Puget Sound Institute

Endangered salmon in California are being exposed to potentially lethal concentrations of 6PPD-Q from tires that are leaching into ESA-listed habitats. A new paper from our affiliates at the Center for Urban Waters is featured online this week. www.acs.org/pressroom/pr...

Last month, PSI staff writer Eric Wagner joined hundreds of scientists from 51 countries to talk about the health of the world’s seabirds. He has this dispatch from the World Seabird Conference in Australia. www.pugetsoundinstitute.org/dispatch-fro...

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...

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...

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...

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…

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...

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 killer whales don't rest much: a new study finds they forage nearly as much at night as during the day. Females are far less likely to attempt a catch at night than during the day, adding urgency to efforts to reduce daytime vessel noise in the Salish Sea. tinyurl.com/orcasatnight

The tire chemical 6PPD is known worldwide for its deadly effect on salmon, but it also has a complex history. We look at the chemical's origins, including its ties to an important breakthrough in modern medicine. How did 6PPD become an environmental hazard? www.eopugetsound.org/article/hist...

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...

Tire companies and their chemical suppliers are working overtime to find a safe and effective replacement for the toxic tire additive 6PPD. Our senior writer Christopher Dunagan reports on which companies are in the hunt. www.eopugetsound.org/article/play...

New in the Encyclopedia of Puget Sound: The northern right whale dolphin is one of the most unusual marine mammals in the world and it can sometimes be spotted in the Salish Sea. It is one of only two dolphin species without a dorsal fin. www.eopugetsound.org/article/nort...

Chemical companies are searching for an alternative to a deadly tire chemical killing salmon in Puget Sound. We take an in-depth look at their efforts to find a replacement for 6PPD. www.eopugetsound.org/article/tire...

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

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.

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

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

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

“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

These Salmon Got High on Cocaine. That Wasn’t the Craziest Part. www.nytimes.com/2026/04/20/s...

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

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...

We just declared drought for the fourth year in a row. And this year, it’s statewide.

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

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

Nature assessment describes both peril and promise, as humans relate to the natural world www.pugetsoundinstitute.org/nature-asses...

Our own Eric Wagner has a new book coming out in March! Read an excerpt from 'Seabirds as Sentinels' in The Seattle Times. The seabirds of Destruction Island off WA reveal impacts of climate change www.seattletimes.com/pacific-nw-m...

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...

The four tires on your car can produce enough of the chemical 6PPDQ to kill more than 11 million salmon. That was the testimony of PSI-affiliate Ed Kolodziej in a recent court case over alleged violations of the Endangered Species Act by tire manufacturers. www.theguardian.com/environment/...

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

Happy Valentine's from nature's power couples! Biologists sex beavers by smell (males = motor oil, females = rotten cheese) then matchmake pairs for WA watershed restoration. 367 beavers relocated, 12 dams built, salmon returned. View slides and video: www.pugetsoundinstitute.org/salish-sea-s...

Forever and EVERYWHERE...PFAS in Cortina.

"You are what you eat. Well, this is the corollary" -- I report on PFAS in wastewater biosolids and what they say about modern lifestyles for Salish Sea Currents, published by @pugetsoundinstitute.org: www.eopugetsound.org/article/conc...

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...

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...

Scientists say it will take thousands of acres of restored habitat to help Puget Sound Chinook swim off the endangered-species list.

Partnering with beavers to restore salmon habitat: Tuesday, February 10 from 12:30 – 1:30 pm. Don't miss tomorrow's science roundtable about the Tulip Beaver Project. www.pugetsoundinstitute.org/february-10-...

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...

A new study by @thewdfw researchers explores how salmon create a "sense of place" and regional identity among Puget Sound residents. 87% surveyed named salmon as defining the region—more than any other species. Understanding these connections could help conservation engage communities.

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.

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...

A trial in California concerning the deadly tire chemical 6PPD is now underway. Will it have implications for the Puget Sound region? PSI-affiliate Ed Kołodziej testified as a witness. courthousenews.com/trial-begins...

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...

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...