Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee - Northwest Straits Initiative

Jefferson County MRC

Redirish Lord Fish by Jim Ramaglia Jefferson County’s 202 marine shoreline miles include the easternmost extent of the Strait of Juan de Fuca, Admiralty Inlet, and northern Hood Canal. Most of Jefferson County’s 30,000 people live in its eastern edge, with Port Townsend the county seat and largest city at nearly 9,000 residents. Port Townsend has a vibrant marine-trades economy, with nationally-renowned riggers, sail makers, boat builders and marine industrial firms. Port Townsend has become a hub for maritime activity, with the cities’ annual Wooden Boat Festival drawing boaters and marine enthusiasts from around the world. The city is also home to nationally-recognized marine science and maritime education programs. The Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe holds reservation lands within Jefferson County.

The Jefferson MRC serves as an advisory group to the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners. The 17 members represent the different geographic regions of the county with backgrounds in recreation, industry, environmental interests, education and marine science as well as state, county, and local government. MRC members work closely with homeowners, business owners, recreational enthusiasts and commercial and sport fishers to reduce or stop the decline of the marine habitat in ecologically-rich Jefferson County. Jefferson MRC has shaped stewardship messages to target Port Townsend’s boating community and boating tourists.

One of the MRC’s signature projects, the Voluntary No-Anchor Eelgrass Protection Zone along Port Townsend’s waterfront, has succeeded in communicating eelgrass stewardship messages to boaters from across the region and beyond. Eelgrass protection is a priority for the MRC and the education of citizens about the value of eelgrass through signage and an eelgrass protection pledge.

Jefferson MRC took great strides in developing work on drift cell analysis, restoration and post restoration monitoring. At Fort Flagler, MRC volunteers conducted a bathymetric survey of the beach following removal of a derelict pier by the Washington Department of Natural Resources. A similar monitoring and analysis project is planned for the Port Townsend Marine Science Center Pier at Fort Warden State Park and the MRC is also developing plans for restoration activities at Oak Bay County Park.

Typically, Jefferson MRC focuses their attention and resources on a limited number of multi-faceted projects. This focused effort creates the conditions for self-sustaining projects that succeed at many different levels and meet multiple benchmarks. MRC members are also providing guidance and input to Jefferson County and Port Townsend planners throughout recent and ongoing Shoreline Master Program update processes. The MRC also completed a strategic plan in 2008 that is guiding MRC project planning.