April 13, 2021
By Hannah Jeffries, WSG Science Communications Fellow
At the beginning of last winter, a group of teenagers in Port Townsend began to learn the basics of woodworking through an unusual means: building boxes to demonstrate how to pumpout sewage from boats. Aaron Barnett, the boating program specialist at Washington Sea Grant (WSG), uses ...
March 31, 2021
We are thrilled to announce the release of Planet Ocean, a nonfiction book for middle-grade readers (ages 8 and up) written with an underwater perspective about how climate change and pollution affect the sustainability of our sea. In addition to some cool science, Planet Ocean readers discover our unbreakable connection to the sea. Writer Patricia Newman and diver/photographer Annie Crawley give voice to stories from inspirational scientists, Indigenous peoples, and kids and teens impacted by ocean changes and working to combat them.
Meg Chadsey, ...
Read MoreDecember 10, 2020
WSG awarded grants for Green Shores for Homes, Sea Level Rise Exposure, Shoreline Monitoring Toolbox, and Green Crab Projects for a total of $1.15 million.
The National Estuary Program (NEP) is a place-based initiative to protect and restore the water quality and ecological integrity of estuaries of national significance. Earlier this year, the Puget Sound NEP Habitat Strategic Initiative
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December 9, 2020
A new report details the effects of a changing climate on Puget Sound in 2019, and documents how these changes moved through the ecosystem to affect marine life and seafood consumers.
Scientists observed unusually warm water temperatures in 2019, though not as warm as during the years of “the Blob” marine heatwave of 2014-2016. Salinity was generally higher than normal throughout the Puget ...
Read MoreAugust 24, 2020
Washington Sea Grant, in partnership with the Washington State Parks Clean Vessel Act (CVA) Grant Program, is excited to announce that Pumpout Nav, a free iOS and Android app for boaters, has expanded to Washington. Boaters can now use the interactive tool to find nearly 200 pumpout ...
June 17, 2020
By Brandon McWilliams, WSG Science Communications Fellow
On a normal spring day along the Puget Sound, chances are good that one of the people enjoying the coast is also doing scientific research. Many projects at Washington Sea Grant (WSG) rely on dedicated teams of volunteers to keep tabs on conditions along our coast. These volunteers do everything from monitor invasive European green crab populations with WSG Crab Team, to checking toxic algae ...
Read MoreMay 14, 2020
We know many boaters haven’t been out on the water for a while, or perhaps you are new to boating entirely. Either way, here are some videos to remind everyone of the importance of proper sewage disposal while on the water. Pumpout Washington is a program which provides boaters with designated pumpout stations to dispose of their sewage safely and efficiently. We all share these waters, and get our food from them, so remember, pump- don’t dump!
Check ...
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April 22, 2020
The SeaDoc Society announced Washington Sea Grant Crab Team as the 2020 winner of the Salish Sea Science Prize. The SeaDoc Society, a program of the UC Davis Karen C. Drayer Wildlife Health Center, awards the Salish Sea Science Prize every two years in recognition of scientists whose work results in the improved health of fish and wildlife populations in the Salish Sea.
The Sea Doc Society recognized the Crab Team for their use of science to improve the health of the Salish ...
Read MoreMarch 11, 2020
By Bobbie Buzzell, WSG Science Communications Fellow
Ocean food webs are complex and often difficult to study — but breaking down every connection is important to understanding all predation pressures acting on a single species. These pressures often butt heads with commercial and recreational fisheries, and Pacific salmon have a history of such contention. Off the coast of Washington, salmon are predated on by Steller sea lions, harbor seals, and endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales (SRKW). Previous research on ...
Read MoreDecember 20, 2019
A new report details the effects of a changing climate on Puget Sound in 2018, and describes how these changes trickled down through the ecosystem to affect marine life and seafood consumers.
Scientists observed unusually warm water temperatures, though not as hot as during the years of “the Blob,” the marine heatwave of 2014-2016. Salinity went up everywhere in the Puget ...
Read MoreAugust 20, 2019
While you’re washing away the lingering sunscreen from the last beach day of summer, you’re probably reminiscing about carefree time with family and friends, and daydreaming about the sights and smells at the water’s edge. But have you ever thought about your sunscreen’s impact on water quality?
Summer brings a whole host of human-made threats to water quality. Sewage, oil and debris get most of the press, but the products we use on our skin, ...
Read MoreAugust 8, 2019
Last month WSG’s Meg Chadsey spoke to the Van Alen Climate Council — a group of built environment designers — about ocean acidification’s impacts to local seafood
With bustling waterfronts, famous seafood markets, a robust culinary scene, and an estuary rich with marine life, the Puget Sound region seems to be the picture of seafood security. But look closer at the web of people, the sea, and the climate, and the fragility and vulnerability of ...
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