January 2012
In this issue:
- Snohomish and Island MRCs Unanimously Endorse Port Susan MSA
- Island County Projects Funded
- Whatcom Completes Creosote Log Removal
- In Memoriam
- Maynard Beach Restoration Project
- Foundation Year End Fundraising
- MRC Funding Updates
- Find us on Facebook!
- And more…
In the News
Snohomish and Island MRCs Unanimously Endorse Port Susan MSA
Meeting together in Coupeville on December 6, the Island and Snohomish MRCs voted unanimously to recommend leaders of the two counties adopt the draft plan to establish an educational Port Susan Marine Stewardship Area. The vote culminated five years of discussions, community meetings, workshops, study and planning in a community process to develop a science-based marine stewardship area for this body of water. Additional partners include the Tulalip Tribes, Stillaguamish Tribe, The Nature Conservancy, Washington Sea Grant with the support of the Northwest Straits Commission, and the WSU Extension offices of Island and Snohomish counties. Click here for members of the group.
Island County Projects Funded
Congratulations to the Island County MRC and their partners for their success in securing funding for two important Watershed Protection and Restoration projects on Whidbey Island. The Town of Coupeville will receive nearly $500,000 for a Penn Cove surface water runoff project, and the Whidbey Island Conservation District will receive $120,000 for an Ebey’s Prairie stormwater remediation project. The Island County MRC is a partner organization on both projects.
Whatcom Completes Creosote Log Removal
In a joint effort by the Whatcom MRC, Washington Department of Natural Resources, the Cliffside Community, and the City of Bellingham, the last remaining beach in Whatcom County was cleared of creosote and treated logs in December, 2011. Twelve members of the City’s WCC crew hand-hauled 3.35 tons of rogue logs off the beach.
This marks the end of ten years of creosote log cleanup in Whatcom County. The majority of source logs from derelict structures have also been removed in the county, so minimal re-accumulation is expected.
In Memoriam
Two MRCs are mourning the loss of beloved advocates for our marine resources, Dawn Whitehead Lawrence and Jan Holmes. Dawn, a member of the Snohomish MRC, was a devoted educator, coach, and mentor, and her interests centered on the success of her students and athletes. She previously served as chair of the MRC and provided great leadership. Island MRC has also recently lost an important community member. Jan Holmes was a recipient of the 2010 Cox Conserves award, and an active Beach Watcher volunteer on MRC projects. She was a tremendous advocate for our marine resources and environmental education, and she will be greatly missed.
Maynard Beach Restoration Project
This month, Jefferson MRC, the North Olympic Salmon Coalition and other project partners are completing the design phase of the Maynard Beach Restoration Project, at the head of Discovery Bay. During the past six months, project partners worked closely with many stakeholders to come up with a design plan that will have great ecological benefits, including improved habitat for migrating juvenile salmon, shellfish and shorebirds. Partners also worked through many challenges to accommodate a trail allowance for public access as part of the Olympic Discovery Trail. Next steps include engineering and construction permitting. Congratulations to Jefferson MRC and NOSC for bringing this project to its nearly shovel-ready state!
Northwest Straits Foundation
Foundation Year End Fundraising
The Foundation extends thanks to all the businesses and individuals that contributed to our year-end fundraising efforts. Many local businesses and individuals contributed items to the silent auction at the MRC conference in December, raising over $5,000 to support MRC projects and activities. Special thanks to Lincoln and Janet Loehr for donating the top earning auction item. In addition, our year-end direct mail appeal raised $3,525 and ongoing individual donations for the derelict gear matching fund totaled $6,880. Special thanks to Florian Graner for donating proceeds from the sale of his film Beneath the Salish Sea. For a list of donors visit the Foundation’s webpage at nwstraits.org.
Grant Awards
The Northwest Straits Foundation received $310,000 from the Salmon Recovery Funding Board for derelict fishing gear removals in San Juan County (WRIA2) and Island County (WRIA6). These funds will pay for the removal of approximately 190 derelict fishing nets from marine habitats in WRIA2 with concentrations at Hein Bank and along the west side of San Juan Island. In WRIA6 approximately 30 fishing nets will be removed from the west and east sides of Whidbey Island, Lawson Reef, and off the south end of Admiralty Head. The Foundation also received $25,000 from the Lucky Seven Foundation for derelict gear removal.
Right: An image produced with the newly developed 300mHz sidescan sonar derelict net survey method. Divers verify whether the suspected nets are really nets. Usually they are. (Click to enlarge)
MRC Funding Updates
Foundation staff continue to work with MRCs to identify priority projects and potential funding sources, and to develop and submit project grant proposals. Two proposals developed through this process were successful in December. The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife’s Puget Sound Marine and Nearshore Protection and Restoration Grant Program awarded a $99,000 grant for targeted outreach to county planners and coastal landowners in the Port Susan Marine Stewardship Area, with a goal of reducing the number of applications received for shore hardening permits. The project is collaboration between Snohomish and Island MRCs and their County Planning Departments. A $10,000 grant was also awarded by the Burning Foundation, for outreach by MRCs related to forage fish. The grant will help support a speaker series, community events and landowner workshops.
Changes in Leadership Roles
The Executive Committee of the Northwest Straits Foundation appointed Joan Drinkwin as interim director and Ken Carrasco as interim treasurer at their January meeting. Many thanks to Ginny Broadhurst and Terry Stevens for their past leadership. Ginny will continue to work closely with the Foundation in her role as the director of the Northwest Straits Commission.
Foundation Seeks Part Time Bookkeeper
The Northwest Straits Foundation is seeking a part time, contract bookkeeper, to work in its Bellingham office approximately 2-4 hours per week. Click here for more information.
Bulletin Board
Find us on Facebook!
Northwest Straits has a new page on Facebook at www.facebook.com/nwstraits. We’ll post frequent updates on what’s happening, links to relevant information about marine issues, events and more. If you’re on Facebook, be sure to “like” our page, and reshare it with your friends!
Commissioner Appointments
Two Northwest Straits Commissioners are serving new appointments to regional scientific advisory bodies in 2012. Dr. Joseph Gaydos was elected Chair of the Puget Sound Partnership Science Panel; Dr. Terrie Klinger was elected to the Ecosystem Advisory Subpanel of the Pacific Fishery Management Council.
Action Agenda Update Available for Comment
The Puget Sound Partnership is seeking public comment on the draft Action Agenda Update through February 3. This is the agency's plan for recovering Puget Sound by 2020. The Northwest Straits Initiative, through our seven MRCs, has played an important role in developing and guiding the Action Agenda, which is available online. Comments can be submitted by email to actionagenda@psp.wa.gov, or in hard copy to Puget Sound Partnership, 326 E D Street, Tacoma, WA 98421.
Events and Recent Articles
Events
January 20, 2012 - Starlight Beach Walk, 7:30 PM – 9:00 PM at Edmonds Olympic Beach. Contact Sally Lider at 425-771-0227, lider@ci.edmonds.wa.us. for more information.
January 21, 2012 - Plastic Ocean & Local Marine Shoreline Health, with Captian Charles Moore. 6:00pm at the Port of Bellingham. Click here for more information.
January 21 & 28, 2012 - A two-part environmental film series. 6:30PM at the Northwest Maritime Center, Port Townsend. More information: Part I - All Things Salmon and Part II - All Things Shellfish.
February 1, 2012 - Our Puget Sound In-Depth: Alternative Energy. 7:00PM, Mukilteo City Hall, common room. Contact Chrys Bertolotto, Chrys@wsu.edu or (425) 357-6020, for more information.
March 7, 2012 - Our Puget Sound In-Depth: Bears to Barnacles; Cool Animals of the Salish Sea. 7:00PM, Mukilteo Rose Hill Center. Contact Chrys Bertolotto, Chrys@wsu.edu or (425) 357-6020, for more information.
Recent Articles
San Juan Islander - Koski honored for 18 years of work with Soundwatch
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.