Justin Cox
Nature is Not a Luxury

SeaDoc is a science-based marine conservation program. We understand that science informs policy, including priority setting and budgeting.

Washington State faces difficult budget choices. With multi-billion-dollar shortfalls, lawmakers are scrutinizing every line item. In moments like this, funding that supports biodiversity — everything from living soil to forests, from bugs to whales, and from mountain streams to the sea—can look like a luxury. It is not.

Nature is Not a Luxury
Justin Cox
Welcome Two New Science Advisors; Farewell Meg ...

Science is at the foundation of everything we do at SeaDoc—from Salish Sea Wild and Pod of Orcas to our efforts to inform policy. For decades our Scientific Advisory Committee has played a vital role on that front. 

The Committee is made up of respected individual scientists doing important work throughout the Salish Sea. This month we say a heartfelt goodbye to one longtime advisor, Meg Chadsey, and we welcome two new exciting additions, Jennifer Russell and Lisa Watkins.

Justin Cox
Science With an Impact: Giles Talks Southern ...

The SeaDoc Society's Dr. Deborah Giles traveled to Washington DC in early February to meet with legislators, including Washington State Senator Patty Murray, and other senior legislative staff members from both the House and Senate.

Justin Cox
Thanks, Michelle!

After years as part of our small but mighty Admin Team, our friend and coworker Michelle Homewood completed her time at SeaDoc last month. She’ll now embark on the exciting next chapter of her career.

As an Administrative Assistant with SeaDoc, Michelle’s hands were on everything from arranging field-work logistics to processing the donations that make that work possible.

Thanks, Michelle!
Justin Cox
Olympia Oysters, Ancient Parasites, Modern ...

When shell-boring marine worms were first documented in Olympia oysters in 2020, they raised an important question for restoration: were these parasites always part of the Salish Sea ecosystem, or were they accidentally introduced with Pacific oysters a century ago? That mystery sent researchers on an investigation thousands of years into the past. 

Olympia Oysters, Ancient Parasites, Modern Lessons

The 'Share the View' Photo Contest is Open (And We're Sponsoring a Category!)

The 'Share the View' Photo Contest is Open (And We're Sponsoring a Category!)

We’re excited to sponsor the Ocean Life category of this year’s Share the View photo contest. It’s the 10th anniversary of the international nature photography contest, so they’ve doubled the prizes and will recognize the top 250 images!

Our friends who put on the Share the View are the ones who helped us with our Salish Sea in Focus contest a few years back. They have some top-notch judges and a rich history. All of the details you need, including our Ocean Life category and all others, can be found below. Good luck!

My Experience Seeing the Unequal and Unjust Impact of Environmental Degradation

My Experience Seeing the Unequal and Unjust Impact of Environmental Degradation

Environmental degradation disproportionally affects racially, socially, and economically marginalized people; in the Salish Sea and world-wide.1 I became more aware of this during my study abroad experience in South Africa, only to later realize it was occurring in my own backyard.

This piece is by Sara Doyle, who was a remote intern with the SeaDoc Society during the COVID19 pandemic evaluating the relationship between the environment and marginalized communities.

How do Harbor Seals Behave After Rehabilitation & Release?

How do Harbor Seals Behave After Rehabilitation & Release?

A recent tracking study published by Samantha Sangster and Dr. Martin Haulena of the Vancouver Aquarium, and Co-authored by SeaDoc Society Science Director Joe Gaydos, shed some new information on the post-release outcome of rehabilitated harbor seals.

The study, titled “Interannual differences in postrelease movements of rehabilitated harbor seal pups (Phoca vitulina richardii) in the Salish Sea” and published in the June 2020 issue of Marine Mammal Science, built upon a study published by the SeaDoc Society in 2012 that looked at one year of wild and rehabilitated harbor seal weaned pup movements. The new study compares rehabilitated harbor seal movement over multiple years, telling a more nuanced story.

Donor Spotlight: Julia Bluth, a Teenage Ocean-Loving Inspiration

Donor Spotlight: Julia Bluth, a Teenage Ocean-Loving Inspiration

Julia Bluth is a 15-year-old SeaDoc supporter who lives in Sacramento. Two years ago, she held a garage sale to raise money for SeaDoc as her Bat Mitzvah community service project. She raised more than $1,000 and will be a lifelong supporter! Julia even wants to study marine biology and work for SeaDoc herself someday!

We caught up with her to ask a few questions about herself and the sea!

Marine Mammals in the Pacific Northwest and a New Disease Threat

Marine Mammals in the Pacific Northwest and a New Disease Threat

In 2012, scientists discovered a dead harbor porpoise with a fungal disease that had not been previously documented in marine mammals in the Salish Sea. Over the next eight years, 20 more marine mammals were diagnosed with that same disease: mucormycosis.

Mucormycosis is caused by a group of fungi called Mucorales, things commonly found in organic matter. People, terrestrial animals and marine mammals are all routinely exposed with little to no effects so long as they have no underlying health issues that weaken the immune system. However, once it takes hold, this disease spreads quickly and has a very high mortality rate.

SeaDoc Featured on the San Juan Island Community Network

SeaDoc Featured on the San Juan Island Community Network

SeaDoc was recently featured on the brand-new San Juan Island Community network, which you can check out here!

In this segment, Science Director Dr. Joe Gaydos talks Southern Resident killer whales, shares SeaDoc’s efforts to engage kids in marine conservation through its free curriculum, Junior SeaDoctors, and offers a sneak peak into SeaDoc’s ‘entertainment zone’ with film director Bob Friel.

How Studying a Small Fish Species Could Lead to Healthier Shorelines

How Studying a Small Fish Species Could Lead to Healthier Shorelines

SeaDoc Society is excited to fund a project that will study the effects of pollution on surf smelt embryos, which could not only improve conservation of the species, but also our ability to measure pollution in general.

Surf smelt are small fish that play a huge role in the food chain, serving as a key food source for sport fish, including the salmon that feed the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whales. Similar to other forage fish including Pacific herring and sand lance, surf smelt spawn near the shore in areas most vulnerable to land-based pollution.

The SeaDoc Society’s latest funded research project will focus on surf smelt habitat, which is being increasingly encroached upon by urban development. There are currently no monitoring methods for assessing the role of contaminants on the health of this important fish.

Donor Spotlight: Apple State Vinegar

Donor Spotlight: Apple State Vinegar

Not only is Apple State Vinegar a wonderful product that comes in just about the most beautiful bottle you have ever seen, but the company’s owners are also champions of wildlife! Six percent of all Apple State Vinegar profits gets donated to organizations that restore clean ocean habitats—one of which is SeaDoc Society! They are also one of the sponsors for our upcoming Cheers to 20 Years virtual event and will have a featured raffle prize.

We asked them why ocean conservation is a key part of their product, from the design to the charitable giving:

Welcome to the Team, Michelle Cartier Homewood!

Welcome to the Team, Michelle Cartier Homewood!

We’re excited to announce the latest addition to our team, Michelle Cartier Homewood! Michelle comes aboard to help SeaDoc on the admin and operations side of things. While the pandemic has changed things, we’re as busy as ever and Michelle has already proven to be an excellent addition as we prepare for our Cheers to 20 Years virtual event on September 17.

Advising on Whale Watch Guidelines & Bridging the Gap Between Science & Policy

Advising on Whale Watch Guidelines & Bridging the Gap Between Science & Policy

Last week, our Science Director, Joe Gaydos, presented to the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission about an upcoming decision they face concerning new whale watching guidelines.

Like most of SeaDoc's science-based work, our efforts are integrated and layered to be more effective at driving conservation. Here’s how how something like this presentation (which you can read in full here) comes about and how it can help drive change:

Ocean Acidification & the Health of the Salish Sea

Ocean Acidification & the Health of the Salish Sea

Ocean Acidification is projected to have a major impact on marine ecosystems and resources in the years ahead. A recent SeaDoc-funded study determined the biological risks facing the Salish Sea if current levels of human-caused Ocean Acidification exposure are maintained.

Through years of groundbreaking science, Nina Bednaršek, who led the team that conducted the study and was awarded SeaDoc’s 2018 Salish Sea Science Prize, discovered that tiny marine mollusks called pteropods could be used to understand the biological effects of Ocean Acidification—a growing threat due to human-caused pollution. Pteropod, whose shells deteriorate with increased acidification, are an indicator species for the ecosystem as a whole.

Donor Spotlight: Jean Lyle on Leaving a Legacy

Donor Spotlight: Jean Lyle on Leaving a Legacy

You may already know Jean Lyle, who worked at SeaDoc for 10 amazing years and remains part of our extended family. She’s a truly wonderful person and a lover of the natural world, most specifically the Salish Sea. If there’s a body of water, she’s swimming it in. If there’s a trail, she’s hiking it.

A few years ago, Jean pledged a legacy gift to the SeaDoc Society, and she shares her reasons below. A legacy gift is a planned future donation - a way to make an investment in something you care about after you are gone. It also can make a difference for you. Legacy giving can provide important tax benefits, including a charitable income tax deduction or savings on capital gains taxes. Gifts can be structured to give you lifetime use of your property or lifetime income from your investments. It’s what we call a win-win.

Meet Eleanor Parks, SeaDoc Society's Newest Board Member!

Meet Eleanor Parks, SeaDoc Society's Newest Board Member!

We’re thrilled to announced the latest addition to our Board of Directors, Eleanor Parks.

Eleanor was born and raised in the Seattle area and spent her youth plying the waters of the Salish Sea, including the San Juan and Gulf Islands, where she developed a passion for the region and a commitment to place-based conservation. She and her husband and also have a cabin on Lopez Island.

SeaDoc Society is Hiring a Regional Director

Have you managed a dedicated team? Do you have demonstrated fundraising experience? Do you know how to engage a high-level Board of Directors and shepherd a team towards the big, hairy and audacious, but critical, goal of creating a healthy Salish Sea? If so, we have the opportunity for you.

The SeaDoc Society is hiring a Regional Director to provide development and management leadership for our team. This is a position within the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine. The person hired will work closely with our Science Director, Dr. Joe Gaydos, our Executive Director Dr. Kirsten Gilardi, and our Board of Directors to advance SeaDoc's overall mission in the Salish Sea. She/he also will oversee and manage SeaDoc Society outreach, education and administrative staff and workloads.

Book Review: The Iconic Abalone’s Remarkable History and Uncertain Future

Book Review: The Iconic Abalone’s Remarkable History and Uncertain Future

How were Vancouver Island’s Nuu-chah-nulth people, California red abalone, Chinese quicksilver, and 18th century Spanish Treasure Fleets connected to each other? In two enlightening pages, author Ann Vileisis weaves a fascinating story of world trade for bright shiny objects, plush furs, and technology that illuminate a web of dependency among the Salish Sea, China, California, Mexico, and Spain all tied to a big marine snail with a miraculous shell—abalone. It’s an engaging introduction.

Donor Spotlight: Dean and Audrey Stupke

Dean and Audrey Stupke have championed SeaDoc's efforts to heal the Salish Sea through science and education for well over a decade. They've regularly donated to our annual GiveBig campaign and our Wine & Sea auction, both of which are crucial to making our science-based work possible. They are also a long-time sponsor of our Ocean Night event series each winter, helping us bring amazing speakers and educational films to Orcas Island.

Are marine mammal stranding hotspots a real thing?

Are marine mammal stranding hotspots a real thing?

Scientists learn a lot about marine mammal health from stranded animals. Afterall, marine mammals don’t spend much time above water, so they’re pretty hard to study. Studying stranded animals teaches us about diseases that are important for marine mammal health and human health. But finding stranded animals is challenging, because everything from tides and currents to coastal conditions can determine where a dead animal might end up on shore. And are there really such things as stranding hotspots?

Saving the Pinto Abalone, One Bottle of Sea Water at a Time

Saving the Pinto Abalone, One Bottle of Sea Water at a Time

Pinto abalone populations in the Salish Sea have been decimated after years of poaching and over-harvest, falling by 98 percent in recent decades. There are not enough remaining in the wild for them to reproduce naturally because they are “broadcast spawners,” meaning if one releases sperm, a female needs to release her eggs close enough to be fertilized.

When abalone are not close enough to other reproductively active abalone there can be no reproduction, making them functionally extinct in the wild.

SeaDoc Awards Salish Sea Science Prize to Crab Team For Early Detection and Prevention of Invasive European Green Crab

SeaDoc Awards Salish Sea Science Prize to Crab Team For Early Detection and Prevention of Invasive European Green Crab

The European green crab is a damaging invasive species that has wreaked havoc on ecosystems around the world, and recently they’ve found their way into the Salish Sea. Thanks to Washington Sea Grant’s Crab Team, major scientifically based efforts are being made to stop its spread before it starts. For this use of science to improve the health of the Salish Sea, this Earth Day they have been announced as winners of the SeaDoc Society’s 2020 Salish Sea Science Prize, which comes with a $2,000 no-strings-attached cash award.

When introduced into ecosystems outside of its native range, the green crab’s impact has been both ecological and economic. Not only do they disturb native habitat, displace resident species and alter natural food webs, but they have decimated shellfish industries upon which livelihoods depend. Amid the current COVID-19 pandemic, the Crab Team’s work is a reminder that intervention is most effective before the impacts of an invasion even become visible.