Olympic Peninsula Environmental News

Vicki Normura, who heads this regions federal fisheries enforcement has been removed from office. Investigators are looking over records related to a very expensive boat that was bought supposedly for enforcement but has been reported by many sources, to be used as a party boat. The sad part about this is that the good that’s done by this agency in theoretically stopping poaching of seafood and shellfish, may have been stymied by agents simply taking advantage of publicly funded equipment. Pathetic. We’ll follow up on the investigation as it progresses.

Northwest’s top federal fisheries cop removed from office http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2018571362_noaacop01m.html

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on Northwest Fisheries Cop Removed from Office. Boat scandal widens

New to harvesting shellfish? The Seattle Times had a great quick article to familiarize yourself before venturing out this week to take advantage of the low tides. Remember to check for PSP so you don’t endanger your family. That number is listed at the bottom of the article.

This is summer in the Northwest! We have seen cloudy and cool summers before and will see them again. Get outside while it’s at least warm! The sun shines in August and September.

Low tides mean provide shellfish gathering

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on Low tides this week mean great shellfish opportunities

The Northern Light is reproting that  People For Puget Sound is being put in charge of working on creating stewardship committees for the five of the state’s aquatic reserves. Cherry Point in Bellingham is one. They are being asked to do this by Department of Natural Resources and Fish and Wildlife. No mention is made of this on the DNR or People For Puget Sound websites though.

http://www.thenorthernlight.com/news/article.exm/2012-06-27_group_to_organize_committee_for_cherry_point_reserve

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on Group to organize committee for Protection Island and Cherry Point reserves–The Northern Light

From the Puget Sound Partnership. This grants local exceptions to rigid Corps of Engineers regulations on planting on levees. Here in the NW we need this exception to protect salmon habitat. This is good news.

Speaking with one voice, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, NOAA’s National Marine Fisheries Service, US Fish and Wildlife Service, and Puget Sound Partnership released a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will affect the management of levees and riverbanks along hundreds of miles of rivers around Puget Sound. The MOU establishes a collaborative regional framework to ensure the best performance of levee systems throughout Puget Sound to protect public safety, private property and salmon, as well as other native fish at the same time.

http://www.psp.wa.gov/pressreleases/partnership_release.php?id=997#.T-t8n6Hk9Ls.facebook

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on Puget Sound Partnership, Army Corp of Engineers, NOAA and US Fish & Wildlife sign agreement on levees

The absurd propaganda that comes out of Canada’s current federal government is just the latest in an all out attack on environmental protection. At a time when they are increasing their freighter traffic, including oil and gas shipments, the notion that cutting back on coast guard protection that can lead to a situation that could lead to a  major spill being a good idea, is just so much purposeful deception.  These people will stop at nothing, it seems, to make Canada safe for environmental destruction by oil, gas and timber industries. The fact that a very low percentage of Canada’s youth (under 30) voted in the last election means that the opposition better get working to get them to get out and vote these rascals out. It took decades to build these protections into law, and will decades to re-establish them. In the meantime, we all, on both sides of the border, are at risk.

Federal Fisheries Minister Keith Ashfield is defending his government’s funding cuts to the Canadian Coast Guard and says anyone who claims the changes endanger lives in Vancouver is propagating false information. 

Minister says it’s myth that Vancouver coast guard cuts would put lives at risk Canadian Ministers Scoff at Coast Guard cuts affecting anyone

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on Canadian minister says Coast Guard cuts won’t be risky–Vancouver Sun

I cover this because our Peninsula Tribes participate in this. It is an important event for them to carry on their traditions, as the article states.

The arrival on July 29 of about 13,000 American Indians, representing some 130 West Coast tribal communities, dressed in regalia and landing in beautifully carved cedar canoes, sounds a lot like another spectacular Olympia party. It is not. Charlene Krise, a member of the Squaxin Island Tribal Council and executive director of the tribe’s Museum Library and Research Center, says the revival of the canoe journey has rejuvenated tribal nations to reclaim their traditions. 

http://www.theolympian.com/2012/06/24/2151654/support-squaxin-tribes-journey.html

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on Support Squaxin tribe’s journey to keep heritage alive–The Olympian

The representatives of the world’ came together as global warming and greenhouse emissions continue to build and wreak havoc with the planet. What do they choose to do? Nothing. We get told by the Op-Ed in the NY Times that we should do something, I would argue that those of us on the grassroots level *have* been doing something, and it’s our governments, whether the Chinese authoritarians, or the current Obama administration that continue to squander opportunities before it is too late to do anything constructive. Crisis management is always the choice, it seems.

The Rio+20 summit ends with an agreement from world leaders that charities say represents a "missed chance" to tackle environmental problems.

Rio ends with corporates warning http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/em/fr/-/news/science-environment-18561223

But: Government progress on the environment is slow, but the world’s people can assert their power to fix problems. Op-Ed: We Have Met the Solution and It Is Us http://www.nytimes.com/2012/06/23/opinion/after-rio20-we-have-to-solve-the-earths-problems.html

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on RIO +20 Summit Ends–Fiddling while Rome burns–Various

The public can comment through July 16 on an updated draft management plan that will be used to operate the hatchery program for chinook salmon in the Elwha River watershed. The draft plan, written by the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, describes the operation of the artificial production program for chinook salmon in the Elwha River and the potential effects of the program on wild fish species, such as salmon and steelhead, that are protected by the federal Endangered Species Act.

 http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/06/24/2192499/comments-open-for-updated-elwha.html

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on Comments open for updated Elwha chinook hatchery plan–News Tribune

The captain of the schooner Adventuress has received a $10,000 fellowship that he intends to use to develop a program to develop “green” standards for building boats.  Joshua Berger is one of 40 recipients nationwide of awards given by Toyota and the National Audubon Society.

Adventuress Captain story

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on ‘Adventuress’ captain gets grant to develop ‘green’ boats–PDN

Some Native American tribes have started receiving their shares of a $1 billion settlement with the U.S. government over mismanagement of their money and trust lands, while others are waiting and remain undecided on what to do with their funds. The Makah tribe in Neah Bay — one of 44 tribes across the nation who are receiving money from the settlement — is receiving $25 million. 

http://peninsuladailynews.com/article/20120624/NEWS/306249997/tribes-start-receiving-settlement-money-makah-are-beneficiaries-of

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on Tribes start receiving settlement money; Makah are beneficiaries of $25 million–PDN

Lots of good news here for fishing and crabbing. Please be sure to record your catch, as it helps gather the data to do a better job managing the resources.

After a banner Puget Sound Dungeness crab fishery last summer, many are gearing up for another good season beginning July 1.

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/othersports/2018512713_outn24.html

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on Crabbers gearing up for season, and early sockeye numbers promising–Seattle Times

The demolition of environmental protections and science in Canada is shaping up to be the big story of the year. With a new majority government in place, the stripping of environmental protections for the Canadian people is stunning to see happen as fast as it it. Likely this will all end up in the courts. Now the scientists themselves are becoming publicly vocal in their opposition to these moves.

Three scientists from B.C. have used an internationally prestigious journal to launch an attack against changes to the federal Fisheries Act currently before the Senate. In a letter published online Thursday in the journal “Science,” the scientists from Simon Fraser University criticize cutbacks at eco-toxicology labs and an aquatic research facility and changes to the act itself, saying the government’s rational for making the changes is not supported by fact. 

Three BC Scientists Attack Changes to the Fisheries Act

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on Three B.C. scientists attack changes to Fisheries Act–Vancouver Sun

This is the most compelling news articled yet as to the dangers we face of ocean acidification.

A Willapa Bay shellfish company is shifting some of its business to Hawaii because of ocean acidification that scientists believe is killing tiny oyster larvae in shellfish farms along Washington’s coast.

Read the whole story here:

http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/2018496037_oysters22m.html

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on Willapa Bay oyster grower sounds alarm, starts hatchery in Hawaii–Seattle Times

Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire announced Monday a state plan to address tsunami debris that reaches the state’s coast from Japan but stressed that federal help is needed. Gregoire announced a “Clean Shoreline Initiative” to be led by state’s top emergency management leader, Maj. Gen. Timothy Lowenberg, and to include the state Departments of Health, Ecology and other agencies. 

Cleanup plan readied for tsunami junk http://www.thenewstribune.com/2012/06/19/2186368/cleanup-plan-readied-for-tsunami.html 

See also: Tsunami Debris That Washes Ashore Tested For Radiation http://earthfix.kcts9.org/water/article/tsunami-debris/

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on Washington Gov. Gregoire announces Tsunami debris Initiative–Various Sources

While we are thrilled that Senator Cantwell is proposing this, there are a vast amount of prevention measures we’d love to see her taking on as much as cures that really won’t prevent significant and irreversible harm in the first place. But progress is good on this front. – Editor

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) has introduced legislation to jumpstart research and development into new oil spill response technology. Her bill – the Oil Spill Research and Technology Act of 2012 (S. 3298) – would create grants to support the research and development of new technologies to better contain and clean up all types of oil spills. In addition, the bill requires the United States Coast Guard to establish a program to evaluate and implement ‘best available technology’ to effectively respond to and clean up oil spills. 

http://www.sanjuanislander.com/island-newshome/government-news/us-government/4376-cantwell-bill-would-bring-oil-spill-response-into-20th-century

Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | 1 Comment »