"> Next time you see a salmon moving upstream to spawn, consider the importance of estuaries. Estuaries, places where rivers and creeks mix with the waters of Puget Sound, help salmon adjust the ions (salts) in their bodies so they can safely make the transition from marine to fresh water. A new report by University of Washington scientist […]
November 29, 2023
"> Latest Puget Sound marine waters overview now available
Announcement from the Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program: Today, the Puget Sound Marine Waters Work Group of the Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program released the eleventh annual report on marine water conditions in Puget Sound. The report combines a wealth of data from comprehensive monitoring programs and provides a concise summary of what was happening […]
November 8, 2023
"> Puget Sound ecosystem holding on, but recovery remains uncertain, says latest status report
Efforts to restore ecological health to Puget Sound have largely failed to meet recovery goals, yet fish and wildlife populations are still hanging on, according to a new report that describes many struggling populations as neither increasing nor decreasing to a significant extent. The latest State of the Sound report, released last week by the […]
September 29, 2023
"> 2022 Salish Sea toxics monitoring synthesis: A selection of research
A new report from the Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program takes a comprehensive look at some of the greatest dangers posed by toxic chemicals in the Salish Sea. The report was produced with support from the UW Puget Sound Institute, and brings together recent findings on PCBs, CECs, PFAS, 6PPD-Q, and other toxics of concern. It […]
June 23, 2023
"> Wastewater fee study reveals hardship for low-income households
Low-income households may need financial help to address the impact of rising wastewater bills, according to a study of current and projected sewage treatment costs published last month by the Puget Sound Institute. The study was initiated in support of the Marine Water Quality Implementation Strategy, a state and federal recovery plan addressing water pollution […]
February 28, 2023
"> Findings and reports: February 2023
Salish Sea Model provides insights on circulation and residence times The amount of time water circulates and “resides” in Puget Sound is of intense interest to regulators and emergency response officials who want to understand how quickly wastewater is flushed out of Puget Sound and into the ocean. A paper in the journal Estuarine, Coastal […]
December 14, 2021
"> Science during the year of Covid: The Puget Sound Marine Waters Overview
While Covid restrictions remain a part of everyday life, a lot has eased since the global quarantines of spring 2020. During that time, the coronavirus effectively shut down scientific fieldwork in Puget Sound, leaving huge gaps in data for most facets of the ecosystem. Despite the lockdowns, a new report from the Puget Sound Ecosystem […]
March 2, 2021
"> Salmon experts predict more wild coho but fewer Chinook in Puget Sound this year
Greater numbers of wild coho salmon are expected to return to Puget Sound later this year, according to forecasts released last week, but threatened Puget Sound Chinook stocks are likely to see another decline. The 2021 salmon forecasts were announced Friday during an online video conference with sport and commercial fishers and other interested people […]
October 1, 2020
"> Do we know enough to do anything about all the seals and sea lions in Puget Sound?
Scientists have known for years that Chinook salmon are important to southern resident orcas, but Chinook are not the only fish the whales eat. At the moment, chum salmon are returning to Puget Sound, and recent orca sightings suggest that the whales may now be feeding on chum. Harbor seals also eat Chinook salmon, but […]
August 3, 2020
"> Safe hiking and other outdoors activities could improve mental health in pandemic
Outside seems to be the answer, in more ways than one. Virologists tell us that, aside from isolation, we are less likely to be infected with COVID-19 if we go outdoors and stay away from crowds. Psychologists have known for decades that getting out in nature can improve our mental health, something that many of […]