Justin Cox
Meet Our 3 New Board Members: Scott White, Barb ...

The SeaDoc Board is instrumental to our mission here in the Salish Sea. Scott, Barb, and Jeff bring unique expertise, passion, and dedication to our team and we’re so excited to have them! View the whole board here and learn more about Scott, Barb and Jeff below.

Justin Cox
A Non-Invasive Tool For Collecting Killer Whale ...

Drones can be powerful tools in gathering important health data about wildlife, including marine species like the Salish Sea’s endangered killer whales. Scientists have already established the benefits of collecting breath samples to monitor orca health, but we wanted to scientifically understand if it is less invasive than previous sampling methods–namely the use of a long pole with a petri dish extended from a nearby boat toward the whale’s blowhole.

A new study published in the peer-reviewed journal, Marine Mammal Science, led by SeaDoc Society Research Assistant Catherine Lo, answered that question by analyzing more than 1,000 drone-collected killer whale breath samples. 

A Non-Invasive Tool For Collecting Killer Whale Breath Samples
Justin Cox
Meet SeaDoc's Newest Science Advisors, Caitlin ...

This summer, our brilliant Scientific Advisory Committee gathered in Seattle to assess and ultimately determine funding for five new critical research projects here in the Salish Sea. You can read about those here.

Our Science Advisors are a vital part of our mission, and we’re excited to introduce two exciting new additions. They are Caitlin Magel of Puget Sound Institute and Phil Bloch of Confluence Environmental Company. We asked them a few questions so you can get to know them a bit better. 

Welcome Caitlin and Phil! 

Justin Cox
SeaDoc Announces More than $200,000 in New ...

We're excited to announce that SeaDoc Society will fund five new scientific research projects aimed at improving the longterm health of the Salish Sea. Each project was carefully reviewed and selected by our Scientific Advisory Committee and funded through your donations from people like you.

We look forward to sharing more about each of these as fieldwork ramps up, but here is a brief look at the newly funded projects:

SeaDoc Announces More than $200,000 in New Funded Research
Justin Cox
Joe Gaydos Elected to Washington State Academy ...

The Washington State Academy of Sciences has elected 36 new members in recognition of their outstanding record of scientific and technical achievement. Among the select group in this year’s slate is SeaDoc Society Science Director Joe Gaydos!

Joe Gaydos Elected to Washington State Academy of Sciences

A Field Guide to Fishes of the Salish Sea (Book Review by Joe Gaydos)

A Field Guide to Fishes of the Salish Sea (Book Review by Joe Gaydos)

The waters of the Salish Sea are deep and cold and can move as fast as 8 kts in some places when the tide is running. While these attributes are key to making our inland sea so biologically productive, they also paint an image of foreboding water for some. Unfortunately, people also mistakenly presume that the fishes of these waters are as dark and murky and unwelcoming as the water itself. I predict that this misconception about our local fishes is going to change with the recent release of Ted Pietch and Jim Orr’s A Field Guide to Fishes of the Salish Sea.

Our Heartfelt Condolences

Our thoughts are with the friends and family of those who were aboard the Titan submersible that was lost in the North Atlantic last week. 

In 2018, The SeaDoc Society funded three deep sea scientific research projects in the San Juan Islands that would not have been possible without OceanGate’s submersible technology and their professional team. OceanGate’s Cyclops 1 submersible enabled scientists to safely visualize the deep ecosystems of the Salish Sea and better study red urchins, sand lance, and the impact of scientific trawling on the seafloor. 

“In their hearts, they were scientists,” SeaDoc Society Science Director Joe Gaydos told The Washington Post last week. “Stockton wanted to make a difference … He wanted to do things that actually made the ocean better.” …

SeaDoc Society to Fund Six Critical Research Projects 

SeaDoc Society to Fund Six Critical Research Projects 

Science is the vital first step in driving positive change for wildlife, people, and the environment. All efforts to change hearts, minds and policy flow from solid data.

This year, SeaDoc Society will fund six new scientific research projects that will ultimately improve the health of  the Salish Sea. Each project was carefully reviewed and selected by our Science Advisors and funded thanks to all sizes of SeaDoc Society donations. 

Each project is funded at the level of $50,000 and will answer questions where more information is most likely to improve our ability to recover or manage important living resources. In addition to producing quality science to be published in peer-reviewed journals, each project also will meet the criteria most often associated with research that has a positive conservation impact. 

The Salish Sea: Jewel of the Pacific Northwest is Back by Popular Demand!

The Salish Sea: Jewel of the Pacific Northwest is Back by Popular Demand!

After much demand, the best-selling book The Salish Sea: Jewel of the Pacific Northwest by SeaDoc Board Member Audrey Benedict and Science Director Joe Gaydos is being re-released by its publisher, Sasquatch Books! 

Starting this month you can find copies of this award-winning book online and in bookstores throughout the Pacific Northwest. The Salish Sea received the prestigious Nautilus Gold Award in the category of Ecology and Environment, was a Pacific Northwest Independent Bestseller, and garnered rave reviews in the Seattle Times, Vancouver Sun, Cascadia Weekly, and other regional news outlets. To date, the book has sold more than 20,000 copies. 

Ocean Night: Right Over the Edge on May 18th

Ocean Night: Right Over the Edge on May 18th

The SeaDoc Society will bring back their popular Ocean Night series at the SeaView Theatre on Orcas Island Thursday May 18 at 7 p.m. The debut event will feature the new film Right Over the Edge: Search for the North Pacific Right Whale. Admission is free. 


Right Over the Edge was created by Kevin Campion, filmmaker and founder of Deep Green Wilderness, which takes kids out to sea to learn about science, whales and the Salish Sea. Campion will be in attendance to introduce the film and take questions.

Superpod: Saving the Endangered Orcas of the Pacific Northwest (Book Excerpt)

Superpod: Saving the Endangered Orcas of the Pacific Northwest (Book Excerpt)

Nora Nickum is Senior Ocean Policy Manager with the Seattle Aquarium and author of the new book, Superpod: Saving the Endangered Orcas of the Pacific Northwest. She’s an extremely valuable person to have in the larger effort to save this species, both in her policy work and in writing this book, which will no-doubt help shape the next generation of PNW conservationists. 

“Full of scientist and activist heroes, including Nickum herself, Superpod will captivate readers and inspire them to become change makers,” said SeaDoc Society Science Director Joe Gaydos, whose field work is featured in an excerpt of the book below this short Q&A. 

Book Review: Between the Tides in Washington and Oregon

Book Review: Between the Tides in Washington and Oregon

Kelly, Klinger and Meyer are marine biologists. The real deal. They’ve spent most of their lives exploring and studying beaches and oceans. But their recent book, Between the Tides in Washington and Oregon, isn’t for pointy headed marine ecologists who study the minute details of riotous complexity of life that graces the coastline in this region. While scientifically on-point and detailed enough for a young marine biology student studying intertidal ecology, this book is really aimed at the average Joe. The non-expert. The newcomer or the dad or mom that want to explore the “why” with their kids as they journey to the ocean. This book won’t tell you the names of the thousands of plants and animals you’ll find at the shoreline. It’s bigger than that. This book will help you be a shoreline detective and increase your happiness index while at the beach.

Ocean Explosion: Protecting the Salish Sea With Ice Cream

Salish Sea stewardship comes in all forms, but the first step to caring for something is learning about it! A few weeks ago, seven classes from a school in Victoria, BC shared with their friends, family, and community what they had learned this fall when their teachers had them answer the question “How can I be a steward of the Salish Sea?” Students were encouraged to research an aspect of the Salish Sea and come up with ways that they could protect it — and they got creative!

Meet Our New Research Assistant, Catherine Lo!

Meet Our New Research Assistant, Catherine Lo!

We’re so excited to introduce our newest Research Assistant, Catherine Lo!

Cat’s predecessor, Sarah Teman, started her PhD program at the University of Washington this fall and we can’t wait to watch her bright future unfold! Like Sarah, Cat will work alongside Joe Gaydos on all things science and research here at SeaDoc Society. She joins us on Orcas Island this fall and has hit the ground running!

“Cat comes to SeaDoc with strong research skills and experience in data collection, data analysis, project management, scientific writing, and field work,” said SeaDoc Science Director Joe Gaydos. “Plus she loves the ocean and is a delightful person to work with. What’s not to like about that?”

Dramatic Rescue: Sea Lion Suffers Deadly Entanglement (VIDEO)

Dramatic Rescue: Sea Lion Suffers Deadly Entanglement (VIDEO)

When a big male Steller sea lion was spotted near San Juan Island with a plastic packing strap slicing deep into his neck, the only chance to save him was to launch a risky rescue mission. Today, footage of that dramatic operation is being made public for the first time.

The latest episode of Salish Sea Wild – a wildlife documentary series about the Salish Sea produced by the SeaDoc Society – puts you out on the water with the team as they work to sedate and free the 500-pound animal while battling huge tides, dangerous currents and jagged rocks.

Necropsy Performed on Dead Minke Whale

Necropsy Performed on Dead Minke Whale

A Minke whale that was discovered dead and floating this week most likely died from being struck by a ship, according to researchers. The floating whale, first reported to the The Whale Museum stranding hotline by a commercial vessel, was located by Stranding Coordinator Jessica Farrer and later towed to a private beach on a nearby island by the US Coast Guard.

Under authorization of NOAA Fisheries, scientists and veterinarians from the Whale Museum’s stranding network, Cascadia Research Collective, World Vets, and the SeaDoc Society performed a complete necropsy.

Is Edible Seaweed in the Salish Sea Safe for Human Consumption? A New SeaDoc-Funded Study Has the Answer.

Is Edible Seaweed in the Salish Sea Safe for Human Consumption? A New SeaDoc-Funded Study Has the Answer.

Seaweeds are consumed by many people living on or near the Salish Sea–from Indigenous peoples revitalizing the ancient foodways of their cultures to those simply seeking a readily available and highly nutritious protein source–but little is known about whether contaminants in the Sea’s waters could create health concerns for the people who eat it.

Donor Spotlight: Richard and Dawn Bangert

Donor Spotlight: Richard and Dawn Bangert

This month’s Donor Spotlight features Richard and Dawn Bangert—two big SeaDoc supporters who have been regular guests at our Wine & Sea Auction over the years! The Bangerts also have their gifts matched by their former employer. Get to know Richard and Dawn below and check to see if your employer matches donations here!

Studying Seal Sizes to Benefit Their Survival

Studying Seal Sizes to Benefit Their Survival

Science helps us adapt and improve. For decades, marine mammal stranding response and rehabilitation organizations in the United States have been treating and rehabilitating harbor seal pups, and releasing them back into the wild. It’s critical that during rehabilitation seals gain sufficient blubber and mass so their fat reserves can enable them to survive after they are released. Prior studies have suggested that seals with greater body mass have better odds of survival. Unfortunately, until now, there has been no nationwide assessment of the sizes at which seals are released.

Donor Spotlight: Wally and Josie Barrow

Wally and Josie Barrows’ connection to the Salish Sea runs decades deep. They started off as visitors but in time felt the pull to make a home on Orcas Island. The Barrows have supported SeaDoc Society’s conservation work for years and are regular attendees at our summer Wine & Sea Auction. Our research vessel and marine mammal stranding response boat, the “Nancy Bee” is lovingly named in Wally and Josie’s daughter’s memory.

Meet Madison Churchill, Social Media and Communications Editor

Meet Madison Churchill, Social Media and Communications Editor

I’ve lived in the Pacific Northwest my entire life—currently residing in Seattle. I’m a local artist specializing in scientific illustration of marine organisms. I’m a divemaster and free-diver, and spend as much time as possible underwater. I love combining my art with my love for the sea, using paint as a tool to celebrate the natural world.

Bald Eagle Bites Dr. Joe Gaydos! (VIDEO)

Bald Eagle Bites Dr. Joe Gaydos! (VIDEO)

While conducting research up in British Columbia last month, our Science Director Dr. Joe Gaydos got some quality hang time with a bald eagle. You could call this an animal attack, but we’ll call it a nice little going-away present before the beautiful raptor sails off into the horizon soon after the bite. Subscribe and you’ll be first to watch the full episode, coming soon!

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Salish Sea Science Prize Awarded to Tina Whitman For Science Leading to Shoreline Restoration 

Salish Sea Science Prize Awarded to Tina Whitman For Science Leading to Shoreline Restoration 

Shorelines play a vital role in ocean health, but they’re also the areas most susceptible to human disruption. Unnatural structures like sea walls and roads disrupt a beach’s ability to sustain itself, inhibiting and sometimes destroying important plantlife and fish species in the process.

But figuring out which shorelines need to be protected and which need to be restored is not simple. Science is the essential underpinning for identifying critical habitat. The SeaDoc Society is awarding the prestigious 2022 Salish Sea Science Prize to Tina Whitman, Science Director at the Friends of the San Juans for producing science that led to copious beach habitat protection and restoration throughout the San Juan Islands. Whitman will receive the no-strings-attached $2,000 cash prize at the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference on April 28.

Donor Spotlight: Rick and Cathy Svoboda

Maintaining a balance between economic growth and a sustainable environment is a complex and persistent struggle. SeaDoc supporters Rick and Cathy Svoboda know that maintaining that sensitive balance requires all of us to play our small part. That involves not only education about the damage currently being done and the work to address those issues, but also a general awareness that we are all part of one earth with limited and sensitive resources. We had a chance to ask Rick and Cathy about why they support our mission here in the Salish Sea.