Sea Cucumber (Apostichopus Californicus) Culture And Enhancement Opportunities.,
2020
PACIFIC SHELLFISH INSTITUTE
Sea Cucumber (Apostichopus Californicus) Culture And Enhancement Opportunities., Andy Suhrbier
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Demand for giant red sea cucumbers (Apostichopus californicus) continues in Asian markets while wild harvest has declined on the west coast of North America. Multiple trials are in place in Washington state to culture this species on upland and floating structures that support other species. Co-culture of sea cucumbers has proved to be effective with mussels, black cod, sea weed and oysters. In addition, there are food resources from aquaculture that the wild population currently exploits but conceivably could utilize more efficiently. Efforts to further this utilization are in progress.
Sediment Sourcing In Cascade Watersheds And Nearshore Dispersal Of Terrestrial Sediment And Contaminants Using Multivariate Geochemical Analysis, Renee Takesue
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Coastal ecosystems require sediment inputs of sufficient quantity and quality to maintain ecological integrity. Identification of sources and processes affecting quality and nearshore dispersal of terrestrial sediment are important considerations for successful habitat restoration and resource management. Sourcing of sediment via geochemical fingerprinting is one way to explore such processes, and appears to be a promising approach in Cascade watersheds where volcanic uplands confer distinct geochemical signatures relative to glacial and marine sediment. A sediment geochemical source-to-sink study using compositional data of the fine fraction was undertaken from the Nooksack River watershed to Bellingham and Samish Bays in March 2019 …
Squishy But Not Useless For Energy Balance: Energetic Value Of Gelatinous Zooplankton From The Salish Sea And Adjacent Waters,
2020
University of British Columbia
Squishy But Not Useless For Energy Balance: Energetic Value Of Gelatinous Zooplankton From The Salish Sea And Adjacent Waters, Florian Lüskow
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Despite the low energy content, the contribution of gelatinous zooplankton (GZ; medusae, siphonophores, ctenophores, pelagic tunicates, pelagic gastropods) to predator energy budgets might be much greater than traditionally assumed (trophic dead end hypothesis). Feeding on GZ does, in fact, hold several advantages for the predator, including fast digestion, low capture and handling costs, easy access during blooms. Selective feeding on the more energy-rich tissues and organs can enhance prey attractivity for predators. Results of new analytical approaches have revealed that GZ around the world’s oceans are frequently consumed by a diverse set of marine predators. Nevertheless, GZ are infrequently included …
Temporal Variability Of Phytoplankton Communities In Padilla Bay, Washington,
2020
Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve
Temporal Variability Of Phytoplankton Communities In Padilla Bay, Washington, Holly Young
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Phytoplankton are a critical component of estuarine food webs and changes in their community composition may indicate shifts in ecosystem-scale processes, such as grazing pressure or nutrient availability. However, seasonal variability of phytoplankton communities and potential links to ecosystem processes are not well understood in Padilla Bay. To meet this research need, we have established a monitoring program to investigate how phytoplankton communities change over time. These monitoring efforts are part of a reserve wide program that investigates water quality, zooplankton, and phytoplankton across four sites in Padilla Bay. The present study focuses on phytoplankton collected at an open water …
The Hood Canal Bridge Impedes Migration Of Juvenile Salmonids,
2020
Westward Ecology
The Hood Canal Bridge Impedes Migration Of Juvenile Salmonids, Emily Bishop
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Between 2006 and 2010, Moore et al. (2013) conducted an acoustic tagging study to evaluate early marine survival of outmigrating steelhead. Results of that study showed high mortality near the Hood Canal Bridge, ranging between 0 and 36%, which led to the formation of the Hood Canal Bridge Assessment Team. The Assessment Team set out to examine water quality, predator presence, and physical aspects of the bridge structure as they related to steelhead outmigration in 2017 and 2018. As part of the Team, the Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe used a variety of sampling techniques to characterize biota assemblage, abundance, and …
Toxicity Of Gasoline, Diesel And Weathered Diesel Related Petroleum Hydrocarbons To Freshwater And Marine Organisms,
2020
Nautilus Environmental Company Inc.
Toxicity Of Gasoline, Diesel And Weathered Diesel Related Petroleum Hydrocarbons To Freshwater And Marine Organisms, Curtis Eickhoff
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
The purpose of this study was to determine environmental effects-based concentrations of total petroleum hydrocarbons for assessing the impacts of fresh gasoline and fresh or weathered diesel in the freshwater and marine environments. The study was conducted by the Washington State Department of Ecology (Ecology) and Nautilus Environmental to determine the NOEC and LOEC of gasoline, diesel and weathered diesel, in addition to IC25 and IC50 endpoints, using aquatic toxicity bioassays. In separate experiments, hydrocarbons within either the diesel or gasoline range were spiked into toxicity test solutions and weathered diesel in contaminated groundwater was obtained from a well-characterised site …
Utility Of The Strait Of Georgia Data Centre As A Marine Spatial Planning Tool,
2020
Pacific Salmon Foundation
Utility Of The Strait Of Georgia Data Centre As A Marine Spatial Planning Tool, Benjamin Skinner
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
The Strait of Georgia Data Centre (SGDC) has been developed to serve as a secure repository and archive for marine ecosystem data specific to the Strait of Georgia (www.sogdatacentre.ca) and is a collaborative effort between the Pacific Salmon Foundation and the University of British Columbia. From the website the public can access literature specific to the Strait of Georgia, general information about the ecosystems of the Strait of Georgia, as well as search for and download available data and metadata. One focus of the SGDC has been to provide a centralized hub from which users can search, view and download …
Sound Impacts 2.0,
2020
Stewardship Partners
Sound Impacts 2.0, Aaron Clark
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
In 2015, Stewardship Partners began creating a pilot impact metrics portal for Puget Sound called Sound Impacts (www.SoundImpacts.org). Now in its 4th year of operation, the portal tracks and provides data-based storytelling resources for 6,332 individual projects that have an estimated annual impact of managing 815,258,094 gallons of stormwater. Dozens of organizations and agencies are using Sound Impacts to track and catalog their efforts and others are using it as they consider how and where to make new investments in ecological restoration and green infrastructure. In 2020, Sound Impacts will undergo a redevelopment to add ecological impacts and co-benefits beyond …
Using Seasonality And Particle Tracking To Trace Intermediate Water In The Strait Of Georgia,
2020
University of British Columbia
Using Seasonality And Particle Tracking To Trace Intermediate Water In The Strait Of Georgia, Samuel Stevens
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
The Strait of Georgia is a complex system of basins and waterways within the Salish Sea that receives the majority of Greater Vancouver’s wastewater via riverine input and effluent outfalls. It can be nominally divided into three constituent water masses: (1) a riverine surface layer; (2) a deep oceanic layer; and (3) an intermediate layer, composed of a mixture of the surface and deep waters. The intermediate water (IW) layer is the largest layer volumetrically and a primary component of the region’s subsurface estuarine circulation, yet a comprehensive understanding of the system has proved challenging. Here, we use two methods …
Using The Collaborative Model Of Storm For Impact And Environmental Engagement,
2020
King County
Using The Collaborative Model Of Storm For Impact And Environmental Engagement, Mary Rabourn
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
The environment needs communications and engagement programs that are as professional as other environmental projects. STORM (Stormwater Outreach for Regional Municipalities) offers a model for environmental professionals on: 1. Crowd sourcing engagement and action, 2. Sharing a learning environment on best practices, 3. How collaboration adds up to resources, partners, training and impact. Projects of any size can use these approaches to improve outreach. STORM collaborates to design, create and evaluate programs that engage diverse audiences in environmental actions. Over 83 jurisdictions and nonprofit partners use the collective action model to deliver award winning programs. Examples of these techniques will …
Species Checklists For Salish Sea Seaweeds,
2020
University of British Columbia
Species Checklists For Salish Sea Seaweeds, Isaak Haberman
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
There are nearly 700 seaweed species, subspecies and varieties reported in the Northeast Pacific, many with a distribution that includes British Columbia. Yet, it can be difficult to access reported distribution information at a regional scale; for example: does a seaweed species reported from Southern B.C. include the Salish Sea or just the West coast of Vancouver Island? Occurrence data for many seaweeds exist in the form of herbarium specimens, DNA records, and observations made by governmental agencies and citizen science initiatives. However, there are challenges to building species lists from these data, including: difficulty collating the disparate data types …
Vigor Industrial Southwest Yard Habitat Project: Demolition Of Shipways And Piers On The Duwamish River And Construction Of Transition Zone Habitat,
2020
Vigor Industrial
Vigor Industrial Southwest Yard Habitat Project: Demolition Of Shipways And Piers On The Duwamish River And Construction Of Transition Zone Habitat, Johnathan Cook
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Vigor Industrial owns a 27-acre facility at the mouth of the Western Waterway of the Duwamish River. This facility primarily constructs and repairs midsized to large maritime vessels. In 2014, Vigor began negotiating with NOAA a settlement for Natural Resource Damages associated with the Todd Shipyard Sediment Operable Unit of the Harbor Island Superfund Site. Since that time, Vigor has reached an agreement for a Consent Decree and the scope of a habitat restoration project to be constructed at the Shipyard. Using the 2013 PEIS prepared by NOAA, in conjunction with the Elliot Bay Trustees Council, Vigor has designed a …
Watersheds And Salmon, Student-Driven Habitat Restoration Projects; Increasing Engagement And Place-Based Learning Through Community Partnerships,
2020
Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association
Watersheds And Salmon, Student-Driven Habitat Restoration Projects; Increasing Engagement And Place-Based Learning Through Community Partnerships, Rachel Vasak
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
The Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) Students for Salmon (SFS) Program is an established 4th grade education program that has served public and private schools, including tribal and homeschool cooperatives in Whatcom County for 20 years at no cost. This multi-stage program includes both in-classroom and outdoor activities over a course of 5-6 weeks. The SFS Program builds a powerful continuum of awareness to action, building on traditional, science-oriented, environmental education. After conducting extensive scientific habitat assessments on local creeks, students then take direct action to restore critical salmon habitat to improve riparian conditions. Students additionally learn how community partnerships …
A Coastal Health Report Mobilized Community Members To Improve A Marine Environment,
2020
Ocean Wise
A Coastal Health Report Mobilized Community Members To Improve A Marine Environment, Amber Dearden
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Howe Sound/Atl’ḵa7tsem is a fjord located close to Vancouver BC, dotted with islands, and home to several communities and many unique marine species. Due to multiple factors including historical industries throughout the fjord and a growing human population with subsequent development, the marine environment became degraded, leading in some cases to population level species impacts. In 2017, an Ocean Watch report was released to summarize the state of Howe Sound/Atl’ḵa7tsem’s coastal ocean environment. The articles contained in the report included recommended actions to improve the marine environment throughout the fjord. These actions were consolidated into an Action Plan containing seven …
A Comparison Of The Vulnerability Of Marine Ecosystems To Anthropogenic Stressors,
2020
Fisheries and Oceans Canada
A Comparison Of The Vulnerability Of Marine Ecosystems To Anthropogenic Stressors, Jocelyn Nelson
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Cumulative effects assessments are increasingly required for resource management, marine spatial planning, and ecosystem-based management. A key step in a cumulative effects assessment is to determine the vulnerability of ecosystem components to stressors, which can be achieved through a vulnerability assessment. However, not all studies define vulnerability in the same way, which can lead to variable and incompatible results. For example, while many cumulative impact mapping studies use expert-derived scoring based on the variables of spatial scale, frequency, trophic impact, percentage change, and recovery time (e.g., Teck et al 2010), others, such as DFO’s Ecological Risk Assessment Framework (O et …
A Coastal Restoration Online Toolkit - Helping Non-Professionals Go From Idea To Restoration Project,
2020
Restore America's Estuaries
A Coastal Restoration Online Toolkit - Helping Non-Professionals Go From Idea To Restoration Project, Elsa Schwartz
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Staff at public agencies and non-profit organizations often receive phone calls or applications from individuals outside the professional restoration community (e.g. NGOs, municipalities, or individuals) who have a sincere desire to restore local habitats, but have difficulties figuring out where to begin. Restore America’s Estuaries has developed an online “Toolkit” to support coastal residents and citizen scientists who identify problems with their local coastal environment and have an interest in transforming the idea into a project. The Toolkit enables community members who aspire to improve their local ecosystem, but who need the information and guidance to go from project idea, …
A Controlled Designation Of Origin Should Be Created For The Salish Sea,
2020
Salish Center for Sustainable Fishing Methods
A Controlled Designation Of Origin Should Be Created For The Salish Sea, Riley Starks
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
SalishCenter.org seeks to create a geographical destination called Salish Sea Certified. This controlled designation signifies that seafood harvested within the geographical boundaries of the Salish Sea, qualifies to be designated as such. We are currently working with government and stakeholders to accomplish this important goal. We believe that informed consumers will soon recognize the benefits of seafood harvested from local waters, and in turn, will be motivated to protect and improve the ecosystem of the Salish Sea. Our strong messaging and education strategy will give consumers an opportunity to develop a deep and meaningful relationship with local marine waters.
A Baseline Of Seasonal Changes In The At Sea Distribution And Abundance Of Marine Birds Near Shipping Lanes Around Southern Vancouver Island.,
2020
Environment & Climate Change Canada
A Baseline Of Seasonal Changes In The At Sea Distribution And Abundance Of Marine Birds Near Shipping Lanes Around Southern Vancouver Island., Douglas Bertram
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Baseline information on marine distribution and abundance of marine birds and their prey populations is needed to evaluate current status in relation to threats from potential increases in tanker traffic near Southern Vancouver Island. We conducted year round (bi-trimonthly) boat-based, at-sea surveys between Sidney BC and Victoria BC from November 2015 - November 2019 to examine seasonal variation during the year and between years. Our study area includes parts of the Sidney Channel Important Bird Area, the Shoal Harbour and Victoria Harbour Migratory Bird Sanctuaries and the Chain Islets Ecological Reserve, which are all close to major shipping lanes. With …
Between Two Worlds Indigenous High School Science Program,
2020
Swinomish Tribe
Between Two Worlds Indigenous High School Science Program, Todd Mitchell
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Traditional Swinomish culture relies on water dependent livelihoods in the Salish Sea, centered on the Swinomish Reservation near La Conner, Washington. A common saying at Swinomish is “when the tide is out, the table is set”; Subsistence shellfish harvests are common and Swinomish people call themselves the “People of the Salmon.” Without a clear understanding of the interconnectedness of nature, and a sense of stewardship over the land, our natural resources and traditional lifeways may be threatened. Between Two Worlds is a youth education program to give Swinomish high school students a greater appreciation of the land and environment and …
Assessing The Statistical Similarity Of Port Susan Bay Restoration And Reference Sites,
2020
University of Washington
Assessing The Statistical Similarity Of Port Susan Bay Restoration And Reference Sites, Madison Hoiland
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference
Climate change and human interactions pose significant threats for the health of estuaries. In 2012 The Nature Conservancy (TNC) removed a dike at the mouth of the Stillaguamish river to restore ecosystem functioning and resilience to climate change. Monitoring reference zones is critical for contextualizing growth patterns in complicated systems like estuaries. The purpose of this study was to determine which reference zones were most similar to the restoration zone in Port Susan Bay. Using bulrush measurements collected during my internship with TNC, I used an excel T test to assess statistical similarity between zones based on the means of …
