"> While not exactly a chicken-or-egg debate, when it comes to regulating a deadly tire chemical, Washington state lawmakers are being called upon to decide what comes first in the effort to save salmon. In public hearings this week, speakers were clearly divided in their views on companion bills in the House and Senate to ban […]
January 13, 2026
"> Washington lawmakers to decide whether to ban a tire chemical shown to be toxic to salmon
A new bill introduced to the Washington Legislature, now in session, would require tire manufacturers to reformulate the rubber in their tires to remove a chemical responsible for killing large numbers of coho salmon and other fish. If approved, the legislation would give tire manufacturers nine years to find a suitable replacement for the compound […]
January 12, 2026
"> February 10 roundtable explores beavers as partners in restoration: A look inside the Tulalip Beaver Project
The Salish Sea Science Roundtable online speaker series continues on Tuesday, February 10 from 12:30 – 1:30 pm. Twelve years ago, the Tulalip Beaver Project started with a bold idea: maybe we can partner with beavers — nature’s original engineers — to help restore salmon habitat. Today, the project is known across the country for showing […]
January 9, 2026
"> Study finds juvenile coho salmon at risk from deadly tire chemical
Untold numbers of hatchery fish may be dying from exposure to tire-contaminated runoff, according to a new study. When it was first identified in 2020, the deadly tire chemical 6PPD-quinone (6PPDQ) was seen mostly as a threat to adult coho salmon. Fish returning in the fall were found disoriented and gasping shortly after entering creeks […]
December 30, 2025
"> Where mountain lions and people do or do not mix
Occasionally, this space includes reports and essays from guest writers on the subject of Puget Sound ecosystem recovery. Today we look inland at our mountains and forests where top predators like cougars remind us that nature is still wild and — often — unpredictable. PSI staff writer Eric Wagner has this look at a new […]
December 16, 2025
"> Looking back on a year of Puget Sound surprises: rare birds, gray whales, water
The year 2025 has been fairly mystifying to experts who make their living studying natural systems in the Puget Sound region. Unusual observations this year include record-low dissolved oxygen levels, unexpected gray whale visitations, and the sudden arrival of an astounding number of short-tailed shearwaters — a seabird almost never seen in Puget Sound. Cold […]
November 7, 2025
"> December 2 roundtable shares the səlilwətaɬ / Tsleil-Waututh Nation and Fisheries & Oceans Canada collaborations in Burrard Inlet
The Salish Sea Science Roundtable online speaker series continues on Tuesday, December 2 from 12:30 – 1:30 pm. Signed in 2021, the Burrard Inlet Environmental Science and Stewardship Agreement (BIESSA) is a Nation-to-Nation Reconciliation agreement between Canada and səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation; TWN) aiming to strengthen coordination and collaboration of science and stewardship activities in Burrard Inlet, […]
October 27, 2025
"> Experts expect the recent arrival of chum salmon to bring orcas back to Puget Sound
UPDATE: Monday, Nov. 3 Whales return to Central Puget Sound without youngest calf All three pods of southern resident killer whales traveled into Central Puget Sound Sunday, making it as far south as the southern end of Vashon Island, if not farther. The past few days, various whales have been spotted in the San Juan […]
September 30, 2025
"> What is driving ongoing contamination in Commencement Bay?
Despite more than four decades of a Superfund cleanup along Tacoma’s industrial Tideflats, research suggests that large amounts of toxic chemicals like PCBs and PBDEs may still be entering the waterway. Our affiliates at the Center for Urban Waters are co-leading a new project to identify contaminant hotspots. When it was first designated in 1983, […]
September 24, 2025
"> Voices of experience: What collaborative leadership means for natural resources
The challenges facing Puget Sound—from salmon recovery to climate resilience—demand more than technical expertise. They require leaders who can navigate complex relationships, build trust across diverse communities, and find common ground where others see only conflict. But what does this kind of collaborative leadership actually look like in practice? In partnership with TVW, the Collaborative […]