Salish Sea News Week in Review March 31 2023

 

Aloha César Chávez Friday!
César Chávez Day is a commemorative holiday throughout the United States, and a state holiday in some states, such as California. It takes place on César Chávez's birthday and honors his legacy as a civil rights and labor movement leader, where his focus was on improving the treatment, conditions, and pay of farm workers. His tactics were strikes, boycotts, marches, and hunger strikes. His first strike was against the grape growers of California in 1965, and in 1968 he called for a national boycott of California table grape growers. Several victories were eventually won after many growers signed contracts with the union. Chávez's group fought against other growers over the years and raised awareness about the effects of pesticides on workers.

The race to understand how kelp forests dampen ocean noise — before it’s too late
As kelp forests decline, scientists worry sensitive sea creatures are losing a sanctuary from sonic overload. 

Judge rules BNSF intentionally violated terms of easement with Swinomish tribe
BNSF intentionally violated the terms of an easement agreement with the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community when the railway company ran 100-car trains carrying crude oil over the reservation, a federal judge ruled Monday...when the railway made a unilateral decision in increasing the number of trains and cars crossing the reservation without the tribe’s consent.

Southern Resident orcas spend less time near San Juan Islands because of salmon supply
A new study found that over the past 17 years, as the Fraser River Chinook salmon population has dropped, the time spent by the orcas around the San Juan Islands has declined by more than 75%.

Herring spawn off northern Vancouver Island dazzles residents and animals alike
Just off the coast of northern Vancouver Island, the ocean waters have turned a vibrant shade of turquoise as herring spawn in an area where they've never been recorded before.

Biden and Trudeau agree to address mining pollution in B.C.’s Elk Valley — and it’s a big deal
Pollution from some of Canada’s largest coal mines has been getting worse for decades and is now spilling over into the U.S.

Miami Seaquarium announces new effort to return last captive Puget Sound orca
The new leaders of the Miami Seaquarium announced Thursday an effort to release orca Tokitae, also known as Lolita, to her home waters in the Pacific Northwest after she has lived in a small tank for more than five decades.

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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