Program Evaluation - 2004
Panel chaired by Bill Ruckelshaus from 2004 evaluating the Northwest Straits Initiative The Murray-Metcalf report mandated that the Initiative undergo a thorough, independent program review at the end of its initial six-year term.
In 2004, Bill Ruckelshaus chaired the 8-person Northwest Straits Evaluation Panel. After four days of hearings, the panel found that the Initiative has achieved success in key areas, including:
- Mobilizing broad citizen support for marine conservation.
- Bringing people together to work cooperatively on issues
- Increasing voluntary compliance with conservation goals
- Tapping local energy to generate on-the-ground projects
- Contributing to scientific marine ecosystem
- Spreading innovative ideas between counties
- Creating a model of marine governance that can be adapted to other locations
The evaluation panel's recommendations included:
- Congressional reauthorization for 8-10 years
- Increased federal funding to $1.6 million
- Replication of this model elsewhere
- Establish strategic priorities for the future
The evaluation panel encouraged the Commission to review and modify the current benchmarks and take on focused strategic planning. In 2005, the Commission and the MRCs finalized a set of revised goals and benchmarks. Click here to read the evaluation panel's final report.
The Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative, authorized by Congress, is nationally recognized as an innovative approach to bring sound science and an ecosystem perspective together with citizen energy and entrepreneurship.