Chris Dunagan reports on DSP found in Central Hood Canal.
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/jul/26/new-found-shellfish-toxin-raises-concerns/
Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: hood canal, Puget Sound, Shellfish, toxin | Comments Off on New Shellfish Toxin discovered in Hood Canal
Congratulations, Laura! KIRO 7, in partnership with The Trust for Public Land (TPL), announced Laura James as Western Washington’s 2012 Cox Conserves Hero. As her nonprofit of choice, Sustainable West Seattle will receive $10,000.
Laura gracefully allowed me to use some of her underwater footage for the follow up to Voices of the Strait.
As an eco-friendly scuba diver, she volunteers her time to removing batteries and other pollutants from the water. James was nominated as a Cox Conserves Hero for her commitment to the Puget Sound.
KIRO 7 Announces Laura James as Western Washington’s 2012 Cox Conserves Hero http://www.marketwatch.com/story/kiro-7-announces-laura-james-as-western-washingtons-2012-cox-conserves-hero-2012-07-26 See also: Congratulations! Laura James wins Cox Conserves Heroes award, gets $ for Sustainable West Seattle http://westseattleblog.com/2012/07/congratulations-laura-james-wins-cox-conserves-heroes-award-gets-for-sustainable-west-seattle
Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: KIRO, Laura James, Puget Sound, Scuba | Comments Off on Diver Laura James awarded Conserves Hero
The news article that accompanied Chris Dunagan’s blog post. Of specific interest to some of you are the roundup of stats on Puget Sound and the issues involved in cleanup of it.
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2012/jul/18/governor-praises-hood-canal-mitigation-program/
Filed under: Around the Sound, Government, Places, Projects | Tagged: Christine Gregoire, governor gregoire, Hood Canal, Norm Dicks, Puget Sound Partnership | Comments Off on Governor praises Hood Canal mitigation program–Kitsap Sun
Kitsap journalist Chris Dunagan sat down with the Governor on her recent tour of the Sound recovery projects. It’s not a very hopeful take, “I created it, they can un-create it”. But it’s good primary journalism that anyone that cares about the Sound, and it’s recovery, ought to read.
The sad thing about all this is that it took a discussion with Norm Dicks, of all people, to get this moving. We should remember that there already was a blue ribbon advisory council in place, and had excellent people at the helm. That the Governor needed another politician to come up with an entirely new bureaucracy, headed up by his son, is quite, well, odd. Why did the governor feel that she had to destroy the existing group, rather than work through their excellent advice? People such as Kathy Fletcher, and the Northwest Straits Initiative, among others. They likely would have been thrilled to have her pay attention to them. And having them all on board to rejuvenate the process, with their huge background in the existing problems, would have likely led to a much more exciting process to get to where we are today. one that could have leveraged the past rather than reinvented it.
http://pugetsoundblogs.com/waterways/2012/07/19/gov-prepares-to-pass-the-baton-on-puget-sound/
Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on Governor prepares to pass the baton on Puget Sound–Kitsap Sun
The Northwest Straits Foundation received $660,000 to finish the job of removing derelict fishing nets from shallow subtidal waters of Puget Sound. The Foundation estimates there are 500 shallow water derelict nets left to remove. The Foundation is aiming to complete the work by December 31, 2013. Funding comes from the US Environmental Protection Agency through the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife. This funding will be combined with current and pledged funding from the Salmon Recovery Funding Board, NOAA Marine Debris Program, ConocoPhillips Migratory Bird Fund, US Fish and Wildlife Service Coastal Program, Lucky Seven Foundation, Tulalip Tribes and private donations.
The new funding also pays for a new response and retrieval program designed to prevent future re-accumulations of derelict nets by responding to reports of newly lost nets immediately. The Foundation will be developing this new program in close coordination with the Puget Sound fisheries co-managers.
Filed under: Olympic Peninsula, Straits of Juan de Fuca | Tagged: coast, debris, environment, Olympic Peninsula, tsunami, Washington | Comments Off on Derelict Fishing Gear Funding Received – NW Straits Foundation News
A story of global warming, and its effects on one group here on our peninsula. Moving to higher ground is happening, now. Planning for the rest of the Peninsula coastal towns should not be put off any longer.
http://www.pbs.org/newshour/updates/science/july-dec12/quileute_07-05.html
Filed under: Climate Change, Olympic Peninsula | Tagged: Olympic Peninsula | Comments Off on ‘Twilight’s’ Quileute Tribe Fights to Regain Land–PBS
Our sympathies to the large extended family and friends, of Guy McMinds. Guy was a leader in the changes that established Treaty rights again. Another of that crucial generation that fought so hard against enormous odds and power, passes. You don’t replace people like Guy McMinds. You only create many shoes out of his, and hope there are enough people with the skills to fill them.
http://nwifc.org/2012/07/long-time-treaty-rights-warrior-guy-mcminds-passes/
Filed under: Olympic Peninsula | Tagged: Olympic Peninsula | Comments Off on Longtime Treaty Rights Warrior, Guy McMinds, Passes – NWIFC
Another highly critical view of the Governor’s surprise firing of the head of the Puget Sound Partnership, and the installation of a new, more outspoken one. The takeaway here is that author Todd Meyers believes that we are in for more politics and less science. Not sure we are so skeptical. Many of the projects that the Partnership faces are ones involving engineering on a scale that the Corps is familiar with, such as the eventual replacement of old fashioned highway culverts that block returning salmon. We’re willing to withhold judgment on the Director while he finds his feet, and shows us what he made of.
http://crosscut.com/2012/07/12/puget-sound/109541/puget-sound-partnership-executive-science/
Filed under: Government, Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound, Puget Sound Partnership | 1 Comment »
Scientists knew ocean-going fish would eventually return to the Elwha River on Washington state’s Olympic Peninsula, once two massive concrete dams were torn down. They just didn’t think it would happen so soon. Biologists tracking fish in a tributary of the Elwha last month spotted wild steelhead that likely made it on their own past the site where the Elwha Dam stood for nearly a century — before it was dismantled in March as part of the nation’s largest dam removal project.
With 1 of 2 dams down, fish return to Elwha River
http://www.king5.com/news/With-1-of-2-dams-down-fish-return-to-Elwha-River-162079635.html
Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | 1 Comment »
Appears that some of our beaches on the Peninsula Coast look like a land fill. This would be great work for a federally subsidized project to hire younger people, who are experiencing high unemployment rates. Anyone in DC listening? (like our Senator that is up for re-election?)
http://ikkatsu.wordpress.com/2012/07/11/phase-ii-complete/?blogsub=confirming#blog_subscription-2
Filed under: Olympic Peninsula, Places | Tagged: Clallam County, Ikkatsu Project, Olympic Peninsula | 1 Comment »
John Gussman’s next chapter in the adventure of taking out a dam on a major salmon spawning river.
http://www.elwhafilm.com/blasting/video/index.htm
Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: elwha dam, Puget Sound | 1 Comment »
We have completed our campaign voters guide page to the primaries. Look under the 2012 Elections tab on our front page.
While the slate looks like a sweep of Democrats, we continue to view this blog as non-partisan, and await any Independent or Republican who can step forward and take environmental stands on issues.
Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: politics, primaries, Puget Sound | Comments Off on Environmental Voters Guide for the Primaries
Folks. Please stop throwing plastics overboard…
Seabirds eat everything from twine, candy wrappers and Styrofoam, and their stomach contents show there’s been a dramatic increase in plastic pollution off the Pacific Northwest coast in the last four decades, a new study suggests.
Plastics in Seabirds survey 2012
Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on Seabirds on B.C. coast eating bellyfuls of plastic: Vancouver Sun
Oysters on the half-shell – what’s a summer without them? For thousands of years oysters were considered inexhaustible in the Pacific Northwest. But loss of habitat, over-harvest and, most recently, ocean waters saturated with greenhouse gases are undermining stocks. Can these rich succulent marine creatures be reestablished in community shellfish farms? Martha Baskin takes a look and brings us the story.
http://greenacreradio.blogspot.com/2012/07/july-5-2012-oyster-reclamation-one.html
Filed under: Puget Sound | Tagged: Puget Sound | Comments Off on Oyster Reclamation: One Estuary and Community Shellfish Farm at a Time–Green Acres Radio
Congratulations to Anne and her staff. The $56,848 grant will help to create a new permanent educational interactive exhibit, with a first phase scheduled to open in September.
Marine center wins $56,848 federal grant for toxin studies http://peninsuladailynews.com/article/20120703/news/307039989/marine-center-wins-56848-federal-grant-for-toxin-studies
Filed under: Port Townsend | Tagged: Port Townsend | Comments Off on Port Townsend Marine Science Center wins Federal Grant!–PDN
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.
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
