Justin Cox
Meet Our 3 New Board Members: Scott White, Barb ...

The SeaDoc Board is instrumental to our mission here in the Salish Sea. Scott, Barb, and Jeff bring unique expertise, passion, and dedication to our team and we’re so excited to have them! View the whole board here and learn more about Scott, Barb and Jeff below.

Justin Cox
A Non-Invasive Tool For Collecting Killer Whale ...

Drones can be powerful tools in gathering important health data about wildlife, including marine species like the Salish Sea’s endangered killer whales. Scientists have already established the benefits of collecting breath samples to monitor orca health, but we wanted to scientifically understand if it is less invasive than previous sampling methods–namely the use of a long pole with a petri dish extended from a nearby boat toward the whale’s blowhole.

A new study published in the peer-reviewed journal, Marine Mammal Science, led by SeaDoc Society Research Assistant Catherine Lo, answered that question by analyzing more than 1,000 drone-collected killer whale breath samples. 

A Non-Invasive Tool For Collecting Killer Whale Breath Samples
Justin Cox
Meet SeaDoc's Newest Science Advisors, Caitlin ...

This summer, our brilliant Scientific Advisory Committee gathered in Seattle to assess and ultimately determine funding for five new critical research projects here in the Salish Sea. You can read about those here.

Our Science Advisors are a vital part of our mission, and we’re excited to introduce two exciting new additions. They are Caitlin Magel of Puget Sound Institute and Phil Bloch of Confluence Environmental Company. We asked them a few questions so you can get to know them a bit better. 

Welcome Caitlin and Phil! 

Justin Cox
SeaDoc Announces More than $200,000 in New ...

We're excited to announce that SeaDoc Society will fund five new scientific research projects aimed at improving the longterm health of the Salish Sea. Each project was carefully reviewed and selected by our Scientific Advisory Committee and funded through your donations from people like you.

We look forward to sharing more about each of these as fieldwork ramps up, but here is a brief look at the newly funded projects:

SeaDoc Announces More than $200,000 in New Funded Research
Justin Cox
Joe Gaydos Elected to Washington State Academy ...

The Washington State Academy of Sciences has elected 36 new members in recognition of their outstanding record of scientific and technical achievement. Among the select group in this year’s slate is SeaDoc Society Science Director Joe Gaydos!

Joe Gaydos Elected to Washington State Academy of Sciences

Citizen Divers Aid Understanding of Fish in the Salish Sea

Citizen Divers Aid Understanding of Fish in the Salish Sea

Hundreds of fish species live in the Salish Sea, and many face a number of threats. Monitoring the health of these fish populations is crucial. But with nearly 5,000 miles of coastline and more than 400 islands, it’s no small task.

Historically, monitoring fish populations has included fishery catch data, active trawl surveys, underwater video, satellite imagery, hydroacoustics and more. But citizen scientists are increasingly playing crucial roles, according to a study authored by SeaDoc Society Research Assistant Elizabeth Ashley, who is currently attending veterinary school at UC Davis.

Welcome New Science Advisors & Farewell to Those Who Served!

Welcome New Science Advisors & Farewell to Those Who Served!

We’re excited to introduce you to two newest members of the SeaDoc Society’s Scientific Advisory Board—a crucial part of our work here in the Salish Sea. Before we properly introduce Sunny Jardine and Nicholas Georgiadis, let’s say farewell to three outgoing Science Advisors that have lent SeaDoc their expertise for a combined 50 years! Huge thanks from our whole team!

Former SeaDoc Intern Gets a Big Honor

Greg Bishop was a SeaDoc Society summer intern back in 2011, which was somehow more than a decade ago! Like many interns who have passed through SeaDoc Society to monitor the Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Greg has gone on to do great and exciting work. This month, his latest paper received a high honor.

He received the Open Reports Best Paper Award for his paper, Feline parasites and the emergence of feline lungworm in the Portland metropolitan area, Oregon, USA 2016–2017. As he shares in our short interview below, this is a study of domestic animals that also teaches us about wild species and the interconnectedness of the ecosystem, from people and pets to wildlife and microscopic organisms.

Recovering Herring Stocks Through Indigenous Practices  

Recovering Herring Stocks Through Indigenous Practices  

Herring are a small species of fish, but they play an outsized role in the food web, culture, and the economy here in the Salish Sea and beyond. These small forage fish provide food for larger fish, birds and marine mammals all throughout the sea. If herring stocks suffer, as many of them currently do, the ecosystem-wide ripple effect is large.

A new SeaDoc-funded study will test herring recovery tools adapted from Indigenous practices to support or improve spawning and reproduction. The collaborative work will be led by Long Live the Kings, the Nisqually Indian Tribe, Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, and the University of Washington.

Donor Spotlight: Kelly and Janet Nimtz 

Supporting a cause you care about can take many forms, and Kelly and Janet Nimtz are shining examples of that. Kelly worked for many years at the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and played a sustained role in the growth of the School—which is the top institution in the world. All the while, he and Janet have supported our work in the Salish Sea all the way from their home in California, not only with their energy and enthusiasm, but as longtime donors. They even recently took steps to put SeaDoc Society into their estate plans, meaning their impact will be felt deep into the ecosystem’s future.

The State is Seeking Your Input on the Pinto Abalone Recovery Plan

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) is seeking public comment on a draft recovery plan for pinto abalone, a large species of sea snail that was listed as endangered in Washington in 2019. WDFW prepares recovery plans to guide conservation and recovery efforts of protected species in the state.

Donor Spotlight: Mariann and Ken Carrasco

Donor Spotlight: Mariann and Ken Carrasco

Orcas Island’s Mariann and Ken Carrasco both had successful careers in biology and remain dedicated supporters of science-based solutions to protect the wildlife. SeaDoc Society is lucky to be one of the organizations they entrust with their energy and their dollars. We had the opportunity to ask some questions about their relationship with this ecosystem and their efforts to preserve it!

Do Hatchery Salmon Influence the Migration of Wild Salmon? 

Do Hatchery Salmon Influence the Migration of Wild Salmon? 

Many salmon populations in the Salish Sea are bolstered by releases of juvenile fish that are raised in hatcheries. Juvenile salmon are particularly social creatures, which means many wild salmon may school with (and be influenced by) these hatchery-released fish.

Researchers have long suspected that the seaward migration of hatchery fish might inspire wild salmon to migrate out to sea along with them at times when they might not have otherwise made the trek.

Improving Rockfish Recovery Through Genetics

Improving Rockfish Recovery Through Genetics

Rockfish populations have largely recovered on the West Coast, but populations in the inland waters of the Salish Sea are still endangered.

A new SeaDoc Society-funded study led by University of Washington’s School of Aquatic Fishery Sciences will use genetics and life history information to determine which Salish Sea rockfish species have connectivity with populations on the outer coast and which are isolated to our island waters. Knowing this information will help improve rockfish conservation and recovery plans.

Donor Spotlight: Ed Gullekson

Donor Spotlight: Ed Gullekson

Ed Gullekson is a major asset to the Salish Sea, not only as an advocate for the environment but also as a skilled diver and photographer. Ed has worked alongside SeaDoc Society on our annual REEF advanced-assessment dives, which are an important way to track the health of our marine ecosystems. We asked Ed a few questions about his love for this place and his work in support of its health.

Into the Sandy Sea Floor with a Vital Forage Fish

Into the Sandy Sea Floor with a Vital Forage Fish

“Well-aerated, well-sorted, medium-to coarse-grain...” might sound like a wine flavor profile, but it actually describes the type of sandy, sea floor habitat preferred by Pacific sand lance. Sand lance play a crucial role in the Salish Sea’s food web, providing nutrition for everything from seabirds to whales, salmon, and lingcod. It’s thought that one sand wave field in the San Juan Archipelago alone could be home to over 12 million sand lance, but we’re only beginning to learn about their habitat.

Field Photos: On the Water with the Pinto Abalone Team

Field Photos: On the Water with the Pinto Abalone Team

Like we covered in a post this summer, saving endangered Pinto abalone is hard in part because locating their habitat is time consuming and, as a result, expensive. It requires boats and dive crews in search of suitable locations, but a recent SeaDoc-funded project is looking for something more efficient.

Photojournalist Gemina Garland-Lewis has been following Dr. James Dimond of Western Washington University and his team this summer as they’ve explored a new method: bottling up water and testing it for the presence of abalone DNA to determine habitat. That would simplify things greatly!

Fungal Outbreak in Marine Mammals Began on Land

Fungal Outbreak in Marine Mammals Began on Land

How is a deadly land fungus began killing marine mammals in the Salish Sea? In the early 2000s, a fungus infected hundreds of animals and people in British Columbia and Washington State. Scientists found that the disease also killed porpoises and dolphins in the Salish Sea – perhaps affecting cetaceans even earlier than people.

Has Piecemeal Destruction of Endangered Killer Whale Habitat Violated the Law?

Has Piecemeal Destruction of Endangered Killer Whale Habitat Violated the Law?

Southern Resident Killer Whales are severely endangered and human actions have fueled this decline. At what point does such degradation cross the legal threshold into destruction, introducing our own legal obligation to respond in accordance with the Endangered Species Act?

From depleted salmon populations to increased vessel disturbance and contaminated waters, a recent SeaDoc-funded paper suggests we may have already crossed that threshold into illegal destruction.

Field Photos: The Art of Working With Surf Smelt Embryos

Field Photos: The Art of Working With Surf Smelt Embryos

We recently funded a project that will study smelt habitat, which is being encroached upon by development. The project uses underwater cages to measure pollution exposure, which you can read about in our June blog post.

Photojournalist Gemina Garland-Lewis is shadowing the team in the field. Here are photos from a recent excursion.

Donor Spotlight: Gary Kilbourn

Donor Spotlight: Gary Kilbourn

The ocean and the rainforests are the lungs of our planet and without the oceans, we lose everything.

1. What initially inspired you to support SeaDoc Society?

I am involved with and support several key wildlife and nature groups throughout the world. My philosophy is to only support groups who can make a positive difference on the ground, such as groups who move the needle in a positive direction for their specifically targeted goals. The SeaDoc Society does just that, they are such wonderful, smart people, doing great work, and are making a tangible difference.

Going Deep to Study the Small But Vital Sand Lance

Going Deep to Study the Small But Vital Sand Lance

How do you conduct research on tiny, elusive fish that live hundreds of feet below the surface, burrow under the sandy seafloor, and are only half the size of a dollar bill? Like any challenge in marine biology, when there’s a will, there’s a wave.

In 2018, SeaDoc and Ocean Gate worked together to bring a submersible to the San Juan Islands for researchers needing such a platform for their work. A team of scientists from the Alaska Fisheries Science Center, University of Washington, Moss Landing Laboratories, and Tombolo Mapping Laboratory was awarded sub time to study a very important forage fish.

Is a Newly Discovered Worm a Threat to Oysters in the Salish Sea?

Is a Newly Discovered Worm a Threat to Oysters in the Salish Sea?

Is a newly discovered shell-boring worm a threat to Olympia oysters—a species of concern and the only oyster species in the Salish Sea?

Dr. Chelsea Wood and her team at the University of Washington School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences aims to answer that question. If so, this will be crucial information to modify the current restoration plan for Olympia Oysters (Ostrea lurida).

Sunflower Sea Stars!

Our dive team has been out surveying for young of the year #rockfish this week with colleagues at Paua Marine Research. While did find the baby rockfish we set out for, we had another exciting finding!

We saw five different large sunflower sea stars. SeaDoc and colleagues have published several papers showing how these “world’s largest” sea stars have been decimated by sea star wasting disease and we’ve worked with numerous organizations to help get them listed as Critically Endangered by the IUCN.

Slowing Down on Sucia Island 

Slowing Down on Sucia Island 

It’s easy when you live in the Salish Sea to feel like you’re sort of perpetually camping. Water surrounds you, trees line up on the horizon, the air is fresh, etc. etc. etc. But you also have a phone in your pocket and bills to pay and new series to binge on Netflix. Sure it’s beautiful outside, but those are the trappings of regular nine-to-five type stuff. The forays into nature are carved out and fleeting.