SSAMN Stream

The pinto abalone is a sea snail and is the only abalone species in Washington State waters. This native species has great cultural and ecological significance. Overharvesting likely led to heavy declines in their population numbers. Since their overexploitation, numerous efforts have been implemented to try to restore populations in the area through abalone hatcheries and the outplanting of juveniles. Puget Sound Restoration Fund (PSRF) is involved in these important efforts. Come learn on this episode from PSRF staff: Dr. Eileen Bates, Senior Abalone Biologist, and Malise Yun, Pinto Abalone Production Lead, about these efforts, successes along with mysteries regarding recovery, and what the future of this species looks like.  

Southern Resident killer whales (SRKWs) and Transient (Bigg's) killer whales roam the waters of the Salish Sea. Being sensitive to their environment, they serve as sentinels to the overall health of the ecosystem. On this episode, Kiah Lee, a graduate student at the University of Oslo, talks to us about research she did involving these two groups of killer whales and PAHs. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, are chemicals found in coal, oil, and gasoline which have known harmful impacts on marine mammals. Their presence in the ocean comes from several sources including oil spills, burning coal, and surprisingly, a large amount may be coming from forest fires. This study was the first to detect PAHs in orcas off of BC. Kiah will tell us all about PAHs, local sources, the implications and importance of these findings, and what we can do to help! 

Most North American Indigenous Peoples, have been described as “Hunter-Gatherers,” with the implication that they simply randomly harvested food sources – from salmon and clams to berries, and greens – available to them from the wild. Increasingly, it is recognized that First Peoples have developed sophisticated techniques and approaches to sustaining and enhancing their food resources and the habitats in which they are found. As my interview with Dr. Nancy Turner, Professor Emerita at the University of Victoria, BC, continues, she will pick up with where we left off last episode on Indigenous resource management practices, with some key examples including transplanting fish, fish traps, seaweed harvesting, herring roe harvesting, estuarine root vegetables, seabird eggs, and clam gardens and discuss their importance, both in the past and at present. These management practices and associated knowledge have excellent potential for application in ecological restoration, food production, permaculture, and biodiversity conservation.

Most North American Indigenous Peoples, have been described as “Hunter-Gatherers,” with the implication that they simply randomly harvested food sources – from salmon and clams to berries, and greens – available to them from the wild. Increasingly, it is recognized that First Peoples have developed sophisticated techniques and approaches to sustaining and enhancing their food resources and the habitats in which they are found. On this episode, Dr. Nancy Turner, Professor Emerita, at the University of Victoria, BC, gives an overview of Indigenous resource management practices, with some key examples including transplanting fish, fish traps, seaweed harvesting, herring roe harvesting, estuarine root vegetables, seabird eggs, and clam gardens and discuss their importance, both in the past and at present. These management practices and associated knowledge have excellent potential for application in ecological restoration, food production, permaculture, and biodiversity conservation.

In the spirit of Halloween, on this episode, we are talking about a spooky topic - whale falls and zombie worms! Whale falls, or whale carcasses that fall to the ocean floor, play a very important role ecologically here in the Pacific Northwest and elsewhere. Dr. Craig Smith, an Emeritus Professor at the University of Hawai'i at Manoa, shares with us about this fascinating topic. Get ready for a bone-chilling episode! 

Oh, My! Loons & coastal water birds, salmon, pinnipeds, forage fish, intertidal critters, seaweed, & invasive species - The Loon Foundation in British Columbia certainly does a ton of monitoring and research. On this episode, get to know this organization and the amazing research they are doing here in the Salish Sea as I interview Jenn Blancard, Field Research Supervisor, about the important work they are doing in Pender Harbour. Pender Harbour is a harbor on British Columbia's Sunshine Coast on the east side of Malaspina Strait. Come learn why this harbor is so important ecologically and what things are being discovered about the health of the Salish Sea Ecosystem through The Loon Foundation's Pender Harbour Coastal Waters Monitoring Program.  

Did you know we have sea otters here in the Salish Sea? It's true! Although rare, there are occasional sightings (rivers otters are much more common). Sea otters play a critical role in helping to maintain healthy kelp forest ecosystems. As such, the recovery of sea otter populations in the North Pacific may have larger implications than just the survival of this species. They may actually help to slow the local impacts of climate change! On this episode, Dr. Shawn Larson, Curator of Research at the Seattle Aquarium, will tell us all about these adorable animals and explain the intriguing connection between them and climate change. 

Invasive species are a large, and sometimes under-looked, problem in both terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems.  If unchecked, they can cause large-scale ecosystem and financial damage, such as European green crabs. But, how bad are aquatic invasive species here in the Salish Sea? What impacts are they having? Which species are on the "most wanted" list here in Washington State and why?  Find out the answers to all these questions and more on this episode as Justin Bush, Aquatic Invasive Species Policy Coordinator for WDFW, talks European green crabs and other invasive species with us! 
 
 

Media plays a very important role in raising awareness amongst the public about environmental issues and endangered species. While media can take many forms, as naturalists, how can we better communicate through media and spread our message to the general public about our beloved endangered Southern Resident killer whales & the issues they face? In a world full of limited attention and distractions, what is the best approach to keeping the focus and conversation on what really matters, the animals themselves and their environment? On this episode, Elizabeth Shepherd, a journalist with the newspaper, Vashon-Maury Island Beachcomber, reflects with us on these important questions and shares her perspectives.  The two articles cited in this interview are available online. To read those, click here and this link. 

Did you know it's possible to see the world's heaviest bony fish off of Washington State and along the Northwest Coast? Molas, or ocean sunfish, are gentle giants that can get up to around 5,000 pounds and 10 feet in length! Dr. Marianne Nyegaard, a Research Associate at the Auckland Museum,  has been collaborating on a citizen science project for several years now to document sightings of molas in our area to get a better sense of the distribution and relative abundance of two different species.  On this episode, we will learn from her all about these amazing fish as well as her ongoing research. If you do see a mola, you can report it through this link.