Puget Sound Institute
@pugetsoundinstitute.org
The University of Washington Puget Sound Institute provides analysis, research and communication to advance the science of ecosystem protection.
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...
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...
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
Orcas by night: A rare look at the nighttime activities of endangered killer whales | Encyclopedia of Puget Sound
Killer whales are active both day and night, but most scientific research focuses on their daytime activities. A recent study looked at a small group of endangered southern residents to find out how o...
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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...
Untangling chemical names and looking back over 200 years of 6PPD history | Encyclopedia of Puget Sound
The tire chemical 6PPD is known worldwide for its deadly effect on salmon, but it also has a complex history. We look at how this history connects to important breakthroughs in modern transportation a...
eopugetsound.org
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...
Players in the race for 6PPD alternatives | Encyclopedia of Puget Sound
With a worldwide market valuation somewhere around $1 billion a year for the single chemical 6PPD, tire companies and their chemical suppliers are working overtime to find a safe and effective replace...
eopugetsound.org
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...
Northern right whale dolphins in the Salish Sea | Encyclopedia of Puget Sound
OverviewThe northern right whale dolphin (Lissodelphis borealis) is one of the most unusual marine mammals of the North Pacific Ocean. It is the only dolphin species in the Northern Hemisphere with no...
eopugetsound.org
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...
Tire companies race to replace deadly tire chemical | Encyclopedia of Puget Sound
A chemical found in tires is leading to the deaths of untold numbers of coho salmon in Puget Sound every year. Chemical companies are searching for an alternative but say the unique chemistry and func...
eopugetsound.org
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...
These Salmon Got High on Cocaine. That Wasn’t the Craziest Part.
nytimes.com
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...
Nature assessment describes both peril and promise, as humans relate to the natural world | Puget Sound Institute
The past, present and future of natural conditions in the United States are described in a new report, which has traveled a bumpy road to its current draft form, now out for public review and comment....
pugetsoundinstitute.org
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...
A wild WA island’s seabirds reveal strange signs of change
From puffins to auklets, the feathered creatures of Destruction Island reveal the impacts of climate change.
seattletimes.com
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
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/...
Is tyre pollution causing mass deaths in vulnerable salmon populations?
A US judge will decide if, as research suggests, a chemical tyre additive is harming endangered fish species
theguardian.com
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...
Beavers as partners in restoration: A look inside the Tulalip Beaver Project
February 10, 2026 Salish Sea Science Roundtable. Twelve years ago, the Tulalip Beaver Project started with a bold idea: maybe we can partner with beavers—nature’s original engineers—to help restore salmon habitat. Today, the project is known across the country for showing how people and wildlife can work together to heal our watersheds. In this presentation, we’ll look at why beavers matter, how the Tulalip Beaver Project safely captures and relocates them, and the lessons we’ve learned from years of on‑the‑ground restoration and outreach. View the slides and learn more at: https://www.pugetsoundinstitute.org/salish-sea-science-roundtables/ Chapters 00:00 Intro 1:12 Beavers as Partners in Restoration 33:28 Q&A
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