Beach Watchers Work HARD! Beach Watchers and other great volunteers from Port Townsend Marine Science Center and NOSC turned out to help Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife seed Pacific oysters at Irondale Beach in early July. The work was hard but the weather (foggy and cool) was good, the tide was low and the company was outstanding. We seeded 100 bags of oysters in two hours! Here are some action shots of the day.The Truck arrives.
Andy demonstrates
Meredith & Paul have another technique
Shells on the beach (=seeded)
JEFFERSON COUNTY FAIR
WE NEED YOU!!
August 14, 15, and 16, 2009; 10am - 9pm
The Jefferson County Fair is coming right up. Beach Watchers will have a booth to talk with people about all our activities. Watch for a sign up schedule - coming soon - or call Darcy to reserve your spot today! 376-5610 x230.
CRAB POT ESCAPE CORD
HELP NEEDED
Are you good at cutting string and putting it in a bag? Well, do I have a job for you! We need to make more Crab Pot Escape Cord packets to distribute the crab season underway now. Once we have some packets made up, we need to get them out there. Last year Beach Watchers distributed this “rotten cotton” at the following locations.* The Boat Haven office and gas pump
* Fort Worden at the Marine Science Center
* Fort Flagler
* Mystery Bay
* Nordland Store
* Port Hadlock Launch
* Swains
* Carl’s Building Supply
* Cape George
* The marina at Port Ludlow
* West Marine
* Quilcene Ranger Station
* WSU Extension Office
If you can help with distribution or manufacturing please call Darcy at 379-5610 x230 or email darcym@jefferson.wsu.edu.
NEW PROJECT: WATER QUALITY MONITORING!
Anyone up for water quality monitoring? We have 20 kits from Sound Citizen to conduct testing in our area. The tests are immediate for nitrates, nitrites, total alkalinity and pH. The water sample is then mailed to the University of Washington School of Oceanography for further analysis. We can test fresh or salt water. We would like to try and do some testing at storm drains immediately after a big rain. Other areas of interest include: Mystery Bay, Chimacum Creek and North Beach. If you would like to participate please email me at darcym@wsu.edu
For more information go to: www.soundcitizen.org
MEGALOPS ANYONE?
Jefferson County Beach Watchers are participating in a study to learn where the Dungeness crab larvae in Hood Canal come from. The Dungeness crab population in Hood Canal is in steep decline. Harvest has fallen from 698,000 pounds in 2005, to just 168,000 pounds in 2008. No one knows why.Dungeness crab larvae (called megalops) drift for up to six months before they settle to the shore and transform to juvenile crabs. Crab larvae in Hood Canal may drift in from as far away as the Pacific Ocean or they may come from Hood Canal. The size of the individuals in each settlement wave, and the timing of their settlement in each location, will give us clues to their origin. Finding the source is key to unlocking the cause of the decline in adult crabs, and will guide management actions for their recovery.
Since megalops larvae cling to anything in their path, collection is easy. A megalops collector (a mesh bag of Tuffy kitchen scrubbers) is hung from a dock or buoy and is collected once a week or more. The megalops are then rinsed off and frozen to be measured later.
WSU Beach Watchers have joined a network of other crab larvae (megalops) observers located from around the straights and Admiralty Inlet. Tribal and State shellfish managers, non-governmental groups and volunteers. All with the common goal of working toward a long term sustainable crab fishery.
For more information contact the research director Paul Williams at pwilliams@suquamish.nsn.us or WSU Beach Watchers of Jefferson County at 360/379-5610 x230. Or check out the website of the Megalops Observer Network at www.megalops.org
Jefferson County Beach Watchers have set up monitoring stations at Port Hadlock, Kala Point, Discovery Bay and Cape George. If you would like to help out, give Darcy a call at 379-5610 x230.
PARTY AT SEATTLE AQUARIUM!
Join other Citizen Scientists at the free COSEE event on Tuesday, August 4th from 6:30 pm- 9:30 pm at the Seattle Aquarium. All active volunteers are invited to a special program hosted by: COSEE-Ocean Learning Communities and the Seattle Aquarium Beach Naturalist Program. This event is for Beach Watchers, Marine Program Staff, Volunteers and Ocean Scientists.
Location: Seattle Aquarium Great Hall and Life on the Edge exhibit
Program: View current Ocean Science Research and Learning Science posters and talk to the scientists.
6:30 View current Ocean Science and Learning Science Research posters and talk to the scientists. Mingle with Marine volunteers, Staff, Ocean and Learning Scientists
7:15 Dinner: Pizza and Salad
8:00 Speaker: Hugh Shipman, Coastal Geologist, Department of Ecology
9:00 Concluding remarks and the famous COSEE raffle
You must RSVP by clicking here or by going to https://www.surveymonkey.com /s.aspx?sm=ZUqJnp4M_2b_2bypW_2fss4iwMUQ_3d_3d
COSEE regrets that they will not be able to accommodate extra guests/family members at this event.
I am planning to attend -- Please join me and carpool/ferry together. Details to follow. Please RSVP to COSEE now and also let me know you are going. Let's have a great showing from Jefferson County!
JUST FOR FUN....
INTERESTED IN WEATHER?
For this inside scoop on the weather, check out Cliff Mass’s excellent blog by clicking here.
FUN WITH FLASH CARDS
REEF Pacific NW Fish and Invertebrates flashcards. This flashcard series, partly put together with the help of new volunteer Larry Osterman, is a great tool for learning or relearning the names of marine creatures. While these are intended for REEF divers, anyone can use them and you don’t have to register online. If you’re a flash card kind of learner, check out this fun and useful set by clicking here.
SAVE THE DATES
STORMWATER MANAGEMENT VIDEO
One Back Yard at a Time.
Video showing.
September 15, 2009
9:00am – 11:30am
WSU Extension, Spruce Room
Followed by a Beach Water social/brown bag lunch
WSU BEACH WATCHERS WATERSHED DAY
October 24, 2009
Details coming…..