Salish Sea Currents magazine

The year 2025 has been fairly mystifying to experts who make their living studying natural systems in the Puget Sound region.

Unusual observations this year include record-low dissolved oxygen levels, unexpected gray whale visitations, and the sudden arrival of an astounding number of short-tailed shearwaters — a seabird almost never seen in Puget Sound.

Cold waters rising from the deep along the West Coast helped to rescue Puget Sound from an oceanic heat wave bringing warm-water troubles to other parts of the Pacific Ocean. But our inland waterway has had its own problems, and the reasons have been a challenge

Knowing the cause of sea star wasting disease allows scientists to look for ways to increase resilience among the ravaged sea star population.

The project relies on the Salish Sea Model plus new information about the oxygen needs of various species to pinpoint danger areas.

Crab Team members maintain a massive surveillance program to track the population’s advance, while researchers probe the inner workings of the invasive species.

Their genetic makeup, shaped through history, has given European green crabs remarkable advantages over native species.

In August 2024, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe signed an agreement to become co-managers of two national wildlife refuges in the Puget Sound region. It was the first agreement of its kind in the state, and since that time, the tribe has been leading site operations at Dungeness Spit and Protection Island, greeting visitors, fixing roads, and hosting scientists. We spoke with refuge manager Fawn Wagner to get her insights into what it means for both wildlife and the tribe's strong historical and cultural relationship with the region.