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Articles 991 - 1020 of 10266

Full-Text Articles in Physical Sciences and Mathematics

Reconstructing The Ecological History And Past Environments Of Native Olympia Oysters To Inform Their Conservation And Restoration In The Salish Sea, Dr. Julieta Martinelli Apr 2022

Reconstructing The Ecological History And Past Environments Of Native Olympia Oysters To Inform Their Conservation And Restoration In The Salish Sea, Dr. Julieta Martinelli

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Historical baselines inform restoration efforts, allowing us to interpret long-term changes in marine ecosystems prior to anthropogenic activities. In Washington State, restoration of native oysters (Ostrea lurida) is limited by shifting baselines and the lack of information on Olympia oyster populations before they collapsed in the late 1800s. Our project seeks to answer three main questions: (i) What was the water temperature and salinity in environments where historical native oysters thrived in the past? To answer this question we will use oxygen isotopes, Ba/Ca ratios and radiocarbon dating. (ii) How does the abundance of trace metals found in past Olympia …

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Exploring Temporal Patterns In Temperature And Current Speed At The Mouth Of The Snohomish River, Sergei Avetisyan Apr 2022

Exploring Temporal Patterns In Temperature And Current Speed At The Mouth Of The Snohomish River, Sergei Avetisyan

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Oceanic temperatures and currents are the primary driving factors of almost every physical phenomenon on Earth and understanding them is key to studying almost every other aspect of Earth science. Possession Sound, a fjord-type estuary system in the Salish Sea, is home not only to incredible biodiversity but also to some very complex current systems and thermoclines. A particularly intriguing part of the Possession Sound fjord system is the extreme stratification of the halocline in certain areas. One such area can be found at the mouth of the Snohomish River, where cold freshwater from ice melts flows into warmer seawater, …

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Genetic Risk Assessment Model For Native Shellfish Aquaculture, Natalie Lowell Apr 2022

Genetic Risk Assessment Model For Native Shellfish Aquaculture, Natalie Lowell

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The shellfish aquaculture industry is growing, and shellfish growers have begun to cultivate native shellfish to prevent introduction of non-native species. However, cultivation of native species poses genetic risks to wild populations if farmed and wild animals interbreed. Available simulation models for assessing genetic risks of aquaculture are not well suited for shellfish life history or the complexities associated with spatial management and are often limited to one or two of at least three types of genetic risks, preventing assessment of trade-offs among risks and emergent interactions among genetic processes. We developed an open-source, individual-based simulation model for conducting genetic …

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A 13-Year Temporal And Spatial Analysis Of Nutrient Levels In Possession Sound And Their Seasonal Relationship With River Discharge, Sheamin Kim Apr 2022

A 13-Year Temporal And Spatial Analysis Of Nutrient Levels In Possession Sound And Their Seasonal Relationship With River Discharge, Sheamin Kim

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Nutrient levels in an estuarine environment vary widely over geography and various input source points. They are important in understanding the overall health of an ecosystem due to their impact on primary production. The combined effects of seasonal changes, tidal patterns, and local manmade nutrient sources can cause nutrient levels in an estuary to vary. Unnaturally high nutrient levels can affect other water chemistry variables, and contribute to events such as harmful algal blooms, hypoxia, and ocean acidification. This study presents 13 years of nutrient data and analysis from three different sites in Possession Sound. Each site was analyzed for …

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Restoration Implementation Planning For Salish Sea Stream Mouths Impacted By The Railroad, Paul Schlenger Apr 2022

Restoration Implementation Planning For Salish Sea Stream Mouths Impacted By The Railroad, Paul Schlenger

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The railroad is a prominent stressor on long stretches of shoreline in the Washington portion of the Salish Sea. It runs along 52 miles of the shoreline, while another 21 miles of railroad is within 200 feet of the shoreline. In many places, the railroad forms a barrier between the coastal watershed and the shoreline preventing the delivery of water, sediment, wood, and organic matter to the nearshore. This results in large-scale degradation of the habitat quality of the nearshore environment, which is important habitat for several trophic levels of the Salish Sea food web. Building upon a science-based prioritization …

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Long-Term Water Quality Monitoring Trends And Drivers Of Change In Marine And Fresh Waters Of The Swinomish Reservation, Wa, Shannon Stewart, Nicole Casper Apr 2022

Long-Term Water Quality Monitoring Trends And Drivers Of Change In Marine And Fresh Waters Of The Swinomish Reservation, Wa, Shannon Stewart, Nicole Casper

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Swinomish Indian Tribal Community is a federally-recognized Indian Tribe and political successor in interest to certain tribes and bands that signed the 1855 Treaty of Point Elliot, which among other things reserved fishing, hunting, and gathering rights and established the Swinomish Reservation on Fidalgo Island in Skagit County, Washington. Fish and fish habitat are crucial to the cultural, spiritual, subsistence, and commercial activities of the Swinomish Tribe. Surface water quality monitoring of marine and fresh waterbodies on and surrounding the Swinomish Reservation began in 1997. Over time, additional monitoring sites have been added to provide a thorough understanding of …

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Salinity Variance Mixing In The Salish Sea Is Controlled By River Flow, Erin Broatch, Dr. Parker Maccready Apr 2022

Salinity Variance Mixing In The Salish Sea Is Controlled By River Flow, Erin Broatch, Dr. Parker Maccready

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

A salinity variance framework is used to study mixing in the Salish Sea, a large fjordal estuary. Output from a realistic numerical model is used to create salinity variance budgets for individual basins within the Salish Sea for 2017-2019. The salinity variance budgets quantify the mixing in each basin and diagnose the numerical mixing, which is found to contribute about one-third of the total mixing in the model. Whidbey Basin has the most intense mixing, due to its shallow depth and large river flow. Unlike in most other estuarine systems previously studied using the salinity variance method, mixing in the …

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Eelgrass Correlation To Pseudo-Nitzschia Population, Kyle Peterson Apr 2022

Eelgrass Correlation To Pseudo-Nitzschia Population, Kyle Peterson

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Within an ecosystem, eelgrass beds are critical for many species, filtering runoff, protecting from shore erosion, and storing or absorbing excess nutrients and greenhouse gases. Eelgrass is also a nursery or home for many aquatic species. Because of this, eelgrass is the center of much research due to its pinnacle role within the aquatic ecosystem. Within Possession Sound, eelgrass’s relationship to phytoplankton such as Pseudo-nitzschia, a potentially toxic phytoplankton, is of particular interest. This study utilized six years of data from 2015 to 2021 collected from four sites within Possession Sound. The presence of eelgrass beds and their relative size …

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An Assessment Of Blue Carbon Sources And Potential In The Nisqually Estuary Using Biomarkers And Compound-Specific Isotopes Of Marsh Plants, Eelgrass, And Sediment, Dr. Renee Takesue Apr 2022

An Assessment Of Blue Carbon Sources And Potential In The Nisqually Estuary Using Biomarkers And Compound-Specific Isotopes Of Marsh Plants, Eelgrass, And Sediment, Dr. Renee Takesue

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The potential of vegetated coastal ecosystems to sequester significant organic carbon (Blue Carbon) has gained much attention as a climate mitigation strategy. Organic carbon buried in coastal sediment is produced both in situ and externally, and knowledge about sources is essential for Blue Carbon assessments and for ecosystem restoration and management. The goals of this study are to develop and utilize a suite of organic carbon source signatures for Salish Sea Blue Carbon ecosystems. Source signatures integrate information from traditional stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratios (d13CTOC, d15NTOC), traditional biomarkers (n-alkanes, sterols), and biomarker-specific stable isotopes (CSIA: d13Cn-alk, d13Csterol) in …

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Oceanographic Properties And Effects Of Deep Renewals In The Strait Of Georgia, Mina Masoud Apr 2022

Oceanographic Properties And Effects Of Deep Renewals In The Strait Of Georgia, Mina Masoud

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The most dramatic (albeit largelyy unseen) aspect of the Strait of Georgia's circulation is its deep-water renewal. Waters below about 200m are replaced only during summer, but within the summer season only in short pulses a few days long each month. These deep water renewal events are associated with intrusions of dense Pacific Ocean waters into the Strait of Georgia through the narrow Juan de Fuca Strait during summer coastal upwelling periods. These events cause fluctuations in oceanographic properties of the Strait of Georgia, such as salinity, dissolved oxygen, temperature and nutrients, and result in large increases in turbidity near …

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Water Currents And Their Effect On Possession Sound, Nadia Brainerd Apr 2022

Water Currents And Their Effect On Possession Sound, Nadia Brainerd

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

In any marine ecosystem, water currents are an important factor in both the biological and physical movements of a body of water. The focus of this study is the Possession Sound estuary in the Salish Sea which lies in an interesting area that is affected both by discharge from the Snohomish River and surrounding streams, as well as incoming ocean currents from the Pacific Ocean. In Possession Sound the currents can affect everything from the regular boat traffic through the area to the transportation of debris and other natural or harmful substances in the water. An Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler …

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Transboundary Programs To Quiet The Seas: Successes, Challenges, And The Road Ahead, Krista Trounce, Rachel Aronson, Dr. Julie Watson, Sonja Henneman, Grace Ferrara, Alanna Frayne, Isabel Deutsch, Donna Sandstrom Apr 2022

Transboundary Programs To Quiet The Seas: Successes, Challenges, And The Road Ahead, Krista Trounce, Rachel Aronson, Dr. Julie Watson, Sonja Henneman, Grace Ferrara, Alanna Frayne, Isabel Deutsch, Donna Sandstrom

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Of all the threats facing the southern residents, reducing noise and disturbance is one area where we have made tangible progress around the Salish Sea. Public processes have led to new programs and policies - successes we can build on, and learn from. This panel will provide a transboundary perspective on programs that been implemented to manage and monitor vessel impacts by sector (i.e., large ships, small vessels), and identify high priority gaps or needs. For each program, panelists will discuss: 1.) What are the successes, so far? What are the challenges, and where are the gaps? 2.) How does …

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Salish Sea Education In Public Schools Breaks Barriers To Science, Traditional Knowledge, And A Culture Of Evidence-Based Decision-Making. How Can We Elevate Access?, Mira Lutz Castle, Dr. Bert Weber, Leonard Merriman, Sally Hanft, Ardi Kveven, Elizabeth Schmitz, Anna Booker, Rosie Cayou James Apr 2022

Salish Sea Education In Public Schools Breaks Barriers To Science, Traditional Knowledge, And A Culture Of Evidence-Based Decision-Making. How Can We Elevate Access?, Mira Lutz Castle, Dr. Bert Weber, Leonard Merriman, Sally Hanft, Ardi Kveven, Elizabeth Schmitz, Anna Booker, Rosie Cayou James

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

If we want adult citizens who consider they are uphill from the ocean when voting and in their daily decisions, our children need opportunities to know, connect with, and help protect the Salish Sea, their home. If we want wildlife recognition to surpass brand recognition and outside playtime to surpass screen time for our children, we need estuary education growth on an exponential scale. Educating students about the watershed and sea we share is integral to any far-seeing strategic plan for recovery and fulfilling the solemn promises of our treaties. Salish Sea science in public and tribal schools reaches every …

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Maplewood Marine Restoration Project - Panel Session, Charlotte Olson, Vanessa Koo, Lindsey Ogston, Hillary Hyland, Cora Den Hartigh, Jemma Scoble, Neil Snowball, Ravi Chatterji, Cynthia Durance Apr 2022

Maplewood Marine Restoration Project - Panel Session, Charlotte Olson, Vanessa Koo, Lindsey Ogston, Hillary Hyland, Cora Den Hartigh, Jemma Scoble, Neil Snowball, Ravi Chatterji, Cynthia Durance

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Vancouver Fraser Port Authority’s Habitat Enhancement Program (HEP) administers the largest habitat bank in Canada, through an agreement with Fisheries and Oceans Canada. This initiative is intended to provide a balance between a healthy environment and future development projects that maybe required for port operations. The program is aligned with the port authority’s vision to be the world’s most sustainable port and is focused on creating, restoring and enhancing fish and wildlife habitat. Building on the success of past projects within Burrard Inlet, in 2019, the port authority and Tsleil-Waututh Nation (TWN) entered into a ten-year agreement to formalize …

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Sea Urchin Populations In The Salish Sea: Recent Findings Regarding Invertebrates That Support A Prized Fishery And Play An Important Role In Nearshore Ecosystems., Helen Berry, Dr. Daniel Okamoto, Dr. Ole Shelton, Taylor Frierson, Cynthia Catton Apr 2022

Sea Urchin Populations In The Salish Sea: Recent Findings Regarding Invertebrates That Support A Prized Fishery And Play An Important Role In Nearshore Ecosystems., Helen Berry, Dr. Daniel Okamoto, Dr. Ole Shelton, Taylor Frierson, Cynthia Catton

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Major changes in urchin populations have been reported in recent years around the world, coupled with profound cascading effects on nearshore ecosystems. Extreme climatic events are postulated to be a common driver, along with changes in populations of predators such as sea otters and sea stars. This panel brings together ecologists from British Columbia and Washington to highlight recent results on spatial patterns and temporal trends in sea urchin populations in the Salish Sea and the exposed coast. Findings suggest differences among locations in both species abundances and ecological interactions. Topics include: abundances of individual species, locations with large aggregations, …

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Modeling The Effects Of Projected Climate Warming On Stream Temperatures In The Stillaguamish River Basin, Emily Smoot Apr 2022

Modeling The Effects Of Projected Climate Warming On Stream Temperatures In The Stillaguamish River Basin, Emily Smoot

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Stillaguamish River watershed is a snow-and-rain mixed basin in northwestern Washington, with snowmelt being important for sustaining spring and summer streamflow and buffering stream-temperatures. Elevations in the 1700 sq-km Stillaguamish basin reach roughly 2000 m that sustain a historical snowpack above about 1000 m. Previous basin-specific modeling projected that snowpack will retreat to higher elevations and summer stream temperatures will increase, reaching both embryo lethality (16 °C) and adult lethality (22 °C) by 2075 in the North and South Forks in the Stillaguamish River. Stream temperature increases are of significant concern because of the threatened Chinook salmon population, which …

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Hatchery Release Strategy Effects On Production Outcomes For Chinook And Coho, Sam James Apr 2022

Hatchery Release Strategy Effects On Production Outcomes For Chinook And Coho, Sam James

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Salmon hatcheries face the challenging task of developing release strategies that attempt to maximize survival and minimize risk to wild populations. Release strategies refer to the size at release, timing of release, nature of release (i.e. forced or volitional), number of releases, release location, and the use of acclimation facilities prior to release. We led an extensive review of hatchery release strategies and how they can be used as a management tool to influence production outcomes (i.e. survival, catch, and return ages). The review consisted of three components: 1) a systematic review of the literature from BC and the western …

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Utilizing New Pit Tag Technology To Assess Juvenile Chinook Migration Patterns, Residence Time, And Survival In The Lower Green River., Chris Gregersen Apr 2022

Utilizing New Pit Tag Technology To Assess Juvenile Chinook Migration Patterns, Residence Time, And Survival In The Lower Green River., Chris Gregersen

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The highly altered lower Green river subbasin has been the focus of intense salmon habitat planning and restoration efforts since the listing of Puget Sound Chinook in 1999. Monitoring juvenile chinook migration and life history dynamics has been critical for tailoring habitat restoration in the Green River. In the lower Green subbasin, however, juvenile salmon population monitoring using screw traps has proven to be difficult due to low gradient and water velocities. Meanwhile, traditional monitoring methods (e.g., electrofishing and seining) cannot accurately quantify residence time or survival rates. Given the large financial investments of habitat restoration in the lower Green, …

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Assessing Futures Of Two Cowichan River Pacific Salmon Species, Chinook And Coho, Using Scenario Analysis For Cumulative Effects Assessment, Dr. Arman Ospan, Johannes J. Feddema, Andrea Locke Apr 2022

Assessing Futures Of Two Cowichan River Pacific Salmon Species, Chinook And Coho, Using Scenario Analysis For Cumulative Effects Assessment, Dr. Arman Ospan, Johannes J. Feddema, Andrea Locke

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

We assessed futures of the Cowichan River’s anadromous Chinook and Coho salmon populations using a proposed methodology for Cumulative Effects Assessment. First, we examined linkages between salmon survival and effect drivers; we built quantitative models to predict changes in salmon survival in response to changes in effect drivers; created scenarios of divergent futures for each effect driver; and, by applying the models, projected salmon survival for each scenario. We conducted assessment for both early freshwater and marine environments. In fresh water, we focused on two main factors: streamflow and stream temperature, and two main drivers: land use and climate change. …

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Modeling The Effects Of Climate Change On Peak Flows In The Nooksack River, North Cascades, Wa, Evan Paul Apr 2022

Modeling The Effects Of Climate Change On Peak Flows In The Nooksack River, North Cascades, Wa, Evan Paul

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Nooksack River in northwest Washington State provides freshwater for agriculture and industrial use and serves as a vital habitat for endangered salmon, a resource that is of cultural and economic importance to the Nooksack Indian Tribe. Historically, peak streamflows in the 2300 sq-km Nooksack basin are driven by rainfall in the fall and early winter. Global climate models (GCMs) project an increase in air temperatures for the Salish Sea region, and previous modeling within the Nooksack basin projects a reduction in snowpack extent through the 21st century and an increase in winter streamflow magnitude. As more landscape becomes exposed …

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Floodplains By Design: Introductory Guidance And Resources For The Integration Of Climate Information In Floodplain Management, Tess Wrobleski Apr 2022

Floodplains By Design: Introductory Guidance And Resources For The Integration Of Climate Information In Floodplain Management, Tess Wrobleski

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The adaptive co-management of a complex, socio-ecological system such as floodplains often requires a strategic and coordinated approach for achieving climate resilience. At the same time, the collaborative nature of Integrated Floodplain Management often involves a broad range of actors with varying perspectives on adaptation who must work within their own organizational mandates, regulatory domains and decision-making frameworks. Through an assessment of existing literature, this work draws on best practices to develop Introductory Guidance for effective climate adaptation in Integrated Floodplain Management. The goal of this guidance document is to provide floodplain practitioners in Pierce, Snohomish, and Whatcom counties with …

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Improving Salmon Access To Inland Habitat Can Also Reduce Risk To Human Safety And Property, Ken Cousins Apr 2022

Improving Salmon Access To Inland Habitat Can Also Reduce Risk To Human Safety And Property, Ken Cousins

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Salmon are not only keystone species, but are also culturally and economically critical, supporting large tribal, commercial, and recreational fishing industries. Transportation infrastructure can significantly impact salmon, especially where road crossings impede their free movement. Modifying stream crossing infrastructure to restore salmon access to inland habitat is a major (albeit expensive) priority throughout the region. Progress in this area will require broadening stakeholder support and financing options. We must expand our understanding of the value of improving stream crossings to include not only ecological costs, but also conventional risks (e.g., localized flooding, transportation disruptions) arising from disrupted stream flows. Earth …

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Puget Sound Federal Task Force: Coordinating, Leveraging And Prioritizing Diverse Federal Programs Toward A Healthy And Sustainable Puget Sound, Erik Peterson, Peter Murchie, Elizabeth Babcock, Diane Hennessey, Richard Vacirca, Nathaniel Scholz, Catherine Gockel, Bill Labiosa, Dakota Badawy Apr 2022

Puget Sound Federal Task Force: Coordinating, Leveraging And Prioritizing Diverse Federal Programs Toward A Healthy And Sustainable Puget Sound, Erik Peterson, Peter Murchie, Elizabeth Babcock, Diane Hennessey, Richard Vacirca, Nathaniel Scholz, Catherine Gockel, Bill Labiosa, Dakota Badawy

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The Puget Sound Federal Task Force (PSFTF) panel at the 2022 Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference will include presentations and an opportunity for discussion on current priority U.S. federal actions to protect and restore Puget Sound. PSFTF Co-chairs will provide an overview, including the role and relationship to treaty protected rights and resources. PSFTF Subteam Leads will highlight federal work on cross-cutting actions; fish passage; nearshore and shorelines; floodplains, riparian habitat, and estuaries; shellfish; stormwater; and science and monitoring. As background, with the Puget Sound Congressional delegation, Puget Sound Partnership, tribes and others recognizing that formal program and budget coordination at …

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Explorations Into The Assessment Of Hatchery Effectiveness And Interactions Between Hatchery And Wild Fish: Challenges And Results., Andy Rosenberger Apr 2022

Explorations Into The Assessment Of Hatchery Effectiveness And Interactions Between Hatchery And Wild Fish: Challenges And Results., Andy Rosenberger

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Wild stocks of Pacific salmon have experienced significant declines in abundance over the past century. One of the management tools to compensate for these losses has been the use of hatcheries to produce salmon and provide continued support for our fisheries, rebuilding and conservation efforts. There is now widespread recognition of the need to evaluate the role and effectiveness of hatcheries in British Columbia. In 2020, the Pacific Salmon Foundation received funding through the BC Salmon Restoration and Innovation Fund to conduct an independent science-based review of hatchery effectiveness in BC. This work is made up of several components, a …

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Connection To Place: Indigenous Leadership For Holistic Research, Restoration And Governance In Səlilwət (Burrard Inlet), Hillary Hyland, Spencer Taft, Lindsey Ogston, Graham Nicholas, Anuradha Rao Apr 2022

Connection To Place: Indigenous Leadership For Holistic Research, Restoration And Governance In Səlilwət (Burrard Inlet), Hillary Hyland, Spencer Taft, Lindsey Ogston, Graham Nicholas, Anuradha Rao

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Tsleil-Waututh Nation (TWN) is rooted in Burrard Inlet. Since time immemorial, Indigenous laws, knowledge and practices have enabled Tsleil-Waututh to govern, manage and protect these lands and waters. Post-contact pressures have reinforced the urgent need for environmental stewardship and restoration. Representatives of TWN’s Treaty, Lands and Resources Department will discuss how TWN’s leadership is advancing holistic approaches to improve the health of Burrard Inlet and its watersheds. Weaving Western and Indigenous Science TWN is a leader in weaving diverse worldviews toward holistic ecosystem management. TWN’s Burrard Inlet Action Plan, and their other plans, policies, and co-management agreements have united participants …

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Bring Your Estuary Expertise To Students Outdoors! Seadoc Society’S Free Explore The Salish Sea Curriculum For Grade 5 - Just Add Water...And Community Partners., Mira Lutz Castle, Leigh Ann Gilmer Apr 2022

Bring Your Estuary Expertise To Students Outdoors! Seadoc Society’S Free Explore The Salish Sea Curriculum For Grade 5 - Just Add Water...And Community Partners., Mira Lutz Castle, Leigh Ann Gilmer

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Over 200 schools are currently using the Explore the Salish Sea curriculum with the award-winning Explore the Salish Sea: A Nature Guide for Kids book, and SeaDoc has donated nearly 4,900 copies to students in low income and tribal schools. Why? To build a science-literate, traditional knowledge-respecting citizenry who considers the life downstream in their every day and voting decisions. Teaching students science is one thing, but giving students a hands-on opportunity to participate in real science is a surefire way to increase their learning engagement. SeaDoc Society invites you to the table to discover how this curriculum engages students …

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The 2021 Puget Sound Nearshore Summit And Synthesis: Proceedings And Key Outcomes, Dr. Letitia (Tish) Conway-Cranos Apr 2022

The 2021 Puget Sound Nearshore Summit And Synthesis: Proceedings And Key Outcomes, Dr. Letitia (Tish) Conway-Cranos

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Led by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s (WDFW) Estuary and Salmon and Restoration Program (ESRP) and the Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program (PSEMP) Nearshore Work Group, the goal of the Nearshore Summit was to connect natural scientists, social scientists, and restoration practitioners to synthesize Puget Sound nearshore restoration actions and science. Specific objectives were to: (1) Synthesize nearshore restoration science, (2) Capture insights from restoration practice, (3) Identify the most important science and restoration management questions that will guide future actions, (4) Update Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project (PSNERP) conceptual models for the ecosystem responses of specific …

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Interactive Threats Reduce Foraging And Prey Capture Effort By Endangered Killer Whales, Dr. Marla Holt Apr 2022

Interactive Threats Reduce Foraging And Prey Capture Effort By Endangered Killer Whales, Dr. Marla Holt

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

Vessel traffic is a global threat to many marine mammals. Vessels can strike individuals, introduce pollutants, disrupt behavior, and generate noise. Moreover, marine mammals face other threats such as altered prey fields due to anthropogenic factors (e.g. habitat, fisheries, climate change). However, there is often uncertainty regarding what aspects of these threats create the greatest risks given difficulties of studying marine mammal behavior. Here, we use high-resolution animal-borne Dtags to study the behavioral ecology of endangered Southern Resident killer whales (SRKW) that rely on biosonar to hunt Pacific salmon and investigate how proximate vessels affect foraging behavior and outcomes. We …

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The Variety And Value Of Grassroots, Ground-Up Recovery Efforts, Jess Newley, Donna Sandstrom, Dr. Frances Robertson, Susie Washington-Smyth, Jessica Scott Apr 2022

The Variety And Value Of Grassroots, Ground-Up Recovery Efforts, Jess Newley, Donna Sandstrom, Dr. Frances Robertson, Susie Washington-Smyth, Jessica Scott

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The endangered status of the southern resident killer whale population and the likelihood of further human growth and development around the Salish Sea both indicate that the population’s recovery will be a daunting, long-term challenge to Canadian and U.S. governments and First Nation Tribes. Communities and non-governmental organizations presently have, and will continue to have, a vital role to play in contributing to the collective effort to provide the whales a quieter, less disruptive Salish Sea to successfully forage, communicate, socialize and raise their calves. For this panel, presenters will describe some of the activities currently underway to reach the …

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Shoreline Management Plans: A Hindrance Or A Help To Kelp Conservation In Puget Sound?, Katherine Conroy Apr 2022

Shoreline Management Plans: A Hindrance Or A Help To Kelp Conservation In Puget Sound?, Katherine Conroy

Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference

The waters of Puget Sound are home to one of the most diverse assemblages of kelp species in the world, providing numerous ecosystem services. However, documented loss of bull kelp (Nereocystis luekeana) forests in South and Central Puget Sound and observed declines throughout Puget Sound, pose a threat to marine ecosystems dependent on kelp forests for habitat and primary production, and jeopardize economic activities reliant on kelp-based resources. Although the recently released Kelp Conservation and Recovery Plan highlights the need for action, local environmental regulations may complicate implementing restoration projects and may not adequately protect kelp. We used content analysis …

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