Thinking Globally, Acting Locally
Northwest Association of networked ocean observing systems has installed 9 real-time water data buoys in the Northwest, including 4 in Hood Canal. The Hood Canal sites are operated by a program sponsored by the UW called ORCA (oceanic remote chemical-optical analyzers). These were set up for shellfish growers to have access to data that can keep them informed on details such as temperature, salinity levels, dissolved oxygen, PH levels and such.
Email alerts can be set up to notify growers if data sets fall below or rise above certain levels. One of these buoys is very near our estuary in Quilcene Bay. We plan to post a blog containing comments and information from these datasets that may be useful to the public. www.nanoos.org
Monterey Bay Aquarium has done a great deal of research over the last several years into the fishing and harvesting practices of aquatic foods so that they can present the public with useful information regarding safe or unsafe harvesting techniques and which methods are sustainable and environmentally friendly. They developed a rating system to help people make better choices and put it on their very informative website for seafood consumers concerned with sustainability and healthy harvesting practices.
We recommend viewing some of their videos and especially ordering or printing a copy of their very informative and handy ‘pocket seafood watch guide’.
