In the news:

August 18, 2020 South Whidbey Record

West Whidbey, Deception Pass closed to shellfish harvesting because of biotoxins

This article does not link to the Washington State Department of Health Shellfish Safety Map.

This article makes no mention of checking for green colors on the Washington State Department of Health Shellfish Safety Map, before heading out for a legal limit of clams and oysters. We talk about that here.

Several Whidbey beaches remain closed all year long for recreational shellfish harvest because of sewage treatment outfall.

Sewage treatment outfall. Not stormwater.

Reporting on this topic appears to be completely off limits to the press.

Image above: 8/19/2020

Source: Washington State Department of Health Shellfish Safety Map

View the Washington State Department of Health beach list here.

 

Distance learning idea:

Podcast 4 Another Month With An R – Whidbey Sewage Treatment Plant Outfalls

Whidbey Waters – Mixed Signals of Concern

 

Coupeville site visit 4/2/2020:

Back in 2017, Island County Public Health posted a sign at the Coupeville Wharf about restrictions on recreational shellfish harvesting.

Why no warning sign on 4/2/2020?

Three reasons why it looks like a warning sign should still be posted:

1  On 4/2/2020 the Washington State Department of Health tells us that this is not a safe location for recreational shellfish harvest: Shellfish Safety Map

Image above: April 2nd, 2020

Source: Washington State Department of Health Shellfish Safety Map

2  WDFW tells us that this is not a safe location for recreational shellfish harvest:

This beach is within the closure area for a sewage treatment plant outfall and is unsafe for recreational shellfish harvesting.”

3  The sign posted at the west end of Penn Cove by WDFW tells us that this is not a safe location for recreational shellfish harvest.

 

March 13, 2020 Whidbey News-Times

4th grade students publish book on Salish Sea

“Invisible Pollution in the Salish Sea”

School teachers,

Are you teaching your students to look for green colors on the Recreational Shellfish Safety Map?

 

Related:

Green colors show safe places for recreational shellfish

4 Stories The Puget Sound Press Will Not Question Or Report On

“…talking to officials at the Town of Coupeville…”

Whidbey Signs of Water Quality

Whidbey Earth Day

When Things Get Back To Normal

Ready To Purchase A Subscription – Whidbey Water Quality

I will purchase a subscription to any Puget Sound area newspaper working to inform us on Whidbey water quality impacted by sewage treatment plant outfalls.

Ready to Support Local News on Whidbey Island

It looks like both Whidbey papers have stripped away all comments from past articles, and removed the opportunity to post comments to new articles.

I’d be more interested in paying (again) for a local paper subscription if there was more in the way of newspeople asking questions.

Elimination of reader comments works against the idea of paying for an online subscription.

Manage it, don’t ban it. Online comment sections

 

Don’t miss our companion blog-found here: Old Man Blog

Find us on Twitter: https://twitter.com/yeomalt

 

 

 

 

 

Image at top of page:

8/19/2020

Source: Washington State Department of Health Shellfish Safety Map

View the Washington State Department of Health beach list here.