anders’ son Greg confirmed that his father was the lone pilot on the plane. Anders flew the first manned space mission to orbit the moon on Christmas Eve of 1968, known as the Apollo 8 “Genesis Flight.” It was then that he took the iconic “Earthrise” photo that shows the planet as a shadowed blue marble from space. Jason Upton reports. (My Bellingham Now)

Court rejects bid to review minister's order to B.C. salmon farms
The Federal Court has rejected a bid by two First Nations and salmon farm operators to review Ottawa's decision to not renew licences for 15 open-net Atlantic salmon farms in the waters off British Columbia.(Canadian Press) See also: Are B.C.’s open-net pen salmon farms closing — or not? Shalu Mehta writes. (The Narwhal)

Judge rejects attempt to keep budget effects of November initiatives off ballots
Information about how a trio of ballot measures would affect Washington’s budget can be printed on ballots this November, a judge ruled Friday. Thurston County Superior Court Judge Allyson Zipp denied a request from Republican Party Chair Jim Walsh and Mainstream Republicans of Washington Chair Deanna Martinez to keep the “public investment impact disclosures” for the three citizen initiatives from appearing.  Laurel Demkovich reports. (Washington State Standard)

Fewer Northwest bees shipped to California’s almonds could be a buzzkill for Washington and Oregon crops
Commercial beekeepers around the United States rent more than 2 million hives to pollinate almond crops in California. Hundreds of thousands of those hives are trucked from the greater Northwest.  However, there’s a problem this year. The pandemic, international shipping problems and over-planting have led to a glut of nuts in California, and almond growers there are in bad economic shape. Many of them are reducing their top expenses – like bees. That’s an issue for the beekeepers of the Northwest who rely on the income – and for the bees themselves. Anna King reports. (NWPB)

Rare 7-foot fish washed ashore on Oregon’s coast gets worldwide attention
A massive rare fish thought to only live in temperate waters in the southern hemisphere has washed up on Oregon’s northern coast, drawing crowds of curious onlookers intrigued by the unusual sight. The 7.3-foot hoodwinker sunfish first appeared on the beach in Gearhart on Monday, the Seaside Aquarium said in a media release. It was still on the beach on Friday and may remain there for weeks, the aquarium said, as it is difficult for scavengers to puncture its tough skin. (Associated Press)

Post-wildfire mushroom picking rush in B.C. causing conflicts
B.C. says it is not ruling out regulating wild mushroom picking after an Indigenous community said a rising number of foragers are infringing on its land, with one case involving alleged threats of physical violence and intimidation. The provincial response comes after the Skwlāx te Secwepemcúl̓ecw First Nation said the areas devastated by the Lower East Adams Lake and Bush Creek wildfires last year are now sprouting large numbers of morel mushrooms, attracting many foragers who are putting new pressures on the land's fragile ecosystem. Chuck Chiang reports. (Canadian Press)

Creating a throw-away culture: How companies ingrained plastics in modern life
Plastic became ingrained in modern life in large part because the plastics industry started working in the 1950s to convince people to embrace the material as cheap, abundant and disposable. The marketing campaign worked so well that litter soon became a problem across the U.S., and there was a public backlash. The industry responded by pitching recycling. But almost from the outset, corporations knew that recycling probably wouldn’t work to rein in waste, multiple investigations have shown.Michael Copley reports. (NPR)

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-  211 AM PDT Mon Jun 10 2024    
TODAY  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 5 ft. Wave Detail: W 5 ft  at 10 seconds.  
TONIGHT  NW wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W  4 ft at 12 seconds. Showers likely after midnight.

---


"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 mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate



Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told


6/7 Fern, lowest tides, Olympia oak, poison hemlock, Kayak Pt Park, Skagit sockeye, week in review

 

Fern
Fern from "Charlotte's Web" is the female human protagonist in the story, she is the one who saves Wilbur, a main character, from being slaughtered just because he is a runt. Fern's father is a farmer, and he allows Fern to care for the piglet. Fern forms a special bond with the pig that she names Wilbur. Some Fern.

Today's top story in Salish Current: There’s more to farmers markets than meets the eye

Where to see creatures as Puget Sound has lowest tides of year
More of the intertidal zone — where crabs, sculpin and sea stars hang out — will be exposed Thursday and Friday than at any other time this year. The Puget Sound area is forecast to see a the low tide on Friday at -3.32 feet, -2.95 feet Saturday and -2.31 feet Sunday. Amanda Zhou reports. (Seattle Times)

Tumwater mayor pauses plan to cut down historic Davis-Meeker oak tree
Tumwater Mayor Debbie Sullivan responded Tuesday night to an outpouring of concern from council members and the public and paused her plans to have the 400-year-old Davis-Meeker oak tree removed. The decision was made at the end of the Tumwater City Council’s June 4 meeting after dozens of members of the public voiced their concerns about the removal of the historic tree. Sullivan’s decision to have the tree removed also didn’t sit well with the council. Ty Vinson reports. (The Olympian)

King County warns of spread of toxic weed poison hemlock
Beware of the poison hemlock, an invasive weed so toxic it can be lethal, King County officials say. Poison hemlock (Conium maculatum) has the ability to spread rapidly and often resembles other edible plants. But eating just a few of its leaves can kill. Paulo Villalobos Saborío reports. (Seattle Times)

Kayak Point, the county’s most popular park, to reopen by next weekend
After almost a year of construction, Kayak Point Regional Park will reopen ahead of schedule on June 14, the county announced Thursday. County staff closed the most popular park in the Snohomish County system on July 5, 2023, for the first phase of construction. The total project costs $20 million.
Ta'Leah Van Sistine reports. (Everett Herald)

Portion of Skagit River to open for sockeye fishing
The Skagit River from the Highway 536 bridge in Mount Vernon to the Dalles Bridge in Concrete will be open to sockeye salmon fishing from June 16 to July 15.  A limit of four sockeye salmon with a minimum size of 12 inches can be retained daily as harvestable numbers are forecast to return to the Baker River system. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Salish Sea News Week in Review 6/7/24: Legoland Friday, ocean acid, Thea Foss Waterway, whale protection, camas, disaster recovery, charging ferries, naming orca species.

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-  218 AM PDT Fri Jun 7 2024    
TODAY  E wind 5 to 10 kt, backing to N late. Seas 3 to 5 ft.  Wave Detail: W 5 ft at 11 seconds.  
TONIGHT  W wind around 5 kt. Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W  4 ft at 11 seconds.  
SAT  W wind around 5 kt, rising to 5 to 10 kt in the afternoon.  Seas 3 to 4 ft. Wave Detail: W 3 ft at 10 seconds and W 3 ft at  17 seconds.  
SAT NIGHT  W wind 5 to 10 kt. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W  2 ft at 5 seconds and W 6 ft at 15 seconds.  
SUN  W wind around 5 kt, rising to around 10 kt in the  afternoon. Seas 4 to 6 ft. Wave Detail: W 2 ft at 6 seconds and W  6 ft at 14 seconds.

---


"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 mikesato772 (@) gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.



Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate



Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told