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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 06/10/2026

To kill or not to kill? Proposed federal legislation would allow permits to kill seals and sea lions with the goal of protecting some Puget Sound salmon populations. A new article in Salish Sea Currents magazine explores the debate and the science. tinyurl.com/seals-and-se...

An adult and juvenile harbor seal hauled out on a dock on a sunny day

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 14/09/2026

The 15th annual Puget Sound Marine Waters Overview produced by the PSEMP Marine Waters Workgroup is out. In general, 2025 was warmer, drier, saltier, and had less abundant biota. Check out highlights or dive into the details of the new report. www.eopugetsound.org/article/puge...

Report title overlays image showing gravel beach, drift wood, and trees along a shoreline with mountains in the distance

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 09/09/2026

Case studies of Dungeness crabs, English sole, and Chinook salmon offer new details on when and where these species are most vulnerable to low oxygen in Puget Sound. Tim Essington and Stefano Mazzilli present the findings on 9/10/26 from 10:30 AM to 12:00 PM (PT). washington.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

The photo shows a Dungeness crab, an English sole and several Chinook salmon. The images are inside circles against an underwater backdrop showing oxygen bubbles.

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 02/09/2026

Now is the time to witness Chinook salmon pass through the Hiram M. Chittenden Locks. It's an extraordinary challenge as they must: Climb the fish ladder Adjust to shifts in temperature, salinity, and oxygen Swim upstream Spawn How do they do it? Hint: ESTUARIES. Learn more. tinyurl.com/salmo…

Several swimming Chinook salmon seen through an underwater viewing window

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 28/08/2026

Fall migration fact: Some Chinook salmon in Puget Sound never leave for the ocean at all! So called “resident” Chinook complete their entire marine life in Puget Sound estuaries near the mouths of rivers that enter Elliott Bay including the Duwamish River. Learn more: tinyurl.com/Chinook-salm...

Split horizontal images of pink and gray fish swimming under water (top) and aerial view of Puget Sound including rivers estuaries, and islands (bottom).

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 11/08/2026

New report models how low oxygen squeezes habitat for Dungeness crab, English sole, and Chinook salmon in Puget Sound — accounting for temperature, not just oxygen thresholds. tinyurl.com/low-oxygen-c...

3D cutaway diagram of Puget Sound showing potential habitat zones for three species: Dungeness crab along the seafloor shallower than 80 meters, English sole along the seafloor at all depths, and Chinook salmon in the top 100 meters of the water column.

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 03/08/2026

Early counts from this year's southern resident killer whale census point to an increase of two, pending final confirmation from @whaleresearch.bsky.social, now in its 50th year of tracking the southern resident population. Story in Salish Sea Currents: www.pugetsoundinstitute.org/annual-censu...

Southern resident orca surfacing beside another, dorsal fin raised above the water

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 06/07/2026

New on our blog: the human side of ecosystem recovery is essential. PSI's Rob Anderson, co-author on a new paper in Coastal Management, puts it simply: most environmental issues are as much about people and politics as they are about nature itself. www.pugetsoundinstitute.org/how-puget-so...

Bremerton and the Olympics with a view over Puget Sound. Photo: Adobestock

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 05/06/2026

Sea lion season in Ballard is winding down, but they're still at Shilshole Marina's boat lift dock (Dock X). Herring restoration efforts led by the Suquamish Tribe are showing signs of success. The sea lions are following the fish. eopugetsound.org/species/marine-mammals

Sea lions hauled out on a dock at Shilshole Marina at sunset, with the Olympic Mountains in the background.

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 14/05/2026

SeabirdsLive! brought together seabirds, science, and a packed house. We even learned that rhinoceros auklets are, genetically speaking, actually puffins. Thank you Eric Wagner, Peter Hodum, and Jeff Rice — and our sponsors: UW Tacoma, @univpugetsound.bsky.social @uwapress.uw.edu & King's Books.

Three speakers on stage at Seabirds Live! A large projected image of a rhinoceros auklet dominates the screen behind them.

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 06/05/2026

Author Eric Wagner and seabird biologist Peter Hodum in conversation about seabirds and the Salish Sea. Books for sale, book raffle, and a signing with Wagner. FREE — seating is limited. TICKETS are going fast. Get yours→ tinyurl.com/SeabirdsLive

Text: Seabirds Live! May 13, 2026. FREE. Reserve your spot now! Doors 6:30 PM, program 7:00 PM. Carwein Auditorium, UW Tacoma. Image: Three speaker headshots against seabirds in flight.

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 27/04/2026

Meet Peter Hodum — seabird biologist and University of Puget Sound professor. He joins author Eric Wagner to discuss what #seabirds tell us about the Salish Sea at Seabirds Live! FREE, May 13, UW Tacoma. Register: tinyurl.com/SeabirdsLive 📷: Peter Hodum #TuftedPuffins #SalishSea #RhinocerosAuklet

A tufted puffin stands among coastal grasses, with an inset portrait of seabird biologist Peter Hodum in the upper left corner.

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 22/04/2026

The International Space Station crew got the wide shot. We're focused on what's in it — and everyone who calls it home. Happy Earth Day. #EarthDay #SalishSea #PugetSound

Aerial view of the Pacific Northwest from the International Space Station, with photos of a sea otter, orca, and harbor seal below.

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 21/04/2026

“To study rhinoceros auklets is to study the fish they need in order to live. Really I am a fish scientist, even if I cannot bring myself to admit it.” — Eric Wagner, Seabirds as Sentinels. Seabirds Live! — FREE May 13 UW Tacoma. Register → tinyurl.com/SeabirdsLive 📷 Peter Hodum

Three rhinoceros auklets at night near their burrows, two carrying fish for waiting chicks. Right: an adult in breeding plumage.

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 14/04/2026

How do you check on rhinoceros auklets nesting in deep burrows? Lie flat, drape a T-shirt over your head, thread an infrared camera into the dark. Photo: Eric Wagner Hear the stories at Seabirds Live! — FREE, May 13, UW Tacoma. Register: tinyurl.com/SeabirdsLive.... #SalishSea #SeabirdsAsSentinels

Two researchers lie flat on a grassy coastal bluff, heads covered, probing seabird burrows. Rocky shoreline and ocean beyond.

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 08/04/2026

Spring is prime time to spot gray whales in Puget Sound. The Sounders are a small group that breaks off from the Pacific migration each spring to feed in northern Puget Sound—in some of the shallowest waters of any whale on earth. Check out the new profile in the EoPS: tinyurl.com/graywhalessa...

Gray whale surfacing with land in the distance.

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 07/04/2026

Trust Eric Wagner to see the poetry in science." Hear him discuss Seabirds as Sentinels live at Seabirds Live! — free, May 13, UW Tacoma. Link in bio to register. tinyurl.com/SeabirdsLive... #SeabirdsLive #SalishSea #RhinocerosAuklet #Seabirds #BookEvent

Book cover of Seabirds as Sentinels by Eric Wagner alongside a praise quote from author Michelle Nijhuis. Text reads: Seabirds Live! May 13.

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 31/03/2026

What can a rhinoceros auklet tell us about the health of the Salish Sea? Find out at Seabirds Live! A free multimedia event May 13 at UW Tacoma. Register: tinyurl.com/SeabirdsLive @birdsconnectsea.bsky.social @univpugetsound.bsky.social @kingsbooks.bsky.social @uwapress.uw.edu #seabirds #bookevent

A flock of seabirds in flight over open water, with a purple banner reading 'Seabirds Live! May 13, 2026 — Multimedia storytelling with Eric Wagner and Peter Hodum.

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 26/02/2026

True or False? False killer whales are large dolphins shaped like a cigar. They can be acrobatic especially when feeding on fish. They rarely visit the Salish Sea. All true! Learn more. Link in bio >Species >Marine mammals of the Salish Sea Thx! @pspartnership @cascadiaresearch #marinemammals

False killer whale breaching from ocean surface with mahi mahi fish in its mouth.

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 23/02/2026

Field trip! At Chambers Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant we learned loads about processing and treating urban waste. HUGE thanks to our @PierceCounty tour guides. Stay tuned for more photos. More on #pugetsound nutrient pollution at www.eopugetsound.org/hot-topics/n...

Group of eleven people outdoors at a wastewater treatment plant, under bluesky and puffy clouds.

A beaker of liquid in a lab with brown solids settle at the bottom and clear water at the top.

View of wastewater aeration in the foreground with water and land under blue sky and clouds in the distance.

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 18/02/2026

New fact sheet on top research priorities for keeping shellfish safe. PSI experts developed a research agenda focusing on reducing fecal pathogen pollution and boosting harvestable acreage. Download under Latest Research Agenda Products: tinyurl.com/PSResearchAg... @wadepthealth.bsky.social

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 11/02/2026

Almost a quarter of humpback whales along the U.S. West Coast show scars from having survived an entanglement, according to a new overview published in the Encyclopedia of Puget Sound. www.eopugetsound.org/article/hump...

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 11/02/2026

Humpback whales, absent for 100 years due to commercial whaling, have made a comeback. A new overview from @cascadiaresearch.bsky.social documents the whales' status and trends in the Salish Sea where groups of 100+ can sometimes be found in the Strait of Juan de Fuca. tinyurl.com/humpback-wha...

Social media graphic announcing new Encyclopedia of Puget Sound article on humpback whales with breaching whale photo

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 09/02/2026

17 research priorities vetted by toxics experts will tackle chemical pollution in Puget Sound. New agenda focuses on Vital Sign contaminants, 6PPD-Q, and microplastics. Fact sheets under Latest Research Agenda Products: tinyurl.com/PSResearchAg...

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 03/02/2026

Marine mammals of the Salish Sea compiled in one place: 32 species from killer whales to sea otters. Check out the new species list on the Encyclopedia of Puget Sound: www.eopugetsound.org/species/mari... Special thanks to @pspartnership.bsky.social and @cascadiaresearch.bsky.social.

Killer whales, harbor seals, and a sea otter featured in a graphic announcing a new Salish Sea marine mammals species list.

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 02/02/2026

How do Puget Sound researchers decide what to study next? The Grand Uncertainties Matrix identifies critical knowledge gaps to guide EPA funding and recovery work. This process has real impact—clarifying management needs and creating new restoration programs. Learn more: tinyurl.com/PSResearchAg...

Two great blue herons. Text: The Grand Uncertainties Matrix (GUM) comprises 391 regionally relevant uncertainties, questions, and knowledge gaps identified by topical experts to drive Puget Sound recovery.

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 13/01/2026

Washington lawmakers to decide whether to ban a tire chemical shown to be toxic to salmon. Christopher Dunagan reports for the PSI blog: www.pugetsoundinstitute.org/washington-l...

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 13/01/2026

A new study finds juvenile coho salmon at risk from the deadly tire chemical 6PPDQ. Untold numbers of hatchery fish may be dying from exposure to tire-contaminated runoff. www.pugetsoundinstitute.org/juvenile-coh...

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 07/11/2025

The next Salish Sea Science Roundtable is Tuesday, Dec 2 | 12:30 - 1:30. Hear from the Tsleil-Waututh Nation and Fisheries and Oceans Canada on salmon, clam, and crab research projects in Burrard Inlet. Register at: washington.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 06/11/2025

How is Puget Sound doing? The 2025 State of the Sound report from the Puget Sound Partnership takes a candid look at the progress and challenges driving Puget Sound recovery. Among the takeaways: "When we do invest in recovery, we see results." stateofthesound.wa.gov

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 12/09/2025

Event: Microbial source tracking for Puget Sound. Friday, 9/12, 9:30 am – 12:30 pm PT on Zoom. A workshop presented by PSI and co-hosted with the Shellfish SIL. Explore emerging tools to track and reduce fecal pollution in Puget Sound. washington.zoom.us/meeting/regi...

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 02/09/2025

Virtual series: Conservation incentives for Puget Sound 3 free sessions: market methods (Sept 8), motivation strategies (Sept 18) & program evaluation (Sept 24). 𝘊𝘰-𝘩𝘰𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘣𝘺 𝘗𝘚𝘐, 𝘐𝘯𝘥𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘌𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘤𝘴, 𝘐𝘯𝘤., 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘖𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘰𝘯 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘦 𝘜𝘯𝘪𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘪𝘵𝘺. Register now! shorturl.at/9A8yF #PugetSound #Conservation

Person photographing a whale's tail fluke as it surfaces in calm water, with forested hills and residential development visible across the bay.

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 07/08/2025

Free microbial source tracking workshop: Fri Sep 12, 9:30a-12:30p PT on Zoom. Learn from U of Arizona and SCCWRP experts about protecting public health, restoring shellfish beds, E. coli sensors, and Puget Sound applications. Registration is required. shorturl.at/sfOT9 #WaterQuality #PugetSound

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 05/08/2025

Coffee Chat Roulette is back! Network with others who care about Salish Sea ecosystem recovery. We'll randomly pair you with someone for virtual or in-person coffee chats. Sign up by August 8. shorturl.at/WbJk7

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Puget Sound Institute @pugetsoundinstitute.org · 05/08/2025

Biologists are tracking the recovery of a juvenile humpback whale rescued from entanglement in the Salish Sea in July, even as Canadian officials have received reports of more entangled humpbacks in British Columbia. www.pugetsoundinstitute.org/juvenile-hum...

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