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The LEO Network is a worldwide network of observers and experts that share their observations of environmental change.
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Observations

Where salmon recreational fishing will be closed to boost orcas
Federal officials have shut down salmon and recreational fishing for the summer in key feeding grounds for killer whales. The closures, which took effect Friday, apply to parts of the southern . . .
Gulf Islands, British Columbia, Canada
Times Colonist

Dolphins in Salish Sea signal warming worries
Times Colonist

Poisonous porcupine fish arrives on Island shores — a B.C. first
Gavin Hanke reaches a gloved hand into the formaldehyde tank at the Royal British Columbia Museum very, very carefully. What emerges is a B.C. first — a poisonous spotted porcupine fish.
Jordan River, B.C. Canada
Times Colonist

Hypothermic tropical sea turtle rescued from waters near Port Alberni
A weak and hypothermic sea turtle is recovering after being rescued near Port Alberni.It’s the fourth olive ridley sea turtle on record in B.C. waters
Port Alberni, British Columbia, Canada

The warm ‘blob’ in Canada’s Pacific Ocean
Last year, 2014, was the hottest year ever recorded on Earth. Unlike other worldwide problems from which Canadians might feel relatively safe and isolated, but Canada is actually ground zero of global climate.
Gulf of Alaska / Northeast Pacific

Rare and friendly sea otter spotted in waters off Saanich
[VIDEOS & PHOTOS] A rare and entertaining sea otter spotted along the shores of Saanich this week has locals thrilled, but wildlife experts warn to keep a distance.
Ten Mile Point, British Columbia, Canada

Rare fish washes ashore at Whiffen Spit
It was a king-of-the-salmon (Trachipterus altivelis), a deep-sea-dwelling species of ribbonfish. Its common name comes from the legends of the Makah people west of Strait of Juan de Fuca, which believe this “king” leads the salmon to their spawning grounds each year.
Sooke, British Columbia, Canada

Southern resident whales returning later to Salish Sea in ‘drastic’ change
Southern resident killer whales made their first appearance in the Salish Sea on Canada Day after more than two months with only a brief sighting off the west coast of Vancouver Island.
Strait of Georgia

Ocean acidity wipes out 10 million scallops near Qualicum Beach
Ten million scallops that have died in the waters near Qualicum Beach due to rising ocean acidity are the latest victims in a series of marine die-offs that have plagued the West Coast for 10 years. . .
Island Scallops Ltd., Vancouver Island, Canada

Lack of food drives away southern resident killer whales
The southern resident killer whales who returned to their traditional summer feeding grounds in the Salish Sea on Tuesday and Wednesday after a long absence have apparently left again, and although most of the members of J-, K- and L-Pods appeared to be healthy, at least one may be close to starvation.
Salish Sea

‘A grave concern’: European green crabs discovered on Haida Gwaii
There are many types of crabs that are green in colour, but only the European green crab has five spines on the outside of each eye. The aggressive invasive species was discovered in Skidegate Inlet; and now working group formed to decide next steps.
Skidegate 1, British Columbia, Canada
Victoria News

Orca pod returns to the Broughton Archipelago after more than 20 years
The A5 pod has returned to the Broughton Archipelago, their traditional winter hunting ground, with a brand new baby in tow.
Fife Sound, Broughton Archipelago, British Columbia, Canada
Victoria News
Zoe Ducklow, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Eagle preys on duck on Saanich Peninsula
‘I’ve never seen that before in my life’
North Saanich, British Columbia, Canada
Victoria News

Dead giant octopuses washed ashore south from Kamchtka peninsula on the Kuril Islands
A mass die off of fish and invertebrates has been reported in the Sea of Okhotsk, west of Kamchatka. Dozens of surfers reported symptoms including including poor eyesight, fever, diarrhea, nausea, vomiting, skin rashes and head and throat aches.
Severo-Kuril’sk, Sakhalin, Russia
Siberian Times

Eco disaster at Kamchatka peninsula with mass death of sea animals at precious Pacific beach
Khalaktyrsky Beach near Petropavlovsk is littered with hundreds of dead sea animals, from deep-sea Giant Pacific octopuses, to seals, sea urchins, stars, crabs and fish. Surfers were the first to raise alarm after problems with eyesight, fevers and throat aches.
Khalaktyrsky Beach
Siberian Times

Oceanfloor Craters Hint of Potential Arctic Methane Explosions in the Future
Hundreds of craters caused by methane explosions were discovered underneath Barents sea. Further research finds evidence that the violent explosions could happen again in the future.
Barrents Sea
Tech Times

Lake Washington sockeye hit record low, another signature Seattle fish at brink of extinction
Some 22,950 sockeye were counted at Ballard’s Hiram Chittenden Locks in 2020, but only about 3,000 made it to the mouth of the Cedar. Another 40 to 50% of those fish typically die on the spawning grounds before they can reproduce.A vortex of climate change, urbanization and predators endangers a beloved species.
Seattle, Washington, United States
Seattle Times

Stunning beach with hundreds of colourful sparkling pebbles damaged by typhoon Maysak
The remarkable glass beach was formed after years of dumping old vodka, wine and beer bottles, along with jars and ceramics during the Soviet era. Record strong wind destroyed at least half of the unique beach on Ussuri bay.
Vladivostok, Primorskiy, Russia
Siberia Times

600 fishermen taken off floating ice in the Sea of Okhotsk
Major rescue operation on the island of Sakhalin went on for two days. Some of the fishermen made their way back to safety on ice floes, using ice diggers as oars.
Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Sakhalin, Russia
Siberia Times

New peril for gray whale survival? Predatory orcas spotted in Baja calving lagoon
One pod showed up in January and was videotaped fatally attacking two resident bottle-nosed dolphins. They may have also killed a gray whale calf, although a body was never found. Predatory orcas have breached a gray whale safe space in Baja California. Could this spell disaster for a species already struggling for survival?
Campo Pachico, Baja California Sur, Mexico
Los Angeles Times

As Bering Sea ice melts, Alaskans, scientists and Seattle's fishing fleet witness changes on a massive scale
Instead of halibut, fisherman are increasingly catching less valuable Pacific cod, voracious bottom feeders whose numbers in recent years have exploded.
Savoonga, Alaska, United States
Seattle Times

Strange electric rays wash up on Provincetown beach
Researchers document unusual find: 31 torpedo rays wash up on Provincetown beach just after Christmas.
Provincetown, Massachusetts, United States
Cape Cod Times

String of collapses at Del Mar bluffs
Officials press forward with emergency plan following string of collapses at Del Mar bluffs.
Del Mar, California, United States
Los Angeles Times

Dead birds prompt warnings across Island
Health and animal control officials on the Island are warning that possible avian flu, specifically highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI), may have infected hundreds of dead cormorants that have been found on Martha’s Vineyard beaches. On Wednesday, the state issued a press release saying that there has been an increase in shorebird deaths statewide, with …
Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts, United States
The Martha's Vineyard Times

Low oxygen levels along Pacific Northwest coast a ‘silent’ climate change crisis
If upwelling starts a month earlier than usual, the amount of oxygen, already low, has to last until the fall when storms promote mixing which adds oxygen back into the system. As of late September this year, upwelling is still occurring and low levels of oxygen are still persisting.
Seattle, Washington, United States
The Seattle Times

Salmon fishing banned along California coast as population plummets
It’s only the second time in history that the ocean salmon fishery has been closed in California, and the decision reflects a major decline in fish populations after the state’s driest three-year period on record.
Bolinas, California, United States
Los Angeles Times

Russian Cosmonaut Shares Unique Video of Shrinking Aral Sea as Seen From Outer Space
Russian cosmonaut Oleg Artemyev posted a video of the Aral Sea on his Telegram channel showing the surface of the Aral Sea.  “Flying over the Aral Sea… or rather, what is left of it,” Artemyev wrote under the video.
Aral Sea
The Astana Times

Warm, wet February linked to rise in ocean temperatures
At Unalaska's Tom Madsen Airport, temperatures haven't dropped below freezing yet this month. And in Cold Bay, the average temperature is running more than 8 degrees Fahrenheit above normal, making this the second warmest start to February since World War II.
Unalaska, Alaska, United States
Bristol Bay Times
Alaska Media, LLC., Steve Keller designer and application developer

Stinger jellyfish swarms wipe out farmed salmon in west of Ireland
Killary Harbour, Ireland
The Irish Times

Are ills of the Arctic hitting California? Hundreds of migratory seabirds wash ashore
Over the last two years, more than 500 northern fulmars were found sick or dead along the Sonoma and Mendocino coasts. What is ailing these seabirds?
Point Arena, California, United States

Pink water at Sentosa Cove caused by heavy rainfall
Investigations into the fish die-off and pinkish-purple colour of the Sentosa South Cove waterway earlier this month have found that they were caused by the heavy and persistent rainfall in recent weeks that altered water conditions.. Read more at straitstimes.com.
Sentosa
The Straits Times

Major Disaster Averted in Icy Kara Sea After Two Oil Barges Ran Aground
Fuel shipments normally take place during autumn from departure ports such as Murmansk and Arkhangelsk. However, last fall saw a sudden freeze-up and quickly accumulating sea-ice on the Northern Sea Route, including the Kara Sea. Of the two rescued barges, one contained 7,000 tons of diesel fuel, while the other was loaded with 170 tons of kerosene.
The Moscow Times

Are ills of the Arctic hitting California? Hundreds of migratory seabirds wash ashore
Over the last two years, more than 500 northern fulmars were found sick or dead along the Sonoma and Mendocino coasts. What is ailing these seabirds?
Albion, California, United States

Oil spill reaches Laguna Beach, threatens Crystal Cove in Newport Beach as cleanup efforts intensify
The oil likely will continue to encroach on Orange County beaches for the next few days, officials said.

Valuable crab populations are in a ‘very scary’ decline in warming Bering Sea
King and snow crab populations in the Bering Sea have plummeted ahead of the harvest season, some by 99% compared to previous years.
Bering Sea
The Seattle Times

New Methane Discharge Discovered in Russia's Arctic
The finding is prompting concerns that a new feedback loop that accelerates climate change may have already been triggered.
The Moscow Times

As the Caspian Sea Disappears, Life Goes on for Those Living by Its Shores
Scientists predict the world’s largest inland sea will shrink by a quarter due to climate change by the end of the century. In Derbent, waves that once threatened to engulf entire streets have retreated by around 100 meters, leaving miles of fresh sand dunes up and down the former shoreline.
Derbent, Dagestan, Russia
The Moscow Times

Beluga Family Rescued From Low Tide by Russian Emergency Worker
Residents of the coastal Chumikan village reported two adult whales and one baby on Wednesday afternoon, on a shore of the Uda River that flows into the sea. Alexei Paramonov spent hours protecting the pod from wild animals and poachers and saved the baby whale from hypothermia.
Chumikan, Khabarovsk Krai, Russia

Hundreds of Seals Are Dying on the New England Coast
Deaths of gray and harbor seals, in much greater numbers than usual, have been attributed to viruses related to distemper and the flu.
Isles of Shoals, United States
New York Times

Russian Arctic Sea Fails to Freeze
For the first time since records began, the Laptev Sea has not yet formed sea ice by the end of October. Scientists attribute the lack of ice to early summer warming and an extreme heatwave in Siberia, as well as warm Atlantic currents flowing into the Arctic.
Laptev Sea

Please go fishing, Washington state says after farmed Atlantic salmon escape broken net
Thousands of farmed Atlantic salmon were accidentally released into the waters between Anacortes and the San Juan Islands, and officials are asking people to catch as many as possible. Tribal fishers, concerned about native salmon populations, call the accident “a devastation.”
Cypress Island, Washington, United States
The Seattle Times

Easter Island Is Eroding
Rising ocean levels are causing waves to break on the statues and platforms built a thousand years ago. The island risks losing its cultural heritage. Again.
Easter Island, Chile
New York Times

How Global Warming Fueled Five Extreme Weather Events
Scientists analyzed 27 extreme weather events from 2016 and found that global warming was a “significant driver” for most of them. We look at five cases.
The New York Times

Spill of farmed Atlantic salmon near San Juan Islands much bigger than first estimates
A fish farm was destroyed after the Atlantic salmon escape, with Cooke Aquaculture calling it a “salvage operation.” Scientists debunked the statement from Cooke that “exceptionally high tides and currents coinciding with this week’s solar eclipse” caused the damage.
Cypress Island, Washington, United States

Hurricane Maria Makes Landfall in Dominica as Other Islands Brace for Potential Disaster
Hurricane Maria barreled through the islands that curve through the Caribbean.
Dominican Republic, Caribbean
The New York Times

Left to Louisiana’s Tides, a Village Fights for Time
For the community of Jean Lafitte, the question is less whether it will succumb to the sea than when — and how much the public should invest in artificially extending its life.
Jean Lafitte, Louisiana, United States
New York Times

The Seattle Times: Sports: Notebook: Humboldt squid make rare appearance here
Washington's outer coast
Seattle Times

In Nicoya Gulf, the deadly red tide lingers
Since early February, the gulf, and beaches and islands surrounding it, have been in the throes of one of the worst blooms of red tide in recent years.
Paquera, Puntarenas, Costa Rica
The Tico Times | Costa Rica News | Travel | Real Estate

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