Sound Bites: Bite-Sized Bits of News From Around Puget Sound

Tests Look for Sonar Link to Injuries: Is the Navy’s sonar harming marine mammals—including orcas in Puget Sound, some of the most endangered whales in the world? Witnesses to the May 5 incident in Haro Strait say it is definitely affecting the creatures, which depend on their extraordinarily sensitive hearing to keep them alive, allowing them to navigate and find food and mates. The Navy says it is waiting for tests to be done later this month on the dead porpoises before passing judgment on what happened. Nevertheless, the service is beginning to deploy an even louder sonar than the one used in Haro Strait. Some scientists and environmentalists fear that the more-powerful sonar could harm marine mammals across up to three-quarters of the world’s oceans. (07/13/03), Seattle P-I, http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/130609_sonar12.html. From Tidepool.org.

Porpoise Carcasses Examined for Effects of Sonar: Investigators are going all-out to determine what killed harbor porpoises that washed up in area waters a few months ago. A team of scientific experts started three days of necropsies of 11 animals the week of July 21-25 in Seattle in an attempt to learn if sonar blasting from the American destroyer USS Shoup harmed the animals. On May 5, the Shoup passed through Haro Strait off southeastern Vancouver Island on its way to the Canadian Forces Maritime Experimental Test Range at Nanoose Bay. Marine mammal experts and whale watchers reported that killer whales, porpoises and a minke whale appeared distraught when the destroyer appeared. The mid-range tactical sonar was so loud that it could be heard above water. After the incident, several porpoise carcasses washed on shore in the San Juan Islands and some were found on southern Vancouver Island. (07/22/03), Victoria Times Colonist, http://www.canada.com/victoria/timescolonist/story.asp?id=83708F36-4CE5-4FB0-8765-E18C398C5E70.

PCB-Tainted Sewage Spurs Treatment Call: Greater Victoria’s raw sewage, which is pumped untreated into Juan de Fuca Strait, contains levels of toxic PCBs 160 times greater than provincial guidelines and potentially harms marine life, says the Sierra Legal Defense Fund. The Capital Regional District continues to pump 120 million litres of raw, screened sewage into the ocean every day—a practice that was recently approved by the province, which signed off on the CRD’s liquid waste management plan. (07/11/03), Victoria Times Colonist, http://www.canada.com/victoria/timescolonist/story.asp?id=5D38A145-BCE8-49C0-9F32-06A22FF7E3EA. From Tidepool.org.

Fisher to Be Considered for Endangered Status: The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service announced that it will conduct a study to determine whether the fisher, a cat-sized animal that once ranged through the forests of California and the Pacific Northwest, should be given endangered species protection. A fast, agile tree climber with a taste for porcupines, the fisher was historically found in the Sierra Nevada, Northern California and the western reaches of Washington and Oregon. Logging, trapping and urbanization have reduced it to three known populations in northwestern California, the southern Sierra and Oregon. (07/11/03), LA Times, http://www.latimes.com/news/science/la-me-fisher11jul11,1,3975863.story?coll=la-news-science. From Tidepool.org.

Idyllic Aura Has Faded in the Pacific Northwest: The region Ernest Callenbach had in mind when he wrote “Ecotopia” 30 years ago seems to have fallen on hard times: dot-com collapse in the land that Bill Gates built, the move of Boeing’s headquarters from Seattle to Chicago, the highest unemployment rate in the country, schools closing weeks early for lack of funds and even the iconic salmon are dying out. What’s happening here? (07/11/03), Christian Science Monitor, http://www.csmonitor.com/2003/0711/p01s04-usec.html. From Tidepool.org.

Campaign Puts 30,000 Acres Under Protection: Born in the heady days of the Internet bubble, the Cascades Conservation Partnership was whiplashed by the stock-market collapse and congressional budget hawks who whittled away at federal funding for land acquisition; it didn’t come close to meeting its ambitious goals. But the campaign by groups including the Sierra Club, Northwest Ecosystem Alliance, Seattle Audubon and The Wilderness Society was still among the most successful conservation efforts in state history. (07/01/03), Seattle Times, http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/135134038_cascades 01m.html. From Tidepool.org.

Washington’s Population Rises at Lowest Rate in 20 Years: After more than a decade of swift growth, Washington’s population has hit the brakes. The state’s population grew by a slim 0.94 percent in the past year—the lowest rate in 20 years—according to estimates released yesterday by the state Office of Financial Management. And while King, Pierce and Snohomish counties showed only modest gains, Franklin County in Southeast Washington bucked the trend with a 4.48 percent growth in the past year, fueled by economic growth brought by a $5.7 billion waste-cleanup project at the nuclear reservation. Among demographers and economists, all fingers point to the state’s lack of jobs. (07/01/03), Seattle Times, http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/135134039_migration 01m.html.

Coast Guard Money to Strengthen Response in Sound, Straits: Thanks to $1.6 million from the federal government, the Coast Guard will install 20 weather sensors and two current-monitoring buoys in the region and will station at least one standby rescue tug in areas of dangerous water conditions. It’s all designed to help prevent and respond to incidents at sea—most notably oil spills. “We are really fortunate to live in a beautiful place, and with that comes an obligation to all of us to protect our environment,” said Sen. Patty Murray, D-Wash., who announced the funding at a news conference yesterday. “While tankers have become safer in recent years, we have to be vigilant to prevent oil spills.” (07/08/03), Seattle Times, http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/localnews/135197762_rescuetug08m.html. From Tidepool.org.

Eagles Poisoned by Euthanasia Drug: Across the country, eagles and other wildlife are dying due to accidental poisoning by the euthanasia drug sodium pentobarbital. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service says that more than 130 bald and golden eagles have become casualties of pentobarbital poisoning from eating the carcasses of animals that have been euthanized. Residue from the chemical remains in the meat of animals long after they have been euthanized. (07/08/03), Environmental News Service (ENS), http://ensnews.com/ens/jul2003/2003-07-07-09.asp#anchor7. From Tidepool.org.

Seattle May Limit Beach Activities to Protect Sea Life: There are the people who overharvest shellfish, the starfish and sea anemone collectors, those who turn over rocks and leave marine critters high and dry. Before now, the city has implored people to be gentle with marine life and posted signs at public beaches saying such activities are forbidden. But increased concerns about overharvesting and destruction of marine habitat is prompting the city to consider going an extra step: setting aside areas of Seattle beaches as “marine reserves.” The reserves would prohibit dogs and other animals, shellfish harvesting and other activities that naturalists say have harmed Puget Sound habitat. (07/10/03), Seattle P-I, http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/local/130269_marinereserves10.html. From Tidepool.org.§