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Washington Sea Grant A leader in marine research, education and outreach, serving those who manage & use Washington waters

Whether in the marina or out on Puget Sound, it’s important to keep oil in your engine and out of the water. Even small ...
01/09/2026

Whether in the marina or out on Puget Sound, it’s important to keep oil in your engine and out of the water. Even small oil spills can create big problems for aquatic life.

Marinas throughout Washington can opt in to be part of Clean Marina Washington – and 84 already have. This program empowers harbormasters and marina managers to choose environmentally safe practices in terms of waste disposal, fueling, cleaning, and more.

For a free absorbent pad and additional small oil spill materials, contact WSG boating specialist Aaron Barnett at [email protected].

Washington Department of Ecology

We're pleased to announce our new cohort of WSG Hershman Fellows! Welcome to Alaina Medjo, Celeste Valdivia, Emma Klessi...
28/08/2026

We're pleased to announce our new cohort of WSG Hershman Fellows! Welcome to Alaina Medjo, Celeste Valdivia, Emma Klessig, Jane Wybenga, and Sarah Tanja!

The Washington Sea Grant Hershman Fellowship offers a unique educational opportunity for soon-to-graduate or recently finished graduate students engaged in studies pertaining to ocean and coastal policy issues. This one-year, paid marine policy fellowship matches highly motivated, qualified individuals with host agencies, nonprofits or tribes throughout Washington State, offering students first-hand experiences in crafting marine and natural resource policies while allowing them to share their academic expertise with their host offices.

Congratulations fellows! Learn more about our new fellows on our website.

It is time to get out and enjoy the last few weeks of summer! Whether you prefer lakeside or oceanside, Washington’s coa...
27/08/2026

It is time to get out and enjoy the last few weeks of summer! Whether you prefer lakeside or oceanside, Washington’s coastlines are prime destinations for spending a sunny summer day. If you are out on the water, pump out, don’t dump out! Use the free Pumpout Nav app to find a pumpout station near you.

Improperly disposed sewage can introduce excessive nutrients to aquatic ecosystems, changing the balance of microscopic plankton and causing harmful algal blooms, or HABs. These HABs can be dangerous to human health, lead to shellfish harvest closures, and severely decrease oxygen levels in the water column, harming aquatic life.

By using pumpout stations, you can help maintain a balanced and healthy ecosystem for all to enjoy!




Washington Department of Ecology
Washington State Parks & Recreation Commission

Volunteers removed a whopping 153,000 lbs of marine debris from coastal beaches following the annual Washington CoastSav...
26/08/2026

Volunteers removed a whopping 153,000 lbs of marine debris from coastal beaches following the annual Washington CoastSavers Independence Day cleanup.

Every year, Washington CoastSavers holds events for volunteers to pitch in cleaning up coastal beaches. Washington Sea Grant has supported the last three years. The group works with important partners like Washington State Parks, Grassroots Garbage Gang, and Surfrider Foundation to hold their annual cleanup after the Fourth of July, removing fireworks, plastics, and other debris from the coast before it can make its way into the ocean.

While the cleanup numbers demonstrate the scale of holiday debris, they also show the strong community effort to keep Washington's coasts clean. Ready to get involved? The International Coast Cleanup is coming up on September 19!

Learn more about this year's cleanup at Washington CoastSavers or on our website: waseagrant.uw.edu

Photos by and courtesy of Megan Juran

Millions of sea and shore birds use coastal habitats around Washington for foraging, nesting, and breeding. Oil spill im...
25/08/2026

Millions of sea and shore birds use coastal habitats around Washington for foraging, nesting, and breeding. Oil spill impacts on mobile animals like seabirds are difficult to assess, as the birds can only be counted if observed (i.e. washed ashore). In the 1990s, the Canadian Wildlife Service published a review paper describing the effects of oil (and unreported oil spills) on the seabird populations of British Columbia and Washington state (Burger, 1992). Oil spills negatively impact a bird’s ability to maintain body temperature, swim, fly, and hunt.

Reporting oil spills can jumpstart response efforts and ultimately protect Washington wildlife.

Washington Department of Ecology



Photos by Emily Bjornsgard: A Cormorant taking flight, a Pigeon Guillemot diving for fish, and a Great Blue Heron on the move.

Review Article: The effects of oil pollution on seabirds off the west coast of Vancouver Island, Alan Burger

Washington Sea Grant is contributing nearly $2 million in funding for new marine research projects in 2026. Seven projec...
25/08/2026

Washington Sea Grant is contributing nearly $2 million in funding for new marine research projects in 2026. Seven projects have been selected through a competitive request for proposals process, addressing issues of concern to Puget Sound and Washington's Pacific coastal communities.

The funded projects aim to deepen understanding of topics across WSG's four focus areas: Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development, Resilient Communities and Economies, Healthy Coastal Ecosystems, and Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture. Learn more about the funded projects on our blog or through our Funded Research Database: waseagrant.uw.edu

Photo courtesy of UPhoto

WSG is excited to announce that Amanda Rueda has been selected as the 2026-2027 WSG Keystone Fellow! Amanda will be work...
21/08/2026

WSG is excited to announce that Amanda Rueda has been selected as the 2026-2027 WSG Keystone Fellow! Amanda will be working with host organization Puget Sound Partnership.

Amanda grew up in the Pacific Northwest, where she became interested in marine science with a particular fascination for killer whales. She earned a biology degree with a marine emphasis from Western Washington University, getting her start in research through the Marine Mammal Ecology Lab, before working as a long-term substitute teacher and TRIO Upward Bound instructor and completing internships with Sealife Response, Rehabilitation, and Research (SR3) and Pacific Mammal Research. Amanda then earned a Master's in environmental studies from The Evergreen State College, working with Cascadia Research Collective to study "Sounder" gray whales and serving as a program coordinator for the Taylor's checkerspot butterfly captive rearing program with the Sustainability in Prisons Project.

The WSG Keystone Fellowship aims to create pathways into marine-related careers for individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences and broaden participation in these fields. Congratulations Amanda! We can't wait to see what you accomplish.

Learn more about Amanda and the WSG Keystone Fellowship on our website: waseagrant.uw.edu

Need a pumpout? Free mobile service can come to you! Track a mobile pumpout boat, schedule your service, and get back to...
21/08/2026

Need a pumpout? Free mobile service can come to you! Track a mobile pumpout boat, schedule your service, and get back to boating. Mobile service is free on weekends and holidays, May through September, where available.

It’s like tracking a rideshare, but for clean boating: easy, convenient, and better for Puget Sound.



Washington Department of Ecology
Washington State Parks & Recreation Commission

Large oil spills are alarming, but even a small amount of oil can damage aquatic life. If you see oil out on the water, ...
18/08/2026

Large oil spills are alarming, but even a small amount of oil can damage aquatic life. If you see oil out on the water, report it! The sooner a spill is reported, the sooner it can be contained.

In the event of a spill, immediately notify the U.S. Coast Guard (800.424.8802) and Washington Department of Ecology (800.258.5990). Stay on the scene and turn off ignition sources. Do not attempt to contain the spill with soaps or dispersants. Detergent breaks up oil slicks into smaller bits that are even more difficult to clean up.

Washington Department of Ecology

The 2025 Puget Sound Marine Waters Overview report is now available: https://www.psp.wa.gov/PSmarinewatersoverview.php T...
18/08/2026

The 2025 Puget Sound Marine Waters Overview report is now available: https://www.psp.wa.gov/PSmarinewatersoverview.php

The Puget Sound region is home to more than 4.2 million people. These people visit the Sound’s beaches, eat the local seafood, and enjoy the diversity of life in and around these waters. The Sound is a social, cultural, and economic lifeline for Western Washington, where the health of human communities and the health of the Sound are inextricably linked.

Each year, the Marine Waters Work Group releases the annual Puget Sound Marine Waters Overview report. This report is a collaborative effort that combines a wealth of data from numerous comprehensive environmental monitoring programs. Since 2011, the group has been reporting on the physical, chemical and biological conditions of Puget Sound, including many conditions related to human health and pollution. The 2025 report represents the collective effort of 54 contributors from federal, tribal, state, and local agencies, academia, nonprofits, and private and volunteer groups, and provides valuable insight on the state of Puget Sound.

Read more about the effects of climate and weather, river inputs, seawater temperature, salinity, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, ocean acidification, phytoplankton, bio-toxins, bacteria and pathogens, shellfish resources at Puget Sound Partnership

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