Charlene Nelson, Shoalwater Bay Tribe chair and Guy Miller, Skokomish Tribe chairman, finalize the Skokomish Tribe’s purchase of water quality lab equipment from the Shoalwater Bay Tribe.
Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission
The Skokomish Tribe is upgrading its water quality lab to a state-of-the-art facility.
The tribe recently purchased high-end water quality lab equipment from the Shoalwater Bay Tribe to conduct more sophisticated work, such as looking for cancer-causing compounds.
“It’s a major deal for Hood Canal,” said Ron Figlar Barnes, the Skokomish Tribe’s EPA coordinator. “It’s an opportunity for tribes within Hood Canal and Puget Sound to have close access to this type of equipment and help everyone. We’re bringing high-end water quality equipment to a more centrally located area.”
The Shoalwater Tribe used the equipment to research toxins causing reproductive issues with its tribal members. The tribe tested a variety of sources, including water, soil, tissue, marine animals and finfish, looking for compounds that are toxic, such as flame retardants and PCBs.
“We haven’t had a need for it lately though, so now we’re able to pass it on to someone else,” said Gary Burns, director of Shoalwater Bay Tribe’s environmental program.
Without the new equipment, the Skokomish Tribe could test water samples only for dissolved oxygen, e.coli, phosphorus, nitrate, nitrite and ammonia The tests help alert the tribe to any potential water quality problem in the Skokomish River and potentially Hood Canal. The tribe still has to send off water samples to be tested for fecal coliform but hopes to do it in-house in the future.
“Once the advanced lab is set up, which is expected to be within a year, the tribe will be able to expand testing to include fish and shellfish tissue,” said Figlar Barnes.
“We’re not going to limit ourselves,” said Guy Miller , the Skokomish Tribe Chairman. “We’re going to use it in every way we can to help our people, our community and our natural resources.”
SEATTLE — Despite improvements in the most industrialized and populated areas of the Puget Sound, a new report issued Tuesday by the Washington Department of Ecology shows the overall health of the state’s broadest waterway is declining in at least one way.
Sediment health in the central sound — from just south of Whidbey Island to the Tacoma Narrows — has deteriorated over the past decade, according to the report, which has some scientists who closely monitor the watershed wondering what they’ve been missing.
The study of sediment pulled from the bottom of the sound in 2008 and 2009 found a decline in sediment-dwelling life — known as benthic invertebrates — in 28 percent of the region, compared with 7 percent of the region in results from 1998 and 1999.
The results were surprising in contrast with other recent health checkups for the Puget Sound, which have shown improvements such as a decrease in toxic chemicals. Scientists also have found a decrease in concentrations of lead, mercury, silver, tin and other toxics in the central sound sediment.
It is possible scientists have not been looking deep enough or broad enough for other environmental problems, said Rob Duff, manager of the Ecology Department’s environmental assessment program.
“We don’t measure everything. We measure dozens and dozens of chemicals we are concerned about,” Duff said, adding, “There are thousands and thousands of chemicals in commerce today.”
Emerging contaminants such as pharmaceuticals and personal care products may be responsible for the decline in the number and variety of small creatures within the Puget Sound’s sediment, Duff said, but there are other possible causes.
The decline in the number and variety of small creatures in the sediment also result from natural influences, such as the normal population cycles of sediment-dwelling organisms, or sediment movement and changes in dissolved oxygen, pH and ammonia levels in the water above the sediments.
The health of Puget Sound is so multi-faceted — from toxics to habitat to climate change — it’s difficult to talk about its overall health, she said, adding, “definitely, there’s reason for concern.”
Meanwhile, the health of Elliott Bay in Seattle and Commencement Bay in Tacoma has been shown signs of improving health, with decreases in chemicals found and water chemistry overall.
That suggests years of port cleanup and storm water management seem to be working, said Maggie Dutch, lead scientist for the sediment monitoring program.
But the contrasting results also suggest the need for more research, she added.
“We’re thinking that there are other things happening,” Dutch said. “It could be things that we also have an influence on.”
This kind of report shows the importance of continuing to monitor the sound as a tool for figuring out what else needs to be done to clean up the water, Ken Dzinbal, who represents the Puget Sound Partnership on the monitoring program.
“We’ve done a pretty good job of addressing big issues like storm water,” he said. “There still might be something else out there that we haven’t addressed.”
Nisqually natural resources technician Jimsan Dunstan samples water at Johnson Point in Olympia.
– Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission
The Jamestown S’Klallam, Nisqually and Stillaguamish tribes are participating in the SoundToxins monitoring program to provide early warning of harmful algal blooms (HAB) and outbreaks of bacteria that could sicken humans.
“We want to make sure shellfish are safe to consume, not just for tribal members, but for all seafood consumers,” said Sue Shotwell, shellfish farm manager for the Nisqually Tribe.
During the shellfish growing season from March to October, tribal natural resources staff sample seawater weekly at designated sites. Additional sites across Puget Sound are monitored for toxin-producing algae by various citizen beach watchers, shellfish farmers, educational institutions and state government agencies. The monitoring results are posted in an online database.
The SoundToxins program helps narrow down the places where shellfish should be sampled for toxins, which is more expensive and time-consuming than testing the water.
“Just because we find algae that produce toxins doesn’t necessarily mean there are toxins in the seafood, but it could mean there will be soon,” said Stillaguamish marine and shellfish biologist Franchesca Perez. “If high numbers of an HAB species are found, then a sample of the water is sent to SoundToxins for further analysis, and appropriate parties are contacted to protect consumers and growers. We also look for Heterosigma, a flagellated plankton that causes fish kills.”
The Stillaguamish Tribe is sampling Kayak Point in Port Susan. Nisqually is monitoring the water at Johnson Point in Olympia, and the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe is taking its samples from the dock at Sequim Bay State Park, a popular shellfish harvesting site.
“Sequim Bay has had a number of harmful algal blooms historically,” said Neil Harrington, Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe environmental biologist. “When we see the phytoplankton cells increase in the water column, we know to start increasing shellfish sampling for toxins.”
All three types of plankton that cause HABs in Puget Sound have been measured at toxic levels in Sequim Bay.
“The SoundToxins program aims to provide sufficient warning of HAB and Vibrio events to enable early or selective harvesting of seafood, thereby minimizing risks to human health and reducing economic losses to Puget Sound fisheries,” said Sound Toxins program director Vera Trainer of NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center.
SoundToxins is managed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Northwest Science Center, Washington Sea Grant and the Washington Department of Health.
Governor Jay Inslee signs legislation to establish the Washington Coastal Marine Advisory Council under the executive office of the governor
Source: The Nature Conservancy
Olympia – Washington State advances a more collaborative approach to deal with pressing issues facing the Pacific coast. On May 21, 2013, Washington Governor Jay Inslee signed legislation to create the Washington Coastal Marine Advisory Council (WCMAC) under the executive office of the governor. This council convenes stakeholders and managers to advise the State on issues facing the state?s marine waters and shorelines along the Pacific coast.
“This is a big step toward stronger recognition of coastal community interests,” said Dale Beasley, President of the Columbia River Crab Fishermen’s Association. “Many of us on the coast have been pushing the State to take a stronger role in collaboratively managing our valuable coastal resources. In Pacific and Grays Harbor counties, over 30 percent of all the jobs are dependent on marine resources.”
A broad coalition of coastal stakeholders, co-managers and scientists worked to design the new council and then coastal commercial and recreational fisherman led the charge to formalize the body under the executive office of the governor with support from the Surfrider Foundation, the Nature Conservancy and business interests.
“Washington’s Pacific Coast lags far behind other coastal states and Puget Sound when it comes to collaborative management and conservation of ocean and coastal resources,” said Surfrider Foundation Policy Manager, Jody Kennedy. “When you consider how remarkable and valuable our Pacific coastline is for state residents and coastal communities, protecting coastal marine resources should be a priority for the State,” Kennedy added.
Members on the Council represent ocean and coastal interests for the Pacific coast, including commercial fishing, shellfish growers, conservation, science, ports, recreation and economic development. Each coastal marine resources committee has a seat. Under the new legislation, State agencies also have seats and federal, tribal and local governments are invited to participate.
One of the first issues the WCMAC will tackle is assisting state agencies with Marine Spatial Planning in order to protect existing jobs and healthy coastal ecosystems from new competing demands on ocean resources.
“The signing of Senate Bill 5603 to establish the Washington Coastal Marine Advisory Council, represents a significant advancement for the representation of coastal communities in the Marine Spatial Planning process and in the planning and regulation of coastal affairs. It provides us a greater degree of access and influence that many people have been striving to achieve for a long time”, said Doug Kess, the Chair of the Washington Marine Advisory Council.
“Right now, funding to support Marine Spatial Planning on Washington’s coast is uncertain as the State Legislature continues to grapple with budget negotiations,” said Paul Dye, the Washington Marine Director for The Nature Conservancy. “A diverse coalition of coastal stakeholders, including conservationists, shellfish growers and fishermen are advocating hard for Marine Spatial Planning funding and we hope that legislators are listening,” added Paul.
Now comes our season of daylight low tides, and the pleasure of beach walks. Volunteer naturalists with the Seattle Aquarium have kicked off a season of naturalist-led walks on beaches all over Puget Sound, beginning over Memorial Day weekend.
Alan Berner / The Seattle Times A -3.3 low tide draws beach explorers to Constellation Park in West Seattle on Saturday for one of the lowest of the year.
As spring waxes to summer, our season of daylight low tides is under way, revealing wonders of Puget Sound right at our feet.
Volunteer naturalists from the Seattle Aquarium over the Memorial Day weekend kicked off a series of low-tide beach walks offered all over the Puget Sound area. The walks will continue through July, and some of the best low tides are yet to come.
On Sunday, the Sound waters slid down the clean, gray sand at the aquatic reserve at the Constellation Park Marine Reserve at Alki. Clams jetted their silvery squirts, and jet-black crows strutted the tide flats, probing for tasty morsels. The pearly light and hush-shush of the tide made this stretch of beach feel far away from the bustle of Alki’s commercial strip, just around the point.
The signature scent of low tide — tangy saltwater and algae — and a cooling breeze off the water beckoned visitors to come under the spell of another world: the intertidal zone, usually out of our reach, but right there to explore during a -3.6 low tide.
Sea stars clung fiercely to the rocks, their soda-pop purple color contrasting with the bright-red shells of rock crabs. Their diminutive size belies pincer power 10 times the might of Dungeness crabs.
The smooth, curved gray collars of moon snail shell egg casings lay amid jade-green eel grass and heaps of nubby, bronze algae aptly named Turkish towel for its pot-scrubber texture.
Everywhere was the sound of children’s laughter as they peeked under rocks and into tide pools. Oliver Straley’s eyes got big as Craig “Mac” MacGowan, a retired Seattle teacher, put a nudibranch in Straley’s wetted palm.
He gently touched the shell-less mollusk with a wetted finger, then carefully replaced it on the clean, gray sand. “It was sort of slimy,” said Straley, 9. “Gooey and soft. It was cool!”
His sister Georgia, 10, was just as enthralled. “We saw sun stars and clam shells and moon snails,” she said. “I like finding different stuff that I wouldn’t normally see.”
That went for the adults, too.
“This place is so rich in life,” MacGowan said. “And we didn’t even touch a fraction of it. This is a rocky beach. But there’s also sand, mud, all of it’s different. There are more different types of animals on these beaches than there are people in Seattle. No matter where you go, it’s all good, you just have to get out and look at it.”
Volunteer naturalist Rebecca Gamboa said she has been leading walks on Seattle beaches for years, partly just to make sure she gets outside herself.
“We’ve had people come on walks say they’ve lived here 25 years and didn’t even know this existed,” Gamboa said. “I’ve met third- and fourth-graders who say it’s their first time at the beach.
“It’s a huge opportunity to see a whole new world.”
Low-tide walks with naturalists
Free beach walks occur during low tides throughout June and July at Richmond Beach Park, Carkeek Park, Golden Gardens Park, Constellation Park/South Alki, Lincoln Park, Seahurst Park and Des Moines Beach Park, and even Blake Island.
Look for trained, volunteer beach naturalists courtesy of the Seattle Aquarium in red hats at the beaches.
SEATTLE — The federal government has agreed to accept a petition that asked to have captive killer whale Lolita included in the endangered species listing for Puget Sound orcas.
Lolita was captured from that whale population in 1970 and is now at the Miami Seaquarium.
Her fellow orcas spend most of their time in Western Washington and British Columbia waters. Lolita is a member of the L pod, or family.
The National Marine Fisheries Service has listed these southern resident orcas as endangered since 2005. The wild population currently numbers 84.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which is working with other animal rights groups to have Lolita freed from captivity, filed this petition.
The decision announced Wednesday will add Lolita to a current review of the status of Puget Sound orcas as an endangered species.
A few whales found good feeding grounds in the ’80s and they apparently spread the word.
Mike Benbow, The Herald
Mike Benbow / For The Herald A gray whale surfaces in the Port Gardner bay area near Mission Beach recently. Gray whales migrate between Mexico and Alaska every year. From March through May, they’re headed north. About a dozen whales venture into Possession Sound, Port Gardner and Port Susan to stop and feed.
Residents of the Puget Sound area have their own special group of gray whales, and they have the lowly ghost shrimp to thank for it.
Ghost shrimp, also called sand shrimp, live in the sandy flats of bays along the Pacific Coast from Baja to Alaska. That, coincidentally, is the range for migrating gray whales, who have their young in the warmer, saltier waters of Baja, Mexico, and then swim some 5,000 to 6,000 miles to feed in the rich waters of the Arctic.
The migration of some 22,000 whales is under way and a number of them have been reported in the Sound and in the straits of Washington and British Columbia, according to the Pacific Whale Watch Association.
For a growing number of the whales, the Sound is a reliable pit stop where they can refuel while en route from Baja to the Bering and Chukchi seas.
In Baja, the whales fast for three to five months while giving birth to their young, and that’s where the Sound comes in.
Sometime in the late 1980s a whale or two started coming into Puget Sound regularly and found plenty of sand shrimp around the bays along Whidbey and Camano islands and along Mission Beach and Kayak Point in Snohomish County.
“They couldn’t make it through their (blubber) reserve, and they came into Puget Sound searching for food,” said John Calambokidis, a co-founder of Cascadia Research in Olympia, who has been studying gray whales in Washington state since 1990.
He said the local trip may have been promoted by a poor feeding season in Alaska, followed by a fasting period in Mexico that left them emaciated. “They needed to feed on something to help them pull the motor,” Calambokidis said.
His nonprofit group mostly does research for state and federal agencies. Whales are a big part of its work, and one thing Cascadia does is provide photo identification of specific whales.
Calambokidis said there isn’t a huge amount known about gray whales. For example, scientists don’t know old they get.
“The aging techniques aren’t very good at measuring maximum age,” he said.
The whales had been expected to live “30 to 40 to 60 years,” he said. But he noted that some bowhead whales were recently found with ancient harpoon points inside them that haven’t been used for more than 100 years.
So grays could last a lot longer than people thought.
That’s important because the feeding whales in the Sound are apparently teaching others, certainly their young, to stop here for a snack on their way north.
Calambokidis said that from one or two grays, the group feeding around Whidbey has expanded to six whales that come every year in February and March and leave in May or June. The first of this year’s group was spotted in February off Mission Beach on the Tulalip Indian Reservation.
“Eleven or 12 different individuals” were sighted in the Sound (last year),” Calambokidis said. “Of those, 10 animals we know and one or two were new.”
The Puget Sound whales are a little different from other grays that migrate along the Pacific Coast each year, Calambokidis said. He said what’s called the Pacific Coast feeding group moves up from Washington’s coast to Vancouver Island to feed.
But not the Puget Sound whales. “When they leave, (the Sound) you don’t encounter them,” he said. “They move out of the area. I suspect they move up to traditional feeding areas in Alaska.”
While some whales have been found stranded and have died in Washington, grays in general have made a remarkable comeback. He noted that before whaling days, there were an estimated 15,000 gray whales.
During whaling, they were hunted to near extinction. “Now this population has completely recovered and exceeds the numbers prior to whaling,” Calambokidis said.
He noted that the Puget Sound whales seem to have a high survival rate. “Feeding a month or so before migration has kept them in good health for the last 20 years,” he said.
A gray whale found dead off Whidbey last year was not part of the group identified as a regular feeder in the Sound, he said.
Whales feeding on ghost shrimp during higher tides come surprisingly close to shore. The whales, which grow to 40 or 50 feet in length and can weigh 60,000 to 80,000 pounds, sometimes swim along Mission Beach about a body’s length away from the beachfront homes.
Parts of their tails and fins come out of the water as they roll in the sand, using their snouts to stir up a slurry of sand, water and ghost shrimp. They eject the water and sand through baleen filter plates in their upper jaw, swallowing the shrimp.
The whales leave behind holes in the sand that at low tide make the beach look like a golf course filled with divots.
But homeowners don’t mind.
The whales are welcome visitors, and word spreads quickly each year when they’re first sighted.
Jerry Solie, whose family has had a home on Mission Beach since 1937, first noticed the whales in 1989.
“They kept us awake all night,” he said, referring to feeding whales spouting water in the air below his bedroom window.
Solie said he looks forward to the annual visit.
“They come so close, and they’re so big,” he said. “It makes it hard to get any work done because if they’re there, you have to watch them.”
He said the giant mammals are unusually friendly to the point where you wonder who’s watching who.
“Twice I’ve had them come up right along my boat and look at me,” he said. “They’re watching me too.
WSU Island County Beach Watchers: Fund-raising tour departs at 4 p.m. April 6 from Langley Marina. Call 360-331-1030 or signup online at beachwatchers.net/events/whales. The three-hour cruise includes appetizers, beverages and onboard naturalists for $75 a person.
