A formal proposal to designate resident and Bigg’s killer whales as separate species has been rejected by a committee widely recognized as the authority in naming new marine mammal species. The proposal for new orca species, put forth by a team of geneticists and marine mammal biologists, was based on the distinct genetic, physical and […]
June 26, 2024
Recreational boaters play an important role in protecting endangered killer whales, officials say
Noise and disturbance from boats can disrupt the normal hunting behaviors of killer whales, according to marine mammal experts. Now, with southern resident orcas facing extinction, every disruption becomes a concern, they say. Such is the thinking behind a new state law designed to better protect the endangered whales by further limiting how close recreational […]
May 31, 2024
Decision time approaches for two new orca species, as other issues bring new questions
Killer whales worldwide are currently identified as a single species, Orcinus orca. But two new species of orca, representing thousands of whales in the North Pacific, could be added to the scientific nomenclature within the next month. Evidence supporting the new species, which I described in the Encyclopedia of Puget Sound, has been submitted for […]
May 8, 2024
June 4 roundtable will discuss enhancing climate change planning and adaptive management in marine protected areas
The Salish Sea Science Roundtable speaker series continues on Tuesday, June 4 from 12:30 – 1:30 pm. Marine protected areas are being deployed globally to protect the Earth’s biodiversity in rapidly changing oceans. Nesting climate change considerations within adaptive marine protected area management and monitoring is becoming a more common approach, and climate change is increasingly […]
May 3, 2024
Construction fees support local program that protects and restores rare habitats in Hood Canal
Big construction projects often trigger big conservation projects, because federal and state laws require mitigation for environmental damage. For the past 12 years, Hood Canal Coordinating Council has been working quietly to protect and restore shorelines, wetlands and freshwater habitats in Hood Canal by using funds spun off from construction by the U.S. Navy and […]
May 2, 2024
Hood Canal summer chum could be first-ever salmon removed from Endangered Species List
Are species consigned to the Endangered Species List destined for extinction? Some species may be, but certainly not all. We know this from the recovery of the bald eagle, gray wolf, humpback whale and other rebounding species removed from the list. Still, 28 populations of salmon remain at risk, seemingly stuck on this roster of […]
May 1, 2024
Key job changes at Hood Canal Coordinating Council set the stage for summer chum delisting
Scott Brewer, who has served as executive director of the Hood Canal Coordinating Council for the past 16 years, has stepped down from that position to focus his attention on the council’s efforts to remove Hood Canal summer chum from the Endangered Species List. This unique population of chum salmon, listed as threatened, has made […]
April 15, 2024
From PCBs to PFAS on May 9
As pioneers in their respective fields, Steven Eisenreich and Scott Mabury will reflect on lessons learned to more efficiently understand the threats and impacts of PCBs and PFAS. There are important similarities and important differences; both can be informative. Despite decades of regulation and remedial effort, Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) continue to impair environmental health in […]
March 28, 2024
Ask a scientist: Are human-derived hormones like estrogen harming fish in Puget Sound?
Hormones such as estrogens that humans create in their own bodies are entering Puget Sound through wastewater, raising concerns about their effects on fish and other wildlife. We spoke with Puget Sound Institute scientist Maya Faber about how environmental exposure to human-derived estrogen can alter the reproductive cycles of male and female fish. The effects […]
March 27, 2024
Decision support tools for Puget Sound restoration and protection
The following article was commissioned by the Habitat Strategic Initiative Lead (HSIL), a cross-agency team co-led by the Washington Departments of Fish and Wildlife and Natural Resources. Where are the best places to invest in restoration and protection of beach and riparian habitats? In this post we highlight three tools, funded by the Habitat Strategic […]