Carving out space for canoe culture in the center of Seattle

For decades, a coalition has worked to bring Indigenous canoe culture to Lake Union Park in the heart of Seattle. Now, construction of a Canoe Carving House is underway and on track to open this fall.

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The portion of Washington State Ferries' workforce that identify as women. Ferry head Steve Nevey wrote "and that number is growing, but there is still work to do."

In other ferry news:

• Provide feedback on the Southworth Terminal Preservation project by April 5.
• The ferry system said it won't bring back the Anacortes to Sidney, British Columbia route until 2030. A group of riders are suing. More from reporter Tom Banse.
• WSF canceled its contract with Anchor Operating Systems after a year of delays. Anchor was selected in January 2025 to support the agency's $8.7 million project to improve its ticketing and reservation systems.

Shellfish and fishing

On March 9, the FDA recalled oysters and clams harvested in Drayton Harbor, Washington between Feb. 13 and March 3 due to potential norovirus contamination. The state Department of Health reopened the harvest area on March 24.

Check the DOH Shellfish Safety Information map for current statuses and learn more about the impacts of norovirus in this 2025 Future Tides article:

Norovirus catches a free ride on the half shell, growers pay the price

Shellfish farms are limited in what they can do to combat contaminants but wet storage and epidemiology can help.

Future TidesGillian Dohrn

As more public beaches reopen for shellfish gathering, the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife released a notice with reminders for recreational shellfish harvesters. The recommendations include visiting less popular public beaches to spread out harvest pressure.

“Washington’s population is growing, more people are discovering the joys of shellfish harvesting, and environmental factors like climate effects are influencing shellfish numbers. Facing these challenges, we ask for help conserving these natural resources for shellfish gatherers to enjoy for years to come.” — Chris Eardley, Puget Sound shellfish policy coordinator

In December, WDFW launched a new mobile app for managing and tracking fishing and shellfishing licenses. The new license year starts April 1.

Maritime buildings move forward

In addition to the Northwest Native Canoe Center, there's progress on several other waterfront building projects:

The Maritime Center in Tacoma broke ground in January 2025. It will house offices for the Port of Tacoma (opening spring 2027) and the Maritime 253 skills center (opening fall 2026), part of Tacoma Public Schools. At the one-year mark, the port reported that structural work was mostly complete and "the coming months will focus on interior buildout, classroom and lab installation, and other preparations needed for students and Port employees."

Sail Sand Point in Seattle's Magnuson Park celebrated a new classroom and remodeled indoor space, the second phase of a major facilities improvement campaign for the 28-year-old community boating nonprofit. Many of the upgrades were essential to bring the facility up to code, including adding heat and a lift for accessibility. Interior doors now connect the previously divided spaces.

The Port of Seattle Maritime Innovation Center at Fishermen's Terminal is entering the final phases of construction. There's new art on the exterior and it's estimated to open in late 2026 or early 2027. The space will be operated in partnership with Maritime Blue, a nonprofit focused on ocean-based innovation and sustainability.

Around the Sound

Four alternatives laid out for future of Blake Island Marine State Park. The public can provide feedback via an Alternatives Survey or the online public comment form through April 30.

The future of Seattle College's Wood Technology Center, which includes a wooden boatbuilding program, is uncertain after a proposal to sell its purpose-built campus to fill a district-wide deficit. It remains unclear how large the deficit is and if the building will be sold, but students, staff and industry partners are speaking up:

The WTC’s wooden boatbuilding program—nearly 100 years old—is one of only two such programs in Washington State. It plays a vital role in sustaining the wooden vessel repair industry in Seattle and across the region, providing skilled craftspeople in a field where that expertise is increasingly scarce.

The potential loss or disruption of this program would have direct impacts on organizations like ours and on the broader maritime economy.

— Josh Anderson, executive director of The Center for Wooden Boats

Five tribal communities received grants totaling $4.7 million for electric boat projects. Funded by the Climate Commitment Act, the projects include repowering existing workboats with hybrid systems and purchasing new fully electric vessels.

Ballard Sails is joining Doyle Sails Group. Founded in 2010, Ballard Sails is a fixture in Seattle along Seaview Avenue and the local sailing scene. The team will transition to Doyle Sails Seattle.

From West Seattle to Downtown to Ballard, people are stoked about waterfront saunas paired with Puget Sound cold plunges. ICYMI: There's also a sauna boat now.

Upcoming events

• April 4 — Marine Thrift Swap Meet organized by Northwest Maritime in Port Townsend. Sell, shop or volunteer.
• April 8 — Groundbreaking for a new Marine Discovery Center on the Port Angeles waterfront. FREE with RSVP requested
• April 12 — The 98th annual Blessing of the Fleet at Fishermen’s Terminal in Seattle. The public is invited to attend.
• April 13 & 20 — Wonders of the Salish Sea webinar series hosted by Georgia Strait Alliance featuring scientists, naturalists and environmentalists. $30 for the series, subsidies available.
• April 18 — Port of Everett’s 32nd Annual Marina & Jetty Island Cleanup Day. Sign up in advance or walk up.
• April 26 — Fisheries Supply Spring Swap Meet in Seattle. Starts at 6 a.m. and the pros recommend arriving early.