9/14 Kinnikinnick, J50, BC MPA, BC pipe, BC fish farms, Samish R closure, sub, dolphin grief, BPA study, goats!

Kinnikinnick

Kinnikinnick Arctostaphylos uva-ursi
Kinnikinnick is said to be an Algonquian term meaning 'smoking mixture.' The dried leaves were smoked by a number of coastal groups within the last two centuries. The Nuxalk made special smoking pipes from gooseberry stems. There is very little indication of these groups smoking in pre-contact times, although the Haida, Tlingit and Tsimshian did grow and chew the leaves of a species of tobacco, now apparently extinct, in pre-contact times. Commercial tobacco, once it was available on the Northwest Coast, was preferred, although some people extended their tobacco supply by mixing it with kinnikinnick leaves. (Plants of the Pacific Northwest Coast)

Orca J50 presumed dead but NOAA continues search
J50 was presumed dead Thursday after a search for the whale by boat, plane and from shore failed to spot her. About 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Ken Balcomb, founding director of the Center for Whale Research, declared J50 presumed dead. He is on contract with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) as the keeper of demographic data of the southern resident population of orca whales. But NOAA and partners helping in the search have not given up hope, said Michael Milstein, spokesman for the agency. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Canada’s first protected marine area coming to B.C. coast after Shell gives up exploration permits
Shell Canada Ltd. has given up offshore exploration rights, clearing the way for the creation of Canada’s first protected marine area under the Canada Wildlife Act. The company voluntarily released permits for about 50,000 square kilometres in an area off B.C.’s coast to allow for the creation of the Scott Islands marine National Wildlife Area. The company’s rights cover an area more than 1.5 times the size of Vancouver Island, which is hard to value, said Shell Canada president Michael Crothers, at a news conference on Thursday. “I hope we get some goodwill (in return).” Even as Shell continues to explore for oil and gas globally, Crothers said they have no plans to do so off coastal B.C., particularly since the waters off the west coast have been under an exploration moratorium since 1972. (Canadian Press) See also: Could A Ban On Fishing In International Waters Become A Reality?  (NPR)

42 B.C.-based Order of Canada recipients want the pipeline cancelled for the sake of climate change
Filmmaker Bonnie Sherr Klein says she is turning heartbreak into action by joining 41 other B.C.-based Order of Canada recipients who have signed a letter calling on the federal government to cancel the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project....The letter opens with the line: "As members of the Order of Canada, whose motto is 'They Desire a Better Country,' we believe it is our role as citizens to speak out about our government's purchase and building of the Trans Mountain pipeline." Signatories include Robert Bateman, Raffi Cavoukian, Dorothy Grant, Joy Kogawa, Ga​bor Maté, and David Suzuki. Karin Larsen reports. (CBC) See also: Burnaby spends $1.1M from casino funds on legal fight against Trans Mountain  (CBC)

B.C. municipalities call for end of open-net fish farms
The Union of B.C. Municipalities put its weight behind environmental groups and coastal First Nations concerned about the effect of open-net fish farms on wild salmon Wednesday, passing a resolution that urged the province to shift the industry to closed systems. The move “represents the evaporation of the social licence for the open-net fish farms to be operating in the oceans of British Columbia,” said Kwikwasut’inuxw Haxwa’mis Chief Robert Chamberlin, who is also the vice-president of the Union of B.C. Indian Chiefs. A spokesperson for the B.C. Salmon Farmers Association warned, however, that forcing the industry on-land could mean pushing it out of B.C. altogether. Ainslie Cruickshank reports. (StarMetro Vancouver)

Fishing to close on part of Samish River
In order to allow enough chinook salmon returning to the Samish River to reach the Samish Hatchery north of Burlington, part of the river will close Saturday to all fishing. The state Department of Fish & Wildlife announced the closure Wednesday. The closure will be in effect from the mouth of the river at Bayview-Edison Road to the Interstate 5 bridge. The closure is needed due to expected low returns of hatchery chinook. The closure will help ensure the hatchery can collect enough eggs for the next generation, according to a news release. If enough eggs are collected, fishing will be reopened. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Research submarine arrives at Friday Harbor
Often called Earth’s final frontier, the darkest depths of the ocean contain mysterious creatures and otherworldly habitats researchers have only begun to discover thanks to evolving submarine technology. For the first time, one such submarine will be arriving in the San Juans.... The submarine arrived Sept. 8 at the labs and assisted with three local studies: one regarding red sea urchins, another focusing on the effects of trawling (a method of fishing and researching that scrapes the seafloor) and the third will take a look at sand lance. Heather Spaulding reports. (San Juan Journal)

What Dolphin Whistles Tell Us About Grief
The adult dolphin carried the limp, dead calf on her back. Occasionally, the dolphin, presumed to be the mother, would dive into the water, taking the carcass with her. A half-dozen Chinese white dolphins followed closely, while a larger group trailed at a distance. When the procession met a boat, the trailing dolphins formed up, pushing themselves between the vessel and the central group. “They were almost defensive,” says Matt Pine, a marine biologist at the University of Victoria in British Columbia, who watched the scene play out in Sanniang Bay, in southern China, in December 2014. Pine and his colleagues turned off the boat’s engine and lowered a hydrophone into the water, capturing audio of what they believe to be the sounds of dolphins grieving.... The journey of the dolphin and her dead calf is remarkably similar to that of the female killer whale J35, also known as Tahlequah, which captured the world’s attention last month when she carried her dead calf around the Salish Sea, off British Columbia, for 17 days. Katarina Zimmer reports. (Hakai Magazine)

Government Study Of BPA Backs Its Safety, But Doesn't Settle Debate
Government scientists have presented new evidence that the plastic additive BPA isn't a health threat. Low doses of the chemical given to hundreds of rats, "did not elicit clear, biologically plausible adverse effects," said K. Barry Delclos, a research pharmacologist at the Food and Drug Administration's National Center for Toxicological Research. Delclos made the remarks Thursday during an online presentation in which he summarized an important part of a $30 million project called CLARITY-BPA, which was launched in 2012 to resolve questions about the chemical's safety. Jon Hamilton reports. (NPR)

Flying goats! Olympic Range mountain goats are being relocated by helicopter and ferry
Wildlife biologists have relocated the first two dozen of hundreds of non-native mountain goats slated for removal from Olympic National Park. The logistically-challenging capture and transfer of the woolly wild animals to the northern Cascade Range has been periodically slowed by weather this week. Tom Banse reports. (NW News Network) See also: Mountain goat releases underway in North Cascades  Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)


Now, your weekend tug weather--

West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  300 AM PDT Fri Sep 14 2018   

TODAY  NW wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 3 ft  at 7 seconds. Showers. 

TONIGHT  E wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 3 ft  at 9 seconds. Showers likely. 

SAT  E wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 3 ft at  9 seconds. Showers likely. 

SAT NIGHT  SW wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 3 ft  at 9 seconds. 

SUN  S wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 3 ft at  11 seconds.

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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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9/13 Plumose anemone, saving J50, drought, WA ferries plan, Clallam harvest closures

Giant plumose anemone [Ryan Murphy]

Giant Plumose Anemone Metridium farcimen (giganteum)
The Giant Plumose Anemone is a fairly large anemone of typically white, cream, tan, orange or brown colourations. Subtidal animals can often reach 25cm in crown diameter and 50cm in height. However larger specimens have been reported around 75cm in height. Found in both subtidal and low intertidal zones, including jetties, wharfs, harbours, breakwaters and floats. When found on wharfs, anemone communities of dense distribution are common. Larger specimens are often found solitarily in the subtidal. The Plumose Anemone ranges from Alaska to southern California and along both sides of America. (Race Rocks Ecological Reserve)

NOAA lays plan to capture ailing orca J50, announces public meetings
Plans are being laid to capture J50, the ailing young orca, as efforts to help her in the wild have failed and her condition continues to decline. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which is in charge of recovery of the critically endangered population of southern resident killer whales, has been quietly laying plans for capture of the whale for weeks.... The agency said further intervention to help J50 will depend on avoiding harm to the rest of her family in J pod and the southern resident population.... The first public hearings on the controversial plan have been scheduled with just a few days’ notice: 7 p.m. Saturday at Friday Harbor High School in Friday Harbor, and 1 p.m. Sunday at the University of Washington Haggett Hall Cascade Room in Seattle. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times) See also: Capture and treatment being considered for young emaciated orca  Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways)

Summer drought deals ‘devastating loss’ to western red cedar, B.C.’s official tree
Parksville is dealing with the “devastating loss of cedar trees in our parks” and is pinning the blame on summer droughts. Dry weather does not agree with western red cedars, B.C.’s official tree. They fare best in cool, wet environments.  That is why we are seeing dead and stressed trees on southern Vancouver Island and the east side of the Island, where moisture has been in short supply this summer. “At this time, cedar trees look quite ugly as the dead brown scale-like leaves hang on the trees,” a City of Parksville statement said. “The leaves will soon fall, leaving the silver ghosts to populate our forests.” Carla Wilson reports (Times Colonist)

Driest summer in a century offers taste of Seattle's future
You can only get to the lush rainforest of the Queets Valley on the rare occasions when it hasn’t rained recently and the Queets River isn’t too deep to wade across without being swept away. But after western Washington’s driest summer in at least half a century, the river ran unusually low, and Olympic National Park's Queets Trail was easily approached: The river’s green water only reached this reporter’s shins as he waded across its slippery cobbles over Labor Day weekend under cloudless skies. The U.S. Geological Survey’s river gauge showed the Queets flowing at about half its average levels in August, the lowest in 63 years of record keeping. John Ryan reports. (KUOW)

Ferries floats new vessels, bigger fleet, system tweaks in 2040 proposal
Washington State Ferries is floating a proposal to commission 16 new ferries, grow its fleet by four boats, shift vessels to hybrid-electric power and make improvements to ferry terminals as part of $7.6 billion of capital projects around Puget Sound over the next two decades. In a draft of its long-range plan released this week, WSF said the lion’s share of that funding ($5.5 billion) would be dedicated to new vessel construction and preservation of existing vessels. Work on ferry terminals over that period account for about $1.8 billion. The plan identifies $6.7 billion of projected capital and operating costs that don’t have funding yet. Historically that shortfall has been covered through appropriations made by the Legislature, the report said. Nathan Pilling reports. (Kitsap Sun)

More Peninsula beaches closed to shellfish harvest
The state has closed Clallam County’s Strait of Juan de Fuca beaches from the Lyre River east to the Jefferson County line to recreational shellfish harvest because of a high level of toxins, it was announced Wednesday. That means that most areas on the North Olympic Peninsula are closed for recreational harvest. Shellfish harvested commercially are tested for toxin prior to distribution and should be safe to eat, the state said. All beaches are closed for all species except for Discovery Bay and Port Ludlow, including Mats Mats Bay, which are closed only for harvesting of butter clams and varnish clams. (Peninsula Daily News)


Now, your tug weather--

West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  300 AM PDT Thu Sep 13 2018   

TODAY  Light wind becoming NW 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind  waves less than 1 ft becoming 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 8  seconds. A slight chance of showers. 

TONIGHT  NW wind 5 to 15 kt becoming W after midnight. Wind waves

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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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9/12 Dogfish, shrinking EPA, killing seals, boater rules, Sound plan, Haida Gwaii barge, spraying, mill cleanup

Spiny dogfish [Dennis Paulson]

Spiny Dogfish Squalus acanthias
This small shark (up to 130 cm) is a slender fish with two prominent dorsal fins, each with a spine at its front. These spines can inflict a toxic wound. Pectoral and pelvic fins are also conspicuous, but there is no anal fin. The caudal fin has an enlarged upper lobe, as in most sharks, very effective at propelling the shark through the water rapidly. There are scattered small white spots on its gray body. Like other sharks, Spiny Dogfish have a varied diet, but much of their food in Puget Sound consists of small schooling fish such as herring and sandlance. When feeding on the bottom, they take many crustaceans. They are eaten by larger sharks and marine mammals... Unlikely to be seen in the water, Spiny Dogfish are often pulled up by fishermen trying for more edible species. They are abundant in Puget Sound and, in fact, all over the world in cold waters at north temperate latitudes. They move into shallow coastal waters for the summer, migrating back into deeper waters (up to 1200 m) for the winter. (Slater Museum of Natural History)

With a shrinking EPA, Trump delivers on his promise to cut government 
On the campaign trail, Donald Trump vowed to dismantle the Environmental Protection Agency “in almost every form. We’re going to have little tidbits left, but we’re going to take a tremendous amount out.” As president, he is making headway on that promise. During the first 18 months of the Trump administration, records show, nearly 1,600 workers left the EPA, while fewer than 400 were hired. The exodus has shrunk the agency’s workforce by 8 percent, to levels not seen since the Reagan administration. The trend has continued even after a major round of buyouts last year and despite the fact that the EPA’s budget has remained stable. Those who have resigned or retired include some of the agency’s most experienced veterans, as well as young environmental experts who traditionally would have replaced them — stirring fears about brain drain at the EPA. The sheer number of departures also has prompted concerns over what sort of work is falling by the wayside, from enforcement investigations to environmental research. Julie Eilperin reports. (Washington Post)

B.C. group wants to kill the seals to save the whales
Ken Pearce throttles back on his outboard motor, his boat slowing as it cuts through the waters of the lower Fraser River near Steveston, B.C. He's spotted a half-dozen seals swimming in a side channel.... Pearce views the animals as a major threat to migrating salmon and the endangered killer whales that feed on them. He wants tens of thousands of them killed in a commercial hunt. His group, Pacific Balance Pinniped Society, has support from some First Nations, commercial fishing groups and elements of the sport fishing industry. Greg Rasmussen reports. (CBC)

Lack of laws, enforcement leave boaters in the dark around killer whales
As the state watches the plight of a sick southern resident orca known as J50, environmental groups are gearing up to sue the Trump administration. Their hope is to establish a mandatory whale protection zone, or "no-go zone," along the west coast of San Juan Island. The no-go zone would limit vessel noise in an area that is critically important to the endangered southern resident killer whales. This type of proposal has been tossed around for years. There's already a voluntary whale protection zone in the area. Simone Del Rosario reports. (KCPQ)

Agency seeks comment on agenda for Puget Sound recovery
The Puget Sound Partnership is taking public comment on its draft Action Agenda for 2018-2022. The agenda is a road map for the recovery of Puget Sound, the largest estuary in the United States. It lists long-term and short-term goals, and projects proposed throughout the region that could help meet those goals.... The agency is accepting public comment on the latest Action Agenda through Oct. 15.  Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Work underway to release fuel trapped in barge at Haida Gwaii
The Canadian Coast Guard says crews are working carefully to release gas that accumulated inside a barge carrying a fishing lodge that beached after it broke away from its anchorage at Haida Gwaii. Westcoast Resorts’ Hippa barge came loose from its mooring Saturday night and drifted for several hours toward Skidegate Inlet near the village of Queen Charlotte. The Canadian Coast Guard’s incident commander, Tim McCann, says crews inspected the barge hull Tuesday and used air quality monitors to ensure their safety because some potentially explosive gas is trapped in the body of the vessel from a possible ruptured fuel line. (Canadian Press)

Pope Resources delays herbicide spray while appeal is heard
Could goats work? Pigs? Burning the property? "We’re open to alternatives, but it has to be something that’s realistic on the scale that you can do at our level,” said Jon Rose, a vice president with timber company Pope Resources, at an at-times testy public meeting Monday at which the company defended to community members its plans to spray herbicides from a helicopter on 330 acres of its recently harvested timberland. The herbicides would kill off other vegetation to give the 120,000 seedlings the company has ready to plant, an advantage as they get established on the tree farm site, company representatives said. Nathan Pilling reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Agency releases five-year review of mill site cleanup
Nearly a decade after cleanup of the former Scott Paper Mill industrial site and commercial waterfront, the state Department of Ecology is taking public comment on the status of remaining contamination. Public comment will be taken through Sept. 30 on a five-year periodic review for the cleanup of the former paper mill site along R Avenue from 17th to 20th streets. Dakota Creek Industries and MJB Properties are located there now, alongside the city’s Seafarers’ Memorial Park. According to Ecology’s five-year review, contaminants are still found in the soil and groundwater at the site, but in concentrations low enough that they do not require additional cleanup. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Now, your tug weather--

West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  225 AM PDT Wed Sep 12 2018   

TODAY  Light wind becoming NW 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon. Wind  waves 2 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 8 seconds. A slight chance of  showers in the morning then a chance of showers in the afternoon. 

TONIGHT  W wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 4 ft  at 8 seconds. A slight chance of showers.

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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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

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9/11 Scrub-Jay, eelgrass, methane, culverts, Keystone XL, Blanchard forest, dead seabird chicks

California Scrub-Jay [Tom Grey/BirdNote]

In Seattle, Scrub-Jays Are Here to Stay
Steller’s Jays are most numerous in coniferous forests, like those stretching across the Pacific Northwest. But now there’s a whole new jay on the block. The California Scrub-Jay. As weather and climate patterns change and development spreads, birds everywhere are on the move. California Scrub-Jays, formerly known as Western Scrub-Jays, are moving steadily north, up the Pacific coast of North America. And they’ve made it to Seattle. The Pacific Northwest is known for being hospitable to corvids. These are the crow- and jay-like birds. There are ravens, crows, Canada Jays, Clark’s Nutcrackers... And now, California Scrub-Jays. Like most corvids, California Scrub-Jays are an “edge species,” thriving at the boundaries between habitats. Humans create lots of edges and boundaries. It’s thought that, as development increases throughout the region, these crafty jays are increasing, too. Jason Saul writes. (BirdNote)

Studies show challenges for eelgrass restoration
As critically important eelgrass declines in some parts of Puget Sound, scientists are trying to plant more of it. The health of the ecosystem may be riding on their efforts, but what they are finding is something that farmers have known for thousands of years: Getting something to grow may be harder than you think. Chris Dunagan reports. (Salish Sea Currents)

Trump Administration Wants to Make It Easier to Release Methane Into Air
The Trump administration, taking its third major step this year to roll back federal efforts to fight climate change, is preparing to make it significantly easier for energy companies to release methane into the atmosphere. Methane, which is among the most powerful greenhouse gases, routinely leaks from oil and gas wells, and energy companies have long said that the rules requiring them to test for emissions were costly and burdensome. The Environmental Protection Agency, perhaps as soon as this week, plans to make public a proposal to weaken an Obama-era requirement that companies monitor and repair methane leaks, according to documents reviewed by The New York Times. In a related move, the Interior Department is also expected in coming days to release its final version of a draft rule, proposed in February, that essentially repeals a restriction on the intentional venting and “flaring,” or burning, of methane from drilling operations. Coral Davenport reports. (NY Times)

Closing a highway to save salmon
Swauk Creek runs through the dry dirt and the fir and pine trees of the Wenatchee-Okanogan National Forest. Right now, it’s no more than a few inches deep and perhaps five to six feet across. Chinook, coho and steelhead used to migrate up the Columbia River, through the Yakima River, and into this creek. But, today, it has only a fraction of its historic fish runs. That’s in part because, when crews built Highway 97 across the state, they tried to straighten out the creek and force it through narrow pipes every time it crossed the road.... On Sunday night at 9 p.m., the Washington State Department of Transportation closed Blewett Pass for five days to replace those fish-blocking pipes with a fish-friendly concrete box. The construction will cost taxpayers $1.2 million, although that’s nowhere near the full cost of the project. Washington state is on the hook for hundreds of projects like this, ever since, this spring, the Supreme Court let stand a lower court ruling mandating the removal of fish barriers throughout the state. Washington estimates the total cost of complying with the ruling will be more than $2 billion. Eilis O'Neill reports. (KUOW)

Native American Tribes File Lawsuit Seeking To Invalidate Keystone XL Pipeline Permit
In a new bid to stop the Keystone XL pipeline, two Native American tribes are suing the Trump administration, saying it failed to adhere to historical treaty boundaries and circumvented environmental impact analysis. As a result, they are asking a federal judge in Montana to rescind the 2017 permit and block any further construction or use of the controversial pipeline. The Fort Belknap Indian Community of Montana and the Rosebud Sioux Tribe of South Dakota, contend there was no effort to study how the 1,200-mile pipeline project through their respective territories would affect their water systems and sacred lands. Vanessa Romo reports. (NPR)


State to purchase land adjacent to Blanchard forest
The state Department of Natural Resources is set to purchase 76 acres of forest land adjacent to the Blanchard State Forest in northwest Skagit County. Those 76 acres will be purchased from two private property owners as part of an ongoing effort to preserve popular recreation areas on Blanchard Mountain while maintaining timber harvest revenue, Natural Resources spokesman Bob Redling said. Natural Resources will pay $728,000 for the land, which includes the road used to access the state forest for logging and recreation from Barrel Springs Road. The state agency, Skagit County and a variety of recreation and conservation interest groups have been working for years to eliminating logging in 1,600 acres of what’s known as the recreational core of Blanchard State Forest. Kimberly Cauvel reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

High Number Of Seabird Chicks Washing Up On Oregon Beaches
Unusually high numbers of dead and dying baby seabirds have been washing up on Oregon beaches this summer, alarming some scientists and rescue groups. Just last week, Newport’s Oregon Coast Aquarium received three starving common murre chicks, bringing its total to 31 this year. That compares with just one in each of the past two years. And West Coast rescue organizations from Alaska to California are reporting receiving hundreds more of the chicks, which look like baby penguins. Tracy Loew reports. (Statesman Journal)


Now, your tug weather--

West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  242 AM PDT Tue Sep 11 2018   

TODAY  SE wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 7 ft  at 9 seconds. Showers likely. 

TONIGHT  NW wind to 10 kt becoming E after midnight. Wind waves  1 ft or less. W swell 5 ft at 8 seconds. A chance of showers.

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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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9/10 Texada Is., J50, Navy sewage, BC pipe, Site C dam, Illabot Cr., maple deaths, Ocean Cleanup, BC sturgeon

Texada Island [Laurie MacBride]

Appreciation from a Distance
Laurie MacBride in Eye on Environment writes: "Thirty mile-long Texada Island, the largest of BC’s Gulf Islands, lies in the middle of the Strait of Georgia. With a high elevation, it’s a dominant landmark for boaters crossing the Strait between Vancouver Island and the mainland coast. The island has a colourful history that includes whaling, mining, farming and at least a couple of significant shipwrecks. It had an opera house at the turn of the 20th century and during prohibition, produced and supplied illegal hootch to the US black market. Today it’s quieter and more focused on outdoor tourism, but no less interesting, I expect. I say “expect”, because Texada remains a bit of a mystery to me...." (read on)

Orca's condition not improving, deworming failed, say U.S. officials
The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says an attempt to inject a sickly orca whale with an deworming medicine has failed. In an update on Saturday, NOAA confirmed the whale, designated J50, was seen swimming almost a kilometre behind the rest of her family, known as J-Pod. The organization says that her condition did not appear to be improving, nor did they succeed in dosing the whale with the dewormer. (CBC)

Navy reports 450,000-gallon sewage spill over two years in Bremerton
Naval Base Kitsap-Bremerton's public works department has discovered yet another sewage spill that leaked an estimated 450,000 gallons of wastewater from Puget Sound Naval Shipyard into Sinclair Inlet during a two-year period. That breaks down to about 540 gallons each day. The Navy became aware of a potential sewage spill Wednesday morning, after a monthly water testing sample indicated a spike above normal levels for bacteria, said Cmdr. Ben Leppard, public works officer for Naval Base Kitsap. Julianne Stanford reports. (Kitsap Sun)

Indigenous groups have specific, measurable requests that could save pipeline 
Rerouting the pipeline expansion to avoid a First Nation’s aquifer and ensuring another First Nation will always be immediately notified of a pipeline spill are among the steps Ottawa could take to address Indigenous concerns about the Trans Mountain pipeline. Mia Rabson reports. (Canadian Press)

Indigenous groups still want to buy stake in Trans Mountain 
Some First Nations and Metis communities are determined to purchase an equity stake in the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion despite a court ruling that halted construction and potentially set the project back for years.... Indigenous groups in Fort McMurray, Alta., say they still want to invest in the project and believe the ruling creates an opportunity for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government to get consultation right. Laura Kane reports. (Canadian Press)

Injunction application hearing pitting treaty rights against Site C wraps in Vancouver
A three-week hearing on an injunction application led by the West Moberly First Nations wrapped in B.C. Supreme Court Friday, leaving Justice Warren Milman the task of deciding whether to put a stop to further Site C construction in northeastern B.C., pending a full trial on the matter. At the core of the case is West Moberly's argument that the multi-billion dollar B.C. Hydro dam will cause irreparable harm to its territory and way of life — rights protected under Treaty 8. (Canadian Press)

Illabot Creek restoration project wraps up
On a newly constructed bridge over Illabot Creek east of Rockport, county employees and other stakeholders marked Wednesday the completion of a fish habitat restoration project. The three-phase project has been in the making since 2001 when planning began. The project will restore habitat for several species, including threatened chinook salmon and steelhead trout. Illabot Creek, which meets the Skagit River between Rockport and Marblemount, received federal designation in 2014 under the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act. The creek is known to support all five Pacific salmon species as well as the region’s steelhead. Julia-Grace Sanders reports. (Skagit Valley Herald)

Some of Washington’s biggest trees are dying and scientists don’t know why
Something is killing bigleaf maples — Washington’s biggest broadleaf tree — and scientists can’t stop it. They don’t even know what’s causing it. “We’ve looked for everything we can possibly think of and what people smarter than us can think of,” said Amy Ramsey, a forest pathologist with the state Department of Natural Resources. From British Columbia to California, stands of bigleaf maples are dying, leaving bald patches in the forest canopy or even denuded hillsides. Craig Sailor reports. (Tacoma News Tribune)

Ocean Cleanup steams out to sea in test run to clean Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Amid a flotilla of boats, drones and helicopters, the Ocean Cleanup machine, a system of lengthy drifting trash traps, was slowly was towed through San Francisco Bay beneath the Golden Gate Bridge and out to the open ocean Saturday afternoon. The 2,000-foot long system was pulled by a large ship, bobbing in a bay full of sailboats, ferries and a few kayakers. The hope is that the vessel, the first of a planned fleet or 60 or more, can strain out the millions of pounds of plastic trash that collects in slow-moving ocean whirlpools called gyres, which can be hundreds of miles across.  Elizabeth Weise reports. (USA TODAY)

Alleged white sturgeon poaching from Fraser River angers conservationists, anglers
The B.C. Conservation Officer Service (COS) says it is investigating the alleged illegal removal of a huge endangered fish from the Fraser River near Chilliwack.... On Friday,  Aug. 31, the conservation service received calls to its poaching and polluters hotline line with a report that someone was illegally fishing a large white sturgeon at an area called Bowman's Point. The COS says witnesses reported to them that a man and his son had hooked a huge sturgeon and were struggling to reel it in when two other men in a boat approached, roped the fish, dragged it to shore and drove off with it. Chad Pawson reports. (CBC)

Longtime whale-watching boat making a return to Bellingham waters with new look
A longtime Bellingham whale-watching boat is getting a major makeover. The Island Caper was recently purchased and is being managed by a group called Pacific Northwest Cruises... The 110-foot boat was a fixture in local waters from the mid-1990s until owner Terry Buzzard died in 2016. Dave Gallagher reports. (Bellingham Herald)

Now, your tug weather--

West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  258 AM PDT Mon Sep 10 2018   

TODAY  S wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 8 ft  at 10 seconds. Showers likely. 

TONIGHT  S wind 5 to 15 kt becoming SE to 10 kt after midnight.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 8 ft at 10 seconds. A chance of  showers in the evening then showers likely after midnight.

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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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9/7 Boa kelp, g'bye summer, BC spill response, J50 worms, plastic bans, bird treaty, GOP greens, WSF, coastal cleanup

Feather boa kelp [UBC]

Feather boa kelp Egregia menziesii
Egregia menziesii is one of the longest intertidal algae in the Pacific Northwest of North America. This species is characterized by long fronds (more than 2 m in length) that are similar in appearance to feather boas (hence the common name, the feather boa kelp). One individual can have many of these fronds originating at a single holdfast....  Egregia is limited to high energy rocky shores in the Northeast Pacific Ocean... On San Juan Island, Egregia can be found on the west side of the island, with large populations at Cattle Point and Eagle Cove. Overall, E. menziesii ranges from Baja California, Mexico to Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada. (Marine Algae of San Juan Island, WA, USA)

Sudden Autumn In Puget Sound This Weekend
Temperatures will struggle to hit 70 and, yes, we're expecting rain. Neal McNamara reports. (Patch) Vancouverites wave goodbye to summer as cold, wet weather moves in  Summer might not officially be over, but a cold weather system is expected to bring fall weather earlier than usual. (CBC)

$150M spill-response boost for B.C. coast on hold after Trans Mountain ruling
New oil spill-response bases planned for Vancouver Island have been thrown into limbo by the Federal Court of Appeal decision that halted construction on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion. The Western Canada Marine Response Corporation, which is responsible for cleaning up oil spills on B.C.'s South Coast, has been moving forward with a $150-million plan to enhance spill-response times and capability, in preparation for the pipeline project.That plan includes a $10-million hub and training facility in Nanaimo, along with more vessels and several other response bases on Vancouver Island. Expanded resources are also planned in Vancouver and along the Fraser River. But the court ruling last week that stopped construction of the pipeline expansion means the industry-funded corporation has hit pause on spill-response improvements. Megan Thomas reports. (CBC)

Not just tankers at fault: Federal oceans minister defends whale protection strategy
The Canadian government is under the spotlight for its handling of B.C.'s endangered southern resident killer whales, but the federal minister responsible for oceans says environmentalists are missing the big picture when it comes to protecting the species.... "It's simply not true that there has not been action," said Jonathan Wilkinson, the minister of fisheries and oceans and the Canadian Coast Guard. Clare Hennig reports. (CBC)

Ailing killer whale swimming off B.C., Washington diagnosed with parasitic worms
Scientists say an emaciated and endangered killer whale that's been swimming in waters off the west coast has parasitic worms. Michael Milstein of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says in an email that biologists are standing by to deliver a dart with deworming medication to J50. The administration's Facebook page says genetic analysis of some results of fecal and breath samples the team collected shows the evidence of parasitic worms. (Canadian Press)


City of Victoria pushing for B.C.-wide ban on disposable plastic packaging
Victoria is asking the province for a provincewide ban on disposable plastic packaging.... The city’s resolution on plastic packaging is one of seven Victoria has put to the annual Union of B.C. Municipalities conference, which begins in Whistler on Sept. 10.... The single-use plastics resolution asks the province to work with local governments and retailers, noting Victoria worked with industry for two years before the introduction of its bylaw. “Unrestricted use of disposable plastic packaging is inconsistent with the values of British Columbia residents,” says the resolution, which cites any type of disposable single-use plastic packaging. which cites any type of disposable single-use plastic packaging. Cindy E. Harnett reports. (Times-Colonist)

Eight states are fighting Trump’s attempt to declaw the Migratory Bird Treaty
Eight state attorneys general filed a legal challenge Wednesday to the Trump administration's bid to dramatically weaken the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, a century-old law established to protect birds. The lawsuit, led by New York Attorney General Barbara Underwood, and supported by Maryland, New Jersey, Illinois, Massachusetts, Oregon, California and New Mexico, is an effort to stop the Interior Department from fully implementing a directive to its law enforcement division to forgive mass bird kills, even when the animals are threatened or endangered. In accordance with a new interpretation of the act issued in April, the department informed its wildlife police that the slaughter "of birds resulting from an activity is not prohibited . . . when the underlying purpose of that activity is not to take birds.” For example, the guidance said, a person who destroys a structure such as a barn knowing that it is full of baby owls in nests is not liable for killing them. “All that is relevant is that the landowner undertook an action that did not have the killing of barn owls as its purpose,” the opinion said. Darryl Fears reports. (Washington Post)

These Republicans say they’re green. Can they bridge the environmental divide?
Republicans who care about the environment in Washington State say they find themselves stuck in an uncomfortable spot. Their politics exist between two distant poles: President Trump’s pro-coal proposals and environmental groups historically aligned with Democrats. Now, some influential Republicans are trying to help conservative college students chart a different course. Amy Radil reports. (KUOW)

Washington State Ferries works on problem of aging fleet 
Though the state ferry system has been plagued by breakdowns this summer, new vessels are on the way. A new Olympic Class vessel with a price tag of about $122 million is expected to be put into service this fall, and Washington State Ferries is developing a long-range plan that will recommend new vessels to replace the oldest ferries, Deputy Director of Communications Dana Warr said in an email. The plan will be delivered to the state Legislature in January, Warr said. Over the past few weeks, bent propellers, motor issues and docked ferries caused some serious delays and interruptions in service at the Anacortes terminal, which serves the San Juan Islands and the route to Sidney, British Columbia. (Skagit Valley Herald)

International Coastal Cleanup, September 15
The International Coastal Cleanup began more than 30 years ago when communities rallied together with the common goal of collecting and documenting the trash littering their coastline. Locally, Washington CoastSavers  is an alliance of partners and volunteers dedicated to keeping the state’s beaches clean of marine debris through coordinated beach cleanups, education and prevention. This past Earth Day, Washington CoastSavers' 1,295 volunteers participated all along Washington’s coast and collected around 18.8 tons (37,541 pounds) of garbage. To volunteer locally on September 15, click here .

Now, your weekend tug weather--

West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  301 AM PDT Fri Sep 7 2018   

TODAY  S wind to 10 kt becoming SE in the afternoon. Wind waves  1 ft or less. W swell 2 ft at 5 seconds. A chance of rain in the  morning then rain likely in the afternoon. 

TONIGHT  S wind to 10 kt. Wind waves 1 ft or less. W swell 2 ft  at 7 seconds building to 4 ft at 7 seconds after midnight. Rain  likely in the evening then a chance of showers after midnight. 

SAT  S wind to 10 kt becoming SE in the afternoon. Wind waves  1 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 8 seconds. A chance of showers. 

SAT NIGHT  SW wind to 10 kt becoming E after midnight. Wind  waves 1 ft or less. W swell 4 ft at 8 seconds. 

SUN  SE wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 5 ft  at 8 seconds.

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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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9/6 Turkey vulture, whale protection, seal kill, dart shot, PS Action Agenda, BC pipe, no fish farm, Keystone, quakes, drought study

Turkey vulture [Matt Davis/All About Birds]

Turkey vulture Cathartes aura
If you’ve gone looking for raptors on a clear day, your heart has probably leaped at the sight of a large, soaring bird in the distance– perhaps an eagle or osprey. But if it's soaring with its wings raised in a V and making wobbly circles, it's likely a Turkey Vulture. These birds ride thermals in the sky and use their keen sense of smell to find fresh carcasses.... The oldest recorded Turkey Vulture was at least 16 years, 10 months old when it was found in Ohio, the same state where it had been banded. (All About Birds)

Canada proposes more habitat protection for southern-resident orcas
Canada is taking steps to expand habitat protection for killer whales to boost survival of the critically endangered southern-resident population. The Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada announced Wednesday the department is initiating a 60-day comment period on creating new areas of critical habitat for the whales. One area is off the coast of southwestern Vancouver Island, including Swiftsure and La Pérouse banks (important for both northern and southern residents). The other is in Dixon Entrance, along the north coast of Graham Island from Langara to Rose Spit (important for northern residents). The move to expand habitat protection comes on top of a reduction by the department of chinook salmon harvest by up to 35 percent for the 2018 fishing season, with a full closure of commercial and recreational fish for chinook in three key foraging areas for the southern residents: the Strait of Juan de Fuca, the Gulf Islands and the mouth of the Fraser River. These measures, enacted June 1, will continue until Sept. 30, and include increased monitoring to assess the effectiveness of the closures. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Lawsuit demands federal departments act to protect southern resident killer whales
Six conservation groups have filed a lawsuit in Federal Court over the Canadian government's failure to issue an emergency order to protect B.C.'s endangered southern resident killer whales. The application names the federal fisheries and environment ministers as respondents and asks for a court order compelling the government to recommend emergency protection for the whales and their habitat. Bethany Lindsay reports. (CBC)

Are There Too Many Harbor Seals in British Columbia?
Advocates are pushing for a cull of British Columbia’s harbor seals. Such a decision could have consequences for a wide range of communities and industries. Brad Badelt reports. (Hakai Magazine) See also: Sea lions and orcas battle it out in Puget Sound  With salmon stocks failing and orcas hanging in the balance, pinnipeds like sea lions and seals find themselves in the crosshairs once again. Jason Buch reports. (Crosscut)

Firing a dart into a wild, sick orca 'a little bit different,' sharp-shooting veterinarian says
Ailing orca J50 isn't fairing well, but an international group of scientists is working to save her, including sharp-shooting veterinarians. They've administered medicine to the whale over the past month. Lynda Mapes reports. (Seattle Times)

Puget Sound Action Agenda makes a shift in restoration strategy
Puget Sound Partnership has honed its high-level game plan for restoring the Puget Sound ecosystem, including a sharp focus on 10 “vital signs” of ecological health. The newly released draft of the Puget Sound Action Agenda has endorsed more than 600 specific “near-term actions” designed to benefit the ecosystem in various ways. Comments on the plan will be accepted until Oct. 15. Visit the Partnership’s webpage to view the Draft Action Agenda and access the comments page. Chris Dunagan reports. (Watching Our Water Ways)

Trudeau considering an appeal or legislation to end Trans Mountain impasse
A week after the Federal Court of Appeal quashed cabinet approval of the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion project, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Wednesday his government is looking at all options to get construction back on track — including an appeal of the ruling and new legislation. Speaking to reporters in Edmonton, Trudeau said he wants to see "shovels in the ground as quickly as possible" because the project is in the country's best interests, adding he also wants to satisfy the court's concerns to avoid further litigation. Jon Paul Tasker reports.(CBC)

6 protesters arrested after anti-fish farm demonstration in Victoria
Six protesters were arrested after a demonstration against fish farms at a shipyard in Victoria early Wednesday. The group boarded the dry-docked Orca Chief vessel in the Point Hope shipyard around 7:30 a.m. PT. The boat is owned by Marine Harvest, which owns and operates several fish farms on the B.C. coast. (CBC)

US accused of planning crackdown on pipeline protests
Civil liberties advocates sued the U.S. government Tuesday, alleging law enforcement agencies have been making preparations to crack down on anticipated protests over the Keystone XL oil pipeline. Attorneys for the American Civil Liberties Union and its Montana affiliate filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Missoula against the Defense, Homeland Security, Interior and Justice departments. They asked the court to order the release of all documents about cooperation over the pipeline between federal, state and local law enforcement and private security companies. Matthew Brown reports. (Associated Press)

Pacific NW’s ancient earthquakes may help predict future quake risk
One way to predict the risk of earthquakes in the Pacific Northwest is to look at how often they occurred in the past – and, for several groups of geologists, delving into the fault lines themselves. Geologists from Western Washington University, Portland State University and the federal government this summer have discovered signs of strong earthquakes that struck the Pacific Northwest long before modern settlement. The evidence lies in trenches the scientists cut across fault lines in northwest Oregon and on the north Olympic Peninsula.  Tom Banse reports. (NW News Network) See also: 10 of 14 tsunamis higher than 50 m in past century were from landslides in glaciated mountains  Emily Chung reports. (CBC)

Big drought prompts surprises in this flowery hotspot
A new look at the historic drought that struck California from 2012 to 2015 reveals some unexpected results—and uncovers patterns that may be relevant to climate change. Researchers tracked 423 species in the Carrizo Plain National Monument, a little-known ecological hotspot in Southern California, that though small, explodes in wildflowers each spring and is full of threatened or endangered species. “The Carrizo Plain is one of the global hotspots of endangered species, with endangered species at every trophic level: plants, rodents, carnivores,” says lead author Laura Prugh, an assistant professor of quantitative wildlife sciences in the University of Washington School of Environmental and Forest Sciences. “It also is an ideal laboratory to see how an exceptional climate event affects a whole ecosystem.” Hannah Hickey reports. (Futurity)

Now, your tug weather--

West Entrance U.S. Waters Strait Of Juan De Fuca-  236 AM PDT Thu Sep 6 2018   

TODAY  SW wind to 10 kt becoming W 5 to 15 kt in the afternoon.  Wind waves 2 ft or less. SW swell 3 ft at 6 seconds. Patchy fog  in the morning. 

TONIGHT  W wind 5 to 15 kt. Wind waves 2 ft or less. W swell 3  ft at 5 seconds. A slight chance of rain after midnight.

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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.

Salish Sea News: Communicate, Educate, Advocate

Follow on Twitter. 

Salish Sea Communications: Truth Well Told