May 2008

In this issue:

Featured Project

• News Items
• Marine Resource Committee Happenings
• Northwest Straits Commission Highlights
• Committee Happenings
• Northwest Straits Foundation News
• Bulletin Board
• On the Horizon
• Events

Featured Projects

Volunteer Diver Report Triggers Removal of Net in Hood Canal

On April 16, the Northwest Straits Initiative removed another derelict gillnet from the cold, deep waters of Hood Canal, this time in Dewatto Bay. The operation was particularly noteworthy because the net was found draped over multiple colonies of cloud sponges, one of Puget Sound’s rarest and longest lived animals. The success of the operation was due in large part to information provided by dedicated volunteer divers Janna Nichols, Pete Naylor, Steve Rubin, Keith Clements, and Rob Holman. These divers are now coordinating with the Commission to monitor the site to document habitat recovery. For the full story click here.

Crabbing season in the Puget Sound is around the corner

The Northwest Straits Initiative, WSU Beach Watchers and others are partnering to support an outreach campaign on the use of escape cord in crab pots. Biodegradable cotton cord is required as a fastener on crab pots to allow crab to escape if pots become lost or abandoned. Analysis completed by the Initiative in 2007 (funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation), estimated that 74.4 crabs die annually in each derelict pot and that there could be as much as 744,000 pounds of crab lost to derelict pots each year in Puget Sound. That’s about 30-40% of the annual commercial catch! In the next several months, we’ll be building a web site with more information about how and why to use escape cord, and WSU Beach Watchers will be hitting the marinas and boat launches as we approach the crabbing season to do some outreach to recreational crabbers. For more information, the site at www.escapecord.org will be active starting in early June.

News Items

Mussel Watch Program Support

The Northwest Straits Commission recently sent a letter to Senator Cantwell to express concern about a proposed budget cut to NOAA’s mussel watch program. Senator Cantwell is chair of the Senate Commerce Committee which oversees NOAA’s budget. Mussel watch has provided important monitoring data in Puget Sound, in some areas showing extremely high levels of urban pollution.  The Snohomish MRC has been working in coordination with NOAA to expand the mussel watch sites in Snohomish County and several other MRCs have expressed an interest in similar work. 

Derelict Fishing Gear Presentations

The Commission has set a goal of removing 90% of Puget Sound’s derelict nets and crab pots from high priority areas by 2012. Achieving this goal will require support—both new sources of funding and new partners. Ginny Broadhurst, Simon Geerlofs and contractor Jeff June have been busy sharing the derelict gear story. Jeff and Ginny have concentrated their time on meeting with the state legislature, congressional staff, agency managers, Foundations and professional societies. Simon has worked to spread the word at Beach Watchers trainings. Derelict gear in Puget Sound is a compelling story and getting the word out will help to make the 2012 goal a reality. For a list of recent derelict gear presentations, click here.

Low Impact Development Workshops

Interest in and use of low impact development (LID) stormwater management is increasing. The Northwest Straits Commission is co-sponsoring a series of four new LID technical workshops at the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribal Center in Sequim. These two-day workshops, with instruction by regional and national experts in the field, will provide the technical details necessary to properly design, build and maintain LID practices. Click here for dates and locations. The same series of workshops will be held in Bellingham this fall, dates and locations to be announced.

Marine Resources Committee Happenings

Summary of grant application projects

At the Commission meeting in February of this year, there was a decision to increase funding to each MRC for fiscal year 2007-08 by $25,000. Since then, all seven MRCs have submitted project proposals and most are near the end of the process to amend the existing grant agreement with those funds. MRCs proposed a range of projects, including boosting funding to some existing projects and adding new projects. Click here for a list of projects funded by this process.

Joint Meeting Skagit and Whatcom

On Friday, May 9, the Whatcom and Skagit Marine Resources Committees held a potluck lunch and joint meeting at Padilla Bay reserve in Mount Vernon. The agenda included discussion of potential joint projects of the two MRCs, such as rockfish surveys and invasive species monitoring, as well as the exchange of project technical information. Whatcom MRC science representative and NWSC alternate Mark Herrenkohl reported that the meeting had a good turnout and that the project leads are planning to continue corresponding on common issues. Minutes from the meeting will be available soon.

Northwest Straits Commission Highlights

Congratulations Scott and Jonathan!

At its April 25 meeting, the Northwest Straits Commission elected Scott McCreery to serve as chair for 2008-2009. Scott is a governor’s appointee to the Commission representing industry, and is a Senior Engineer at BP Cherry Point Refinery in Ferndale, Whatcom County. At the same meeting, Jonathan White of Orcas Island was elected as vice-chair of the Commission. Representing the San Juan Marine Resources Committee, he is a home builder and has previously served on the San Juan County planning commission and the San Juan Preservation Trust.

Marine Resources Project Presentations

At this month’s Commission meeting each Marine Resources Committee gave a presentation on one or two of their projects. See agenda. If you are interested in a copy of any of the PowerPoint presentations or have questions about a project please contact Connie.

Committee Happenings

Science and Technical Committee targeting ecosystem projects

The Northwest Straits Commission budget has $85,000 for projects that contribute to our understanding, protection, or restoration of the Puget Sound ecosystem. Historically, this “ecosystem fund” has been used to tackle regional projects that might be outside of the capacity of one MRC or larger in geographic scope. Use of these funds tended to be somewhat opportunistic—the realities of an uncertain budget made strategic spending difficult.
Over the last couple of years there has been increased attention to using the ecosystem fund strategically to tackle pressing projects. In 2005 the former Technical Committee chair, Andrea Copping, led an effort to envision candidate projects, which were discussed and pared down by the Commission. This year, new Science and Technical Committee chair Joe Gaydos is revisiting those projects and others suggested by MRCs and Commissioners. A ranking system has been developed so that projects will be considered based on objective criteria.
In the future, the ranking system will help the Commission target these dollars where they can provide the most benefit. Stay tuned for more on this process in June. See the final report on the Puget Sound hydrodynamic model funded by 2006 ecosystem fund dollars.

Northwest Straits Foundation News

Escape Cord Education project receives funding

SeaWorld Busch Gardens Conservation Fund has awarded the Northwest Straits Foundation $10,000 to support the Foundation’s Escape Cord Education Project.  The project is a partnership with WSU Beach Watcher Programs throughout the Northwest Straits counties and builds on the model project begun by the Snohomish Marine Resources Committee in 2005.  This summer, Beach Watcher volunteers will fan out to boat launches and marinas to educate sport crab fishermen about the impacts of derelict crab pots and the need to use biodegradable escape cord on their pots. The goal of the project is to increase the use of escape cord by sport crab fishermen and reduce the harm done to marine species by derelict crab pots. Other funding for this project comes from the National Fish & Wildlife Foundation/NOAA Marine Debris Grant Program.

Bulletin Board

Puget Sound Partnership Shifting Baselines

The Puget Sound Partnership produced a five-minute video called Shifting Baselines in Puget Sound. The video helps people understand that, although the waters of Puget Sound look perfect and even pristine, the truth is much wildlife has vanished and the quality of the marine environment has been substantially compromised. The term "shifting baselines" refers to the idea of losing track of standards (or baselines) and failing to realize how much has changed.

New! Quick access to our Bibliography

Check out our new link to our bibliography on our home page. We are continually adding more Marine Resources Committee project materials and it is worth checking out.

Three reasons to contact the Commission Staff

• Marine Resources Committee events to be posted on our website.
• To provide contact information on new committee members so they can get Commission communications.
• Press releases, publicity or news articles. We keep these in our records and have a list on our website. See list.

On The Horizon

Tracking the value of our volunteers

Last month at our meeting of MRC chairs and lead staff, we introduced the group to a system that will help us gather information about the volunteer effort that goes into the Northwest Straits Initiative. Having information about the value of our volunteer effort will help support the Initiative by 1) showing the economic value of this group 2) showing the local citizen support for the effort, and 3) help leverage funding for grants through the in-kind donation of time. More information and a demonstration of the system will be coming soon!

EVENTS

Northwest Aquatic and Marine Educators Conference

The Northwest Aquatic and Marine Educators Conference will be held in Friday Harbor on July 9-12. Ginny Broadhurst will be providing a keynote. They are still looking for presentations and presenters - please contact Glen Alexander right away if you have a presentation you'd like to bring to this group.