Salish Sea News Week in Review March 11 2022

 

Fukushima [Reuters]

2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami
The 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami occurred at 14:46 JST on 11 March. The magnitude 9.0–9.1 undersea megathrust earthquake had an epicenter in the Pacific Ocean, 72 km east of the Oshika Peninsula of the Tōhoku region, and lasted approximately six minutes, causing a tsunami. Following the  major earthquake, a 15-metre tsunami disabled the power supply and cooling of three Fukushima Daiichi reactors, causing a nuclear accident. All three cores largely melted in the first three days.

'Grunts, growls and hums': B.C. researchers help compile online database of fish sounds
Some fish grunt, some growl, and some squeal. These fish noises — and many more — are part of a new database created by researchers who hope that cataloguing the sounds will allow for a better understanding of marine ecosystems and the health of aquatic life.

Debris from cargo ship spill last fall spreading along B.C. coast, say beach cleaners
A volunteer organization that has been cleaning up debris from a cargo ship that lost 109 containers off the B.C. coast last fall says the incident should be a wake-up call to the need for more urgent action.

This tribe has fought for years to get federal recognition. It's about their identity
The Duwamish have been fighting a legal battle for decades with the federal government make good on treaty.

Octopus houses and clam gardens: What ancient sea harvesting practices can teach us about sustainability
Most people strolling along British Columbia's vast shoreline likely wouldn't think twice if they stumbled upon low mounds of rocks while looking for crabs or other sea life. But for those who study these formations, they represent once-thriving sea gardens Indigenous people used to harvest food and other animal products.

Cruise ships will return to B.C. in April, following new federal COVID-19 guidelines
Passengers must be vaccinated and tested before boarding and disembarking the ships.

B.C. adds conditions for Trans Mountain expansion, ministers say concerns remain
British Columbia has amended the conditions of its environmental assessment certificate for the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion and told the federal government it still has concerns about its response to potential marine oil spills.

Indigenous groups still aim to buy Trans Mountain pipeline, even as costs soar
Indigenous-led groups remain committed to pursuing ownership of the Trans Mountain pipeline, even as cost overruns for the pipeline expansion project soar.

Researchers and Indigenous land stewards create story map of Indigenous seaside habitats
The story map highlights information about “ancestral mariculture across the Pacific Ocean.” It is rooted in Indigenous stewardship of the oceans, intergenerational knowledge, governance systems, and cultural practices.

Biden ban on Russian oil hits Anacortes, Washington refinery
Russian oil could be en route to Washington state for several more weeks despite a ban on Russian oil and gas imports imposed by President Joe Biden on Tuesday.

Oil spill ‘not matter of if, but when’: Gulf Islands renew call for rescue tug
Island Trust and San Juan County councils have renewed their request for a rescue tug to be positioned on Vancouver Island in Sidney.

Tsleil-Waututh measure Burrard Inlet degradation since contact
Between 1792 and 2020, according to reports released on Thursday, Burrard Inlet lost 1,214 hectares of intertidal and subtidal areas to development and erosion.

New bridges and ferries, wider highways, and free fares in freshly passed WA transportation package
Majority Democrats in the Washington Legislature drove the largest transportation spending roadmap in state history across the finish line on Thursday on nearly party line votes.

West Coast celebrates herring spawn spectacle
Ribbons of milky turquoise green water twist and swirl along the coast of the northern Strait of Georgia each year when Pacific herring return to spawn.

These news clips are a selection of weekday clips collected in Salish Sea News and Weather which is compiled as a community service by Mike Sato. To subscribe at no cost to the weekday news clips, send your name and email to mikesato772 at gmail.com. Your email information is never shared and you can unsubscribe at any time.

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