Posted on September 23, 2016 by Al B.
Dungeness Crab is important to our economy and diet, along with the importance to the Tribes as subsistent living guaranteed by the Treaty of 1858. The ramifications of global warming and ocean acidification on the crab, has not been fully studied. Not it has begun. The findings continue to build evidence that if we don’t get off our reliance on fossil fuels soon, we will likely see destruction of this valuable natural resource.
Millions of pounds of Dungeness crab are pulled from Pacific Northwest waters each year in a more than century-old ritual for commercial and recreational fishermen. But as ocean waters absorb more carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, U.S. scientists are worried that the ocean’s changing chemistry may threaten the sweet-flavoured crustaceans. Scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are exposing tiny crab larvae to acidic seawater in laboratory experiments to understand how ocean acidification might affect one of the West Coast’s most lucrative fisheries. Research published this year found that Dungeness crab eggs and larvae collected from Puget Sound and exposed to higher levels of carbon dioxide — which increases ocean acidity — grew more slowly and larvae were more likely to die than those in less corrosive seawater. Now researchers at NOAA’s Fisheries’ Northwest Fisheries Science Center are taking the experiments a step further to study how the crabs respond to multiple stressors during various growth stages. They also plan to analyze the sublethal effects: Even if the crabs don’t die, are they affected in physiological or other ways by ocean acidification? (Associated Press)
Studies focus on acidic ocean impact on Dungeness crabs
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Filed under: Crab, ocean acidification, Puget Sound | Leave a comment »
Posted on September 14, 2016 by Al B.
The latest threat to our Salish Sea ecosystem is being investigated by volunteer teams and Sea Grant. Here’s an update on what they are finding.
This week, scientists are scouring shoreline habitat near Westcott Bay on San Juan Island, hunting for green crabs. The Washington Sea Grant Crab Team, with help from the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, will set dozens of traps in an effort to learn more about the population of the invasive species. Bellamy Pailthorp reports. (KNKX)
http://knkx.org/post/sea-grant-monitors-high-gear-after-invasive-green-crab-found-san-juan-island
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Filed under: Crab, Puget Sound | Tagged: European Green Crab | Leave a comment »
Posted on September 3, 2016 by Al B.
On top of everything else, now this.
A San Juan Islands beach survey turned up an “unexpected and unwelcome” discovery earlier this week: a raving mad crab.
It’s the first European green crab found in Puget Sound.
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Posted on August 9, 2016 by Al B.
The neglect of the Fraser runs under the Harper Regime was legendary. Then global warming. Now this.
This year’s Fraser River sockeye return, already forecast to be below average, has turned out to be even worse. One First Nation leader described the return as going from poor to grim. The forecast run this year — which has traditionally been one of the low-run years in the four-year cycle of sockeye — was 2.27 million. That was already below the average of the past half century of 3.9 million. The latest estimates from test fisheries and through sonar counts show that only about half of the expected sockeye had returned by last Friday: 400,000 to 500,000 of the anticipated 840,000, according to the Pacific Salmon Commission, a Canadian-American agency that helps manage fisheries. The peak of the remaining summer sockeye run is expected about mid-month, but there is little expectation that the numbers will change, said Pacific Salmon Commission executive secretary John Field. Gordon Hoekstra reports. (Vancouver Sun)
'Grim' Fraser River salmon runs even worse than forecast
See also: Federal government expected to act on 2012 report examining Fraser River sockeye http://vancouversun.com/news/local-news/federal-government-expected-to-act-on-2012-report-examining-fraser-river-sockeye (Canadian Press)
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Filed under: Around the Salish Sea, Canada, Puget Sound, Salmon, Salmon Recovery, Sockeye | Leave a comment »
Posted on August 2, 2016 by Al B.
Fish wars continue long Skokomish river. Recent closure of fishing by the tribe based on federal lawsuit crates protest from nontribal sports fishermen. well the protesters were concerned that this may be the start of a trend by the tribes, it’s been my experience that other tribes in the area are not interested in taking this type of action. As the fisheries continue to decline from a variety of reasons, the unfortunate reality is that they may be forced to do so. And in interviews that I’ve done with oldtimers of all political stripes on the Olympic Peninsula, a common thread running through them,regardless of whether they are tribal or non-tribal people is that the fishery should be closed for an extended period,to help replenish the stocks.
http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/angry-anglers-protest-closure-of-skokomish-river-38ce4140-5d01-643b-e053-0100007faefe–388763471.html
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Filed under: First Nations, fisheries, fishing, Hatcheries Salmon, Salmon | Leave a comment »
Posted on July 22, 2016 by Al B.
Strange behavior for sea otters. Hopefully it does not portend a serious problem, but just a wonderful natural occurrence.
The calls poured in. To the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, to the National Parks Service and to the Olympic Coast Marine Sanctuary. Have you seen all those sea otters? What visitors were spying off the Pacific Ocean coastline, a raft of hundreds upon hundreds of sea otters, was unusual in both scope and location. “They just look like a dark brown carpet when they are going up and down on the swell,” said Steve Jeffries, a research scientist with the state Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Marine Mammal Investigations unit. Michael Carman reports. (Peninsula Daily News)
http://www.peninsuladailynews.com/article/20160722/NEWS/307229982/outdoors-sea-otter-madness-close-to-hoh-head
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Posted on July 20, 2016 by Al B.
The Quinault weight in to stop the insanity of the FDA allowing more modified genetically engineered fish into our waters. What this is about, is a bureaucracy thousands of miles away, deciding that it is ok to grow these fish in waters alongside native species. What possibly could go wrong? Let’s start with sea lice and a breeding ground for virus’s. Just like north of us in B.C.
A Native American tribe in Washington state has joined a lawsuit challenging the federal government’s approval of an Atlantic salmon genetically modified to grow faster. The Quinault Indian Nation on Friday joined the lawsuit that 11 other fishing and environmental groups filed against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and others in late March. The lawsuit alleges the FDA didn’t fully analyze potential environmental effects before approving the faster-growing salmon for human consumption in November. Phuong Le reports. (Associated Press)
http://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/washington-tribe-joins-legal-challenge-over-modified-salmon/
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