PNW C-Brats beware!!!

The Puget Sound is in trouble and we all should care a great deal about the health of our playpen. The Orca issue is much broader and I hear no indication that fishing will be effected, yet the Orca are an indicator species. They rarely come into the South Sound for instance as result of fewer salmon. This listing may well allow for changes in where the military can test its low frequency sonar and communication devices which are very harmful for marine mammals.
Do I fish, crab, shrimp? You bet I do, but the ability to view the more majestic animals of the sea has much to do with why I moved up to a larger boat.
The health of Puget Sound is a big issue for all who enjoy these waters regardless of where you are on the political spectrum. All you have to do is ponder over the great reductions in seasons for Salmon and shrimp in Hood Canal as result of very real factors which are hard to see. Better yet, if you are in denial over the degradation of the sound, take a trip up to the head of Henderson Inlet and note the change from clear water to pea soup that smells like greenlake.
If we as boaters and fishers cannot come together in support of cleanup and protection efforts then the future is bleak for sure.
Dang, I just noticed how high this horse is. Climbing down slowly now.
 
Dog,
I'm looking forward to meeting you sometime. I get around to AK occasionally. I want to meet a man who thinks the best way to talk about something important is to take snide shots at people who disagree with his point of view. Trouble is, there's too many of y'all. Read Capital Sea's post before this one. I'm hoping that by the time we get to Puget Sound, folks with your apparent attitude haven't allowed the place to turn into salty pea soup, vegetarian style. I'm gonna guess, though, that you are brighter than you put out, and just like to yank chain. I hope so, at least. Peace. Bruce H.
 
And a word about whale watching in the PNW. Orca tend to run along the shore a few hundred yards out. Conflicts came about as a result of folks who are in a hurry and do not know what to expect.
In the fall we ran around the outside of San Juan from Roach to Cattle point and as predicted we ran into a large pod of Orca about 1/8 mile up ahead. A quick check with the binoculars confirmed that they were headed in our direction and in a few minutes they ran right past and under us as we drifted. Then they came back past / under us. Some 35 in total, playing fishing and socializing. Several came within 50 feet of us as we were adrift.
So, the key to viewing is to get up ahead and drift as they pass and the most likely place to see them is off lime kiln.
 
Warning!!! this is serious. Since NOAA has requested endangered species listing (I'm not sure but I think the "Threatened" designation has been over stepped) there is something amiss. Only in ecological emergencies can the Endangered designation be given. That takes some fancy legal footwork with a migrant sub species. If I remember right, the subspecies must be geographically and/or sexually isolated, causing their genetics to be unique. If... I remember right, there are several "families", a Pueget Sound pod, , a San Juan and outside Vancouver Island pod, a transition pod that wanders about CampbellRiver BC, a Broughten Sound pod(Telegraph Cove BC observed by a radical whale biologists there) A Bela Bela pod, and several that enter Alaska from the south entrance (Dixon Entrance) up through Clarence Strait, a North Prince of Whales pod to Kake and Sea Otter Sound, and a couple loosley identified as ABC killers (Admirality, Baronoff, and Chichecigoff (sp)islands North of Petersburg to Juneau. ). IFFFF..... I remember correctly, all of these pods have sexually intermingled (the big dorsal finned bulls tend to sow their oats far and wide) and the pods are less distinct than what is called for under the endangered species act. It would take some hard jawboning to push that point in court. Last of all, the level of restrictions that can be put in place may be devistating to the cruising pubic, sport fishing not withstanding. We commercial trollers in Alaska aren't in danger... yet. The best thing to do is call your representitives and B*tch!! Check the facts, see the scientific summary information and evaluate the data. Come one, this will effect us all!
 
Here is something we all can do if we live in the drainage area of the Puget Sound.

It was reported that 95% of the pollution entering the Puget sound comes from the land!!

So, be careful about spilling or leaking oil, gasoline, antifreeze, strong detergents, fertilizer, or any other chemical. This stuff all goes into the sound eventually. Keep as much wild woods or natural growth as possible on your property to absorb rainwater and limit runoff.

Protect any salmon stream in your neighborhood and try to educate your neighbors about all this.

If you still operate a 2-stroke O/B motor, consider getting a 4-stroke or an E-TEC.

We are all in this together, if we all do our part, things can get better.
 
Well, I don't have a dog in the fight. (I've always wanted to say that) Actually put me down on the side of the 87 remaining whales. I read quite a bit of the report that Larry linked to and I think I there is a lot of "good information" and "real facts'" in there.
 
Let's do away with all environmental laws. Maybe we can get this place looking like East Germany with the Hudson river flowing through it. Better yet let's make it look like China with the Yellow River or India with the Ganges. They don't have any environmental laws and wouldn't those places be lovely spots to cruise or fish. Yes I know the Hudson is not in Germany.
Forrest
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way too thoughtful a comment....stop it :wink:

ryder
 
Keep this up and Bill's gonna sing his song again!

:note :note :note Turn out the lights, the party's over... :note :note :note
_________________
Bill, C-Brat Nerd

Charlie
 
all i can say is enjoy what you have, as i look in envy at the photos you all post of the fish you catch and eat in the pnw, here on the hudson there are hundreds of signs at river access points warning of the dangers of consuming any fish from the hudson as they are contaminated with PCB's, that is zero consumption. and that mud on my anchor chain?.....
 
I don't particularly care for fish :cry I know Caty, that's blasphemous!... But for sure, I wouldn't eat the mud off the anchor chain!! :smilep

Charlie
 
Yeah, this has clearly progressed past "Just be nice" I would say...we don't do so well with politics around here I think...time for this thread to die a quiet death.
 
We can all do our part as was pointed out above. As boaters we can use non toxic cleaners and biodegradable soap and watch what goes overboard very closely. The DOE fed and state fisheries are not going to outlaw boating and putting that out there only justifies bad acts which should be avoided.
Those who are lucky enough to live here as well as those who visit can do much to reduce their contribution to runoff related pollution. The largest part of the listing involves education. So a good start involves being receptive to becoming better educated about the cause and effect of the choices we make. Eliminating your use of phosphates for instance is a big issue and supporting a ban on PBDE's as fire retardants is another.
What we in the NW have and we as NW boaters enjoy the most is all about water quality. Even today there are many places where you are advised to limit your intake of certain kinds of fish and many others where the seafood we like can no longer be found. It just makes sense for us to lead in efforts aimed at keeping our playpen clean and healthy.
 
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