‘Bipartisan’ state Senate means rejecting voters’ own values–State Senator Kevin Ranker

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Al Bergstein

40th Legislative District State Senator Kevin Ranker writes an oveview of his point of view of the Republican take over of the State Senate, dispite the voters electing a Democratic majority. This assures a dismal legislative year of partisan bickering in Olympia and no improvement to the overall issues voters care about. A very important overview in Crosscut.

http://crosscut.com/2013/01/02/washington-legislature/112259/state-senate-bombshell-democratic-kevin-ranker/

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Jellyfish ‘bloom’ may be a bust

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Al Bergstein

Those jellies! The current global increase in jellyfish may be nothing more than a consequence of a normal 20-year fluctuation cycle. A new multinational collaborative study suggests these trends may be overstated, finding that there is no robust evidence for a global increase in jellyfish over the past two centuries.

This goes to prove, as if we needed more proof, that research is needed before jumping to conclusions on any environmental issue. That goes for both sides of the environmental spectrum.

  http://www.futurity.org/science-technology/jellyfish-bloom-may-be-a-bust/

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2013 Environmental Priorities for Washington Legislature

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Al Bergstein

Heres where Washington Environmental Coalition will be focusing their efforts in the upcoming legislative session. Lobby Day will be held in Olympia on February 19th.

Check out the 2013 Environmental Priorities (Toxic-Free Kids and Families, Clean Energy Solutions, and Conservation Works)  and register for the Jan 12 legislative workshop in Bellevue and Feb 19 Lobby Day in Olympia. Right here, http://environmentalpriorities.org/

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Noisy ships, ferries create racket below Puget Sound

Posted on January 4, 2013 by Al Bergstein

The Seattle Times gives us a good overview of the issue of noise pollution that fills the Sound. Anyone who has dived in the Sound knows that there is a lot of noise, clicking, creaking, etc. And the occassional ship carries a long way underwater. How detrimental is it to undersea life? It’s still an open question.

Instead, the Sound’s waters are a whirring barrage of grinding engine noises, mostly from passing ships and ferries. This background noise in some shipping channels regularly meets or exceeds levels the federal government suggests may be harmful to marine life. But at the moment there is no easy way to significantly introduce a bit more quiet. Craig Welch reports. http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2020054352_pugetnoise04m.html

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Initiative to require labeling GMO food to be submitted

Posted on January 3, 2013 by Al Bergstein

A legislative initiative similar to a ballot measure defeated in California in November calls for foods that have genetically modified content to be labeled.. This has been promoted by the Port Townsend Food Coop, among others.

Melissa Allison reports. http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2020044923_gmo03m.html

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Thanks for a great year!

Posted on December 31, 2012 by Al Bergstein

We’ve done pretty well for a small web site on a lightly populated peninsula in 2012.

To put it in perspective: 4,329 films were submitted to the 2012 Cannes Film Festival. This blog had 23,000 views in 2012. If each view were a film, this blog would power 5 Film Festivals

In 2012, there were 439 new posts, growing the total archive of this blog to 1,115 posts. (this does not count the lost posts prior to 2007 when we were hosting our own site, and it was destroyed by a hacker). There were 58pictures uploaded, taking up a total of 147 MB. That’s about a picture per week.

The busiest day of the year was September 12th with268 views. The most popular post that day wasPeople For Puget Sound Folds– Where to from here?.

We look forward to growing this web site over the next year as we enter our 7th year. As always, we’ll work to find the most relevant stories that are about the environment of this unique place. We always credit our sources, and work to only tease you to go see the original reporting, or offer out comments on the news. Our job is not to do original reporting, but to collate the stories being done by professionals around the Salish Sea, and find what we think will interest you, and offer some perspective on the basics of ‘who, what, when, where, how and why.”  As always, we highly recommend that you support local reporting by subscribing to these news sources.

See you in the new year!  Imbibe safely tonight!

The Team at “The Olympic Peninsula Environmental News”

Filed under: Around the Sound | 1 Comment »

FDA Appears ready to approve genetically engineered salmon – Various sources

Posted on December 23, 2012 by Al Bergstein

The FDA released a report on Friday that seems to point to it’s clearing genetically altered salmon to be sold to the public. The report, at the link below, is usually the final chapter, needed prior to approval. The only hurdle left is for the FDA to get public feedback on the proposal.

http://www.fda.gov/AnimalVeterinary/DevelopmentApprovalProcess/GeneticEngineering/GeneticallyEngineeredAnimals/ucm280853.htm

This is another distressing move by the Obama administration, all of them, slated to come out just after the election. There is widespread negative feedback from the fishing, environmental and food safety communities to stop this approval. The company in question apparently is not doing well financially. But there doesn’t seem to be much that the Obama administration would do to say no to jobs.

If you feel like acting on this, there are many groups gathering signatures, or you can write the FDA directly. .

 

Filed under: Around the Sound, Government, Salmon | Tagged: , | 2 Comments »

Seeing More Hummingbirds In Winter Lately? – Earthfix

Posted on December 21, 2012 by Al Bergstein

We have been seeing more Hummers this winter at our feeder. Interesting info here. It’s worth keeping an eye out for species other than Anna’s because that one is native.

As winter begins, humming bird experts say more of the tiny birds may be sticking around the Northwest instead of migrating south. There are three types of hummingbirds Northwesterners might be seeing more of at feeders or in their yards this time of year: the Rufous, the Anna’s or the Allen’s hummingbirds. Read the rest of the story at:

http://earthfix.kcts9.org/flora-and-fauna/article/seeing-more-hummingbirds-in-winter-lately/

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State has 8th largest population gain in U.S., a third from overseas–Seattle Times

Posted on December 21, 2012 by Al Bergstein

While this shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone, it points out that the estimates over the last couple of decades of the growth of the population in the Puget Sound Basin, continues, and with it the continued pressure on our resources, and pollution of our waters. Every flush, eventually ends up in the Sound, Straits, or your local watershed.

Washington had the eighth largest population increase among the states in the year between July 2011 and 2012, according to new census data. The state grew at a rate of 1.1 percent, adding nearly 74,000 new residents during that 12-month period — with more than a third of them relocating here from overseas.

Lornet Turnbull reports. http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2019948746_census21m.html

Support Local Journalism, subscribe to you local paper.

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Puget Sound Partnership Leader Highlights Year’s Accomplishments

Posted on December 19, 2012 by Al Bergstein

Just in from Executive Director Tony Wright on the accomplishments of the Puget Sound Partnership and the associated partners who they have helped fund.  Remember that the Partnership’s work is to help coordinate and prioritize the various players in the recovery efforts, and establish ongoing monitoring to let us know if we are making progress or not. While there has been much criticism of the Partnership, it’s perhaps expecting too much from a political organization that reports to the Governor. It would just be nice to see them show up for more meetings that impact their work, such as taking public stands for Shoreline Master Plans rather than letting a few dedicated local activists take all the heat. If we are going to be their foot soldiers maybe they should pay us instead of their staff in Tacoma! (all in good humour).

And now, Tony’s assessment:

December 19, 2012

Dear Puget Sound partner,

As I reflect on the many accomplishments of 2012, I want to thank our more than 750 partner organizations throughout Puget Sound who are working together to reverse more than 100 years of human impact on this ecosystem. Our 2012 State of the Sound reportshows that your work has indeed slowed the decline of Puget Sound, but our current pace will not get us where we need to be by 2020. We need to build on our successes, continue to collaborate and accelerate our actions.

This week Governor Gregoire proposed a budget that includes a strong investment in Puget Sound recovery. Her proposal gives significant support to the Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration Fund, the Puget Sound Estuary and Salmon Restoration Fund and other key programs that mark a vital start in restoring a fishable, swimmable, diggable Puget Sound.

We also celebrate the hard work of our many partners working to advance projects in their communities and their own backyards. This year we created a “Puget Sound Champions” award to honor those, chosen by their peers, who serve as outstanding examples of how we can advance our ecosystem recovery effort. Each of our individual actions is integral to our collective success.

By working together as a region, we are able to coordinate funding and human capital on high-priority, science-based projects. This update highlights some of the recent successes, including:

  • Habitat restoration and flood prevention projects at Port Susan Bay
  • 280 acres of shellfish beds reopening for harvest in Hood Canal
  • Salmon returning to Midway Creek after 100 years

As we move into 2013, we welcome Governor Inslee to what has become a mass movement guided by both science and passion for Puget Sound. To all of our partners, thank you for tirelessly championing Puget Sound protection and restoration. You are the key to saving Puget Sound. Please contact me at executive.director@psp.wa.gov with your questions and to share more success stories.

Respectfully,
Anthony Wright

PARTNERS IN ACTION

Flood protection and habitat restoration celebrated in Port Susan Bay
On Dec. 5, we celebrated the completion of two Port Susan Bay restoration projects that improved flood protection for farmers and restored habitat for salmon, birds, and other wildlife. This 150-acre restoration effort was a true collaboration success story that involved The Nature Conservancy staff, local officials, neighboring landowners, farm organizations, tribes and federal and state agencies all working cooperatively on the project from its inception. These projects supported more than 130 jobs and restored natural functions to more than 4,000 acres of tidelands in the northern end of Port Susan Bay. More big-picture projects like these are needed to make Puget Sound restoration a reality. These projects were funded in part by Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration funds, which are locally prioritized and scientifically evaluated through a collaborative process led by the Puget Sound Partnership and funded by the Legislature. Read more at: http://bit.ly/SVDMwA
280 acres of shellfish beds upgraded in Hood Canal
Thanks to hard work in Hood Canal, our region is 51 percent of the way to reaching our goal of opening 7,000 acres of shellfish beds between 2007 and 2020. On Dec. 4, the Department of Health officially upgraded an additional 280 acres of Hood Canal shellfish beds in Mason County from “prohibited” to “approved” for recreational and commercial harvest. When we upgrade shellfish areas it means that water quality has improved, and that means the hard work of many partners is paying off. Read more at: http://1.usa.gov/UCm2V6

70 acres of habitat protected by the Suquamish Tribe and Mountaineers
The Suquamish Tribe is showing great leadership in their work to protect and restore the Chico Creek watershed. They recently partnered with the Mountaineers Foundation and others to acquire 70 acres of high-quality Puget Sound lowland habitat in this watershed, for a total of 484 acres that will now be in protected conservation status. The majority of funding for this acquisition is from Puget Sound Federal Funding granted for habitat protection and restoration from the Environmental Protection Agency to the Suquamish Tribe. The Puget Sound Action Agenda identifies protecting intact habitat as a key priority in Kitsap County, one of the most urban areas of our region.

Salmon return to Midway Creek after more than 100 years
The South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group has reported that after more than 100 years of no salmon in Mason County’s Midway Creek, dozens of spawning pairs of coho salmon have been sighted. Thanks to Puget Sound Acquisition and Restoration Funds (PSAR), administered by the Salmon Recovery Funding Board, a 70-foot-long fish passage culvert was installed in July to allow salmon to enter the Goldsborough Creek Floodplain. PSAR funds are locally prioritized and scientifically evaluated through a collaborative process led by the Puget Sound Partnership and funded by the Legislature. The South Puget Sound Salmon Enhancement Group partnered with Simpson Lumber, Squaxin Island Tribe, Green Diamond Resource Company, Miles Sand and Gravel, and others to help make this happen.
Read more at: http://bit.ly/Z0Smrz

Governor announces actions to protect shellfish from ocean acidification
On Nov. 27 Gov. Chris Gregoire signed an executive order supporting the recommendations from the Blue Ribbon Panel on Ocean Acidification. The science is clear that human-caused emissions of carbon dioxide are dramatically altering the ocean’s chemistry at an alarming rate. The acidification of our waters increases the risk to our shellfish, the health of our oceans, and the wealth of benefits they provide. Washington state is the first to develop a plan of action to tackle ocean acidification and the Partnership will support our partners in implementing the findings and actions of the Blue Ribbon Panel’s scientific findings. You can read the Governor’s Executive Order at: http://1.usa.gov/UUu5yV

King County enforces waterfront septic inspections, repairs with fines
Shellfish areas open to recreational, tribal and commercial harvesters are threatened because of contamination originating from septic systems. King County recently took the final step in the enforcement process, issuing a $25-a-day fines to a handful of Vashon Island residents who the County says have not had their septic systems inspected or repaired. Protecting public health and Puget Sound go hand in hand. We must continue working to provide low-interest loans to help residents upgrade and repair septic systems, while enforcing standards to prevent water pollution. 
Read more at: http://1.usa.gov/12lPqDJ

Puget Sound Partnership promotes transparency and accountability
The Partnership’s Project Atlas and Report Card were featured during a seminar on Nov. 14 at the Capitol Rotunda as part of the worldwide celebration of GIS Day, the annual salute to geospatial technology and its power to transform and better people’s lives. The event demonstrated how GIS technology is being applied in Washington state. The Puget Sound Project Atlas GIS application shows the location, cost and status of restoration projects related to Puget Sound protection and restoration. The Action Agenda Report Card helps show progress on the Puget Sound Action Agenda, with information that can be sorted by city, county, and legislative district. Both resources promote transparency and accountability for Puget Sound recovery efforts.
Puget Sound Project Atlas: http://1.usa.gov/VXdbSK
Action Agenda Report Card: http://1.usa.gov/VKOiWH

Puget Sound Champions honored
Puget Sound Champion awards recognize outstanding local partners for their contributions to the ecosystem recovery effort. These individuals and organizations are chosen by their peers for their exceptional work protecting and restoring habitat, cleaning up polluted water, and engaging the community in implementing the Action Agenda – the Partnership’s regional plan to clean up Puget Sound. Please join us in congratulating the following recipients.
Gov. Chris Gregoire (presented Nov. 20) http://1.usa.gov/Zhp2fi

Island County Champions (presented Nov. 28): http://1.usa.gov/Zhp3zT

  • Nancy Waddell with Whidbey Watershed Stewards
  • Pat Powell with Whidbey Camano Land Trust
  • A One Day University from WSU Beach Watchers for Sound Waters
  • Christine Longdon with CamOcean Day at Cama Beach

West Sound / North Central (Kitsap County) Champions (presented Nov. 30):http://1.usa.gov/VXdnl1

  • City of Bremerton Public Works & Utilities, Wastewater Treatment Plant
  • Board, members and greens crew of the Kitsap Golf & Country Club
  • City of Poulsbo Engineering Department
  • Kitsap Home Builders Association
  • Kitsap Conservation District
  • Chris Dunagan with the Kitsap Sun

Whatcom County Champions (presented Dec. 5): http://1.usa.gov/SVDZQb

  • Whatcom Conservation District’s Conservation Reserve Enforcement Program
  • Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association’s Streamside Habitat Restoration Program
  • Whatcom County Special District Riparian Program
  • Whatcom Water Weeks

For more information on other Puget Sound Champions, visit http://www.psp.wa.gov/champions.php.

Filed under: Around the Sound, Government | 1 Comment »

New soot rules should reduce disease, health costs, EPA says–Bellingham Herald

Posted on December 17, 2012 by Al Bergstein

This impacts the residents of the Peninsula. Why? Every ship that passes puts out soot. We breath it almost daily, especially when the air is stagnant. The trucks that roll to the mills with pulp put out soot. And the ports like PT and PA both have lots of diesel engines running in them on any given day. Seattle has already forced ships docked at their port to get onto onshore electrical as soon as possible, with very good results.

The Environmental Protection Agency announced Friday that it will set new limits for the airborne microscopic particles known as soot, one of the most deadly forms of air pollution. Erika Bolstad reports.

http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2012/12/14/2804069/new-soot-rules-should-reduce-disease.html

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UPDATE ON: Rep.-elect Kilmer won’t support Wild Olympics bill as it is now–PDN

Posted on December 14, 2012 by Al Bergstein

Trying to figure out whether the Demo who ran with heavy environmental support on the Peninsula now abandons one of his base, who worked hard for his election, or if this is just somewhat slanted reporting by the PDN. Kilmer could have said that he supports what he’s seen but needs more consensus building before he can push it over the top in DC. But he didn’t even apparently say that. He comes out in favor of increasing harvest levels in federal forests, with no explanation of why, or what’s currently wrong with the system.

While we agree that jobs are the primary thing to focus on, there has been an enormous amount of legwork done by the supporters of Wild Olympics, there does not appear to be any large scale negative issues with it, (read the scientific literature done researching it’s affects) and only a small contingent of folks against it, from all the polls that have been put out. Vocal opposition to be sure, some with big money, but not a majority of the public. 

UPDATE AS OF 12/14/2012 at 5:26PM

We contacted Connie Gallant, of the Wild Olympics Campaign. Her quote to us was:

"In speaking with Congressman-elect Derek Kilmer earlier today regarding the statements published on the PDN about his opposition to the Wild Olympics, he claims the PDN "mischaracterized" his statements, that he never has said he opposes Wild Olympics, that he simply wants to see some changes made and more consensus reached. After clarifying several points to  him about the proposal and the bill, he requested a meeting with the Wild Olympics coalition team very soon so that he can understand the issue better."

This update quote first appeared on the Olympic Peninsula Environmental News.

Read segments of the interview with him on the PDN today.

http://peninsuladailynews.com/article/20121214/NEWS/312149989/rep-elect-kilmer-wont-support-wild-olympics-bill-as-it-is-now

subscribe to the PDN. Keep local journalism alive.

To find out more about the Wild Olympics Campaign, see

http://www.wildolympics.org/

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NOAA Head Lubchenco announces resignation, spurs talk about who’ll replace her–Greenwire

Posted on December 13, 2012 by Al Bergstein

NOAA has been in the hot seat on a huge range of issues during her reign. I don’t blame her, it’s a sprawling agency with a huge range of people in middle and lower ranks. Many of whom were likely put there during the anti-environmental legacy of George Bush II. But she has faced controversy with issues she has championed. Locally, NOAA is seen as both hero and villain, from both sides of the environmental spectrum. NOAA has championed turning Puget Sound into a fish farm, with their insistence that Puget Sound is the best place in North America to do aquaculture, which our Governor and DOE has followed through on, regardless of scientifically based concerns by environmental groups. It’s all a crazy quilt of who is really protecting the environment in the Salish Sea. Sometimes it’s damn hard to tell.

But there is no reason to blame Ms. Lubchenko. She is a highly regarded scientist and educator. I doubt we could get a better person in the role. But we’ll have an opportunity to see.

http://www.eenews.net/public/Greenwire/2012/12/12/1

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Human values count in Puget Sound recovery

Posted on November 25, 2012 by Al Bergstein

Chris Dunagun has a solid overview of the Puget Sound Partnership as Governor Gregoire enters her last month in office. Interview with her and others in the Partnership, along with a view from the beach. Worth the read.

New indicators are being developed by the Puget Sound Partnership, now in its fifth year, to measure human health and well-being.

Read more: http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/nov/24/human-values-count-in-puget-sound-recovery/#ixzz2DIhGOBkh

Support the Kitsap Sun. Subscribe.

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Taylor Shellfish Denied Mussel Farm Expansion in Thurston County

Posted on November 19, 2012 by Al Bergstein

Thurston County Commissioners have denied Taylor Shellfish’s mussel farm permit because cumulative impacts were not adequately considered. This doesn’t seem to mean that Taylor cannot come back with more data. The refusal had to do with not presenting what the Hearing Examiner, a lawyer by trade, felt was compelling cumulative impacts of the proposed farm.

The legal precedent behind this decision appears to have been from a variety of already resolved lawsuits, including one by the coalition of a group of six citizen organizations that have been fighting the expansion of shellfish farms, mainly in the South Sound.

Again, it’s interesting to note that the Puget Sound Partnership did not weigh in at all on this case, for either side.

Read the short PDF of the ruling here. There is a longer document of the actual findings from the Hearings Examiner available on line if you wish.

http://www.co.thurston.wa.us/permitting/hearing/decisions/2012/961372.bocc.decision.taylor.pdf

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Downstream or Upstream, It’s Uphill for Salmon: Tribes Work to Protect Habitat–Green Acre Radio

Posted on November 19, 2012 by Al Bergstein

Martha Baskin has been doing a good job of covering environmental issues on her Green Acre Radio podcast. Here is a reminder warning by the NWIF and Stilaguamish, that we are still on a downhill trajectory, and more, much more needs to be done if we are to save our wild stocks.

Wild salmon runs have been in steep decline in the Pacific Northwest for decades. Restoring runs to historic levels involves substantial economic costs, competing societal priorities, and entrenched policy stances. The Stillaguamish Tribe and Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission say there’s no time to wait. If we don’t act there won’t be any more salmon. Martha Baskin reports.

http://greenacreradio.blogspot.com/2012/11/november-15-2012-downstream-or-upstream.html

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Ambitious Brightwater sewage project now online after long effort–Seattle Times

Posted on November 19, 2012 by Al Bergstein

This relates to us on the Peninsula, because Seattle and it’s environs has been putting billions of gallons of treated sewage into the Sound for decades, without clearly understanding it’s long term affects on salinity, pollution load, etc. Relatives of mine who have lived in Indianola since the late 20s’ claim that the beach has become a shadow of it’s former self, with very little of the great clam beds that used to be there. No one understands why, but it isn’t out of the question that sewage and stormwater runoff have taken their toll. We just have no real scientific monitoring done over decades to clearly show what has happened. That is why the Puget Sound Partnership is worth funding. To do this on a long term basis.

I have been critical of the fact that we all use the Sound as our toilet bowl, regardless of whether it is treated sewage or not (i.e. Victoria).  We need the ability to put in composting toilets if we want to, and  other technological advancements.

In the meantime, Brightwater is going to put into the Sound at least highly cleansed water. The best thing it could do from here, is pipe it to all the golf courses needing water for the fairways, and for other non drinking uses. Maybe someday we’ll even see it used to fill toilet bowls, rather than our ongoing use of fresh drinking water for that.

In a milestone for clean water, the new Brightwater treatment plant has begun work after more than a decade in the making and nearly $2 billion invested in the project. The plant began treating sewage and discharged some of the first treated effluent into Puget Sound at the beginning of the month. The plant is so effective it is producing water 30 times cleaner than required under its state permit, and clean enough to use as reclaimed water. Lynda Mapes reports.

Read the whole story at the Seattle Times:

http://seattletimes.com/html/localnews/2019699725_brightwater17m.html

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Billy Frank Jr. speaks on “Treaty Rights At Risk” at the NW Straits Annual Meeting

Posted on November 6, 2012 by Al Bergstein

A moving speech, from one of the leading voices in North American tribal landscape.  Billy Frank Jr. has been there in the midst of the treaty rights battles since the late 50s, when he started demanding his treaty rights to fish next to his house on the Nisqually River. That solitary act eventually led to the Boldt Decision, the ruling that legally interpreted the tribal fishing rights and altered the landscape of the Pacific Northwest fishing industry permanently.

You can listen to the speech on your computer directly from the button above,  or download it to your smart phone, or MP3 music player.

Today, at 81, Billy Frank Jr. is still in the thick of things. Billy  is a member of the Nisqually Tribe in Washington State, along with being the Chairman of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission. He writes for numerous publications and does a number of speaking engagements.  He has a personal  blog at http://billyfrankjr.wordpress.com/

Mr. Frank has been the recipient of numerous recognition awards, including the 1991 Albert Schweitzer Prize for Humanitarianism and 2004 Indian Country Today Inaugural American Visionary Award

If you have never heard Mr. Frank speak, or if you do not have a good understanding of what drives the Tribes demands for their treaty rights, this is a must listen recording. In it, he clarifies the history behind the struggle for treaty rights and legal interpretation of them, and the personal battles that he has endured to attain them. He also talks directly to the group of Marine Resource Committee members that were attending this meeting, many of the volunteers, all working to protect Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Washington Pacific Coast.

More audio and eventually video presentations of the conference will be found at the 2012 Northwest Straits Marine Resource Committee Web site

http://www.nwstraits.org/Whats-New/Meetings-Events/2012-MRC-Conference.aspx

 

 

 

 

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Representative Norm Dicks’ speech at the 2012 NW Straits Annual Meeting

Posted on November 5, 2012 by Al Bergstein

Here in it’s entirety is the talk by Representative Norm Dicks at the NW Straits MRC annual meeting. An interesting overview of his work on helping find federal funding to protect the Sound, Hood Canal and Straits. An overview of his environmental work in his career as Congressman. You can either download the file as a podcast and play it in any MP3 player, or listen to it right on the Internet at the location below.

http://soundcloud.com/mountainstone/representative-norm-dicks-at

The conference material can be found at

http://www.nwstraits.org/Whats-New/Meetings-Events/2012-MRC-Conference.aspx

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Ocean Acidification Panel Discussion at NW Straits Annual Meeting

Posted on November 4, 2012 by Al Bergstein

A panel discussion on ocean acidification kicked off the 2012 NorthWest Straits Annual MRC conference on Friday. Speakers Brad Warren of the Sustainable Fisheries Partnership, Bill Dewey of Taylor Shellfish, Representative Norma Smith of the 10th District, and Jeff Watters of the Ocean Conservancy all discussed their points of view on ocean acidification. We are both cursed and blessed by being on the forefront of this issue, and these are people doing a lot of research and investigation into the problems it poses for us. Download or listen on line. The final 5th broadcast has some problems in not having a mic for the first two questions, and not restating them, but I think you’ll figure out the questions from the answers.

UPDATE: I’ve had some folks mention that the sound levels even at maximum, are too low. While it appears to be happening mainly on Macintosh computers, I’ll be updating these with slightly higher volumes in the next day or so.

2012 NW Straits Brad Warren on Ocean Acidification 1 of 5

2012 NW Straits Annnual Meeting – Bill Dewey on Ocean Acidification 2 of 5

2012 Nw Straits- Representative Norma Smith on Ocean Acidification – 3 of 5

2012 NW Straits Jeff Waters – 4 of 5

2012 NW Straits Annual Meeting Part 5 of 5 – Ocean Acidification Panel Q&A

This content first appeared on the Olympic Peninsula Environmental News.

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