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Puget Sound Day on the Sound

Photo of Casey Sixkiller, at left, administrator for U.S. Environmental Protection Agency region 10, and Kadi Bizyayeva, council member and fisheries manager for the Stillaguamish Tribe of Indians.

Representatives from federal and state agencies, Tribes, and local governments convened in Tacoma on Tuesday, Oct. 10 for the third annual “Puget Sound Day on the Sound” event. Over the course of several panel discussions, participants spoke about opportunities to better coordinate and align resources to accelerate Puget Sound recovery and support Tribal treaty rights.

Making Waves Conversations: Nora Nickum on her new book, “Superpod: Saving the Endangered Orcas of the Pacific Northwest”

Headshot photo of Nora Nickum, senior ocean policy manager at the Seattle Aquarium and author of books and magazine articles for kids.

This episode of Making Waves Conversations features an interview between Laura Blackmore, executive director of the Puget Sound Partnership, and Nora Nickum, senior ocean policy manager at the Seattle Aquarium and author of books and magazine articles for kids. In the interview, Laura and Nora discuss Nora’s new book, “Superpod: Saving the Endangered Orcas of the Pacific Northwest;” orca recovery; and what it takes to make scientific information accessible for all readers.

Puget Sound Geographic Program funds at work

Screenshot from the Puget Sound Geographic Program funds at work video, showing an aerial shot of a boat travelling through Puget Sound.

The National Estuary Program and the Puget Sound Geographic Program have provided key funding for hundreds of projects throughout the Puget Sound region. Our new video highlights a few of the people and projects that are putting that funding to work and making a difference to the health of the Puget Sound ecosystem.

Preventing stormwater pollution protects what we care about

Photo of an overpass above the Cedar River, showing the underside of the overpass and the flow of the Cedar River.

The Stormwater SIL recently awarded $1.6 million in Puget Sound Geographic Program funds to help prioritize locations for stormater management projects, control and lessen stormwater flow, improve water quality, control and lessen 6PPD-quinone, and replace culverts.

Protecting and restoring shellfish beds throughout Puget Sound

Aerial photo of Samish Bay shellfish beds, showing horizontal and diagonal lines of shellfish growing areas in Puget Sound water, with Samish Island in the background. One of the areas focused on protecting and restoring shellfish.

The Shellfish Strategic Initiative Lead recently awarded $5.5 million in Puget Sound Geographic Program funds to help establish pollution identification and correction programs, manage and control fecal pollution and disease-causing bacteria and viruses from onsite sewage systems (septic systems), and assist and educate farmers to help them voluntarily reduce livestock and animal manure runoff.

Puget Sound habitat restoration efforts to receive $14 million boost

Photo of Puget Sound water and small land masses near the Nisqually River, with forested hills in the background.

Starting this spring, Puget Sound habitat recovery is getting a $14 million boost! Distributed through the Habitat Strategic Initiative Lead, a partnership between Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), the investment will benefit 25 projects across Puget Sound.