The Northwest Straits Foundation supports projects and programs of the Northwest Straits Commission and the Marine Resources Committees of San Juan, Island, Jefferson, Clallam, Whatcom, Skagit, and Snohomish Counties.
Current Projects
Derelict fishing Gear Removal, Prevention, and Research. The Foundation supports a range of activities that address the problem of derelict fishing gear in Puget Sound. For an in-depth discussion of this threat to Puget Sound, click here.
• Derelict fishing gear removal in Puget Sound. The Northwest Straits Foundation was recently awarded $4.6 million in economic stimulus funding through a grant from NOAA. The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) funds will provide resources to find and remove approximately 3,000 high priority derelict nets that remain in Puget Sound over the next 18 months and will fulfill the Derelict Fishing Gear Removal Program goal to clear 90% of existing derelict fishing nets from high priority areas of Puget Sound by 2012. The project will employ 38 people and restore 645 acres of marine habitat. We will post updates about this important ARRA-funded project in partnership with NOAA on a weekly basis at www.derelictgear.org.
Additional funding for this work comes from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Coastal and Recovery Programs, the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation/NOAA Marine Debris Program grant partnership, the Puget Sound Conservation Fund, Salmon Recovery Funding Board, Conoco-Phillips Spirit of Conservation Migratory Bird Fund, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Washington Department of Ecology Coastal Protection Fund, Lucky Seven Foundation, Horizons Foundation, and the Tulalip Tribes Charitable Fund.
• Derelict crab pot assessment project. 
The Foundation is conducting a research project to assess the long-term environmental and economic impacts of derelict crab pots on the Dungeness crab fishery in Puget Sound. In May, 2008, twelve baited crab pots were deployed in Dungeness Bay. These pots have been left in place to simulate derelict crab pots. All crabs captured in the pots will be tagged and left in the pots. Pots will be monitored weekly at first, and then monthly, by divers, who will document which crabs remain in the pots, which escape, and how many new crabs are captured between monitoring dives. After collecting a year’s worth of data, we will determine the cumulative impacts of derelict crab pots based on the annual catch rate observed. Working with an economist from the University of Washington, we will also determine the economic impacts of the estimated 14,000 crab pots currently derelict in Puget Sound. Monitored pots will be removed after data collection is completed. This research project is funded by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation/NOAA Marine Debris Program grant partnership.
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• Marine Habitat Recovery of Derelict Fishing Gear Removal Sites. Completed in 2009. This study had three objectives. First was to document impacts of derelict fishing gear on marine habitats. Second was to monitor the recovery of these habitats after derelict fishing gear was removed. Third was to monitor sites for newly lost fishing gear to determine reaccumulation rates at these sites.
Five derelict fishing gear removal sites were selected: four derelict gillnet sites and one derelict crab pot site. All net sites represented slightly different habitat types and the crab pot site was in an eelgrass bed. At all sites, derelict fishing gear was removed during the summer of 2007. The sites were monitored before and immediately after derelict fishing gear was removed, and again after approximately six and twelve months.
Relative abundance was measured at each net removal site and each adjacent control site for four species groups: kelp/seaweed/hydroid, sessile invertebrates, mobile invertebrates, and fish. There was a 41% difference in the relative abundance at all four net sites compared to control sites immediately after gear removal, indicating that the gear and its removal negatively affected the marine habitat. After six months (midwinter), there was a 31% difference in relative abundance at the four sites compared to the control sites. Most of this difference occurred in the kelp/seaweed/hydroid and sessile invertebrates groups. After one year, there was a 6% difference in relative abundance between the removal sites and control areas. This indicates that abundance of marine species using the habitat can be restored to 94% in about one year after derelict fishing net removal, or one growing season in the case of the kelp/seaweed/hydroid group.
After removal of the crab pot, divers noted no eelgrass in the pot footprint or in a fifteen foot square area directly behind the pot where a one foot deep hole had been scoured out due to currents moving around the pot. The control area adjacent to the pots had a high density of eelgrass. Four months after pot removal, divers noted a 30% recovery of eelgrass in the area affected by the pot. The eelgrass was found to be spreading from the adjacent area. The scour hole had filled in.
This study showed that marine habitat service functions are negatively affected by derelict fishing gear. It showed that natural ocean processes succeed in restoring these service functions within a single growing season after derelict fishing gear removal for areas dominated by kelp. Eelgrass beds take longer to recover, but can improve by 30% in less than a year.
This research was funded by the Puget Sound Conservation Fund and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Coastal and Recovery Programs.
Click here to view the final report.
• Certified Shore Stewards Program. Certified Shore Stewards is a voluntary program involving shoreline property
owners in the preservation and management of Puget Sound shoreline and nearshore areas. Shore Stewards coordinators from WSU Extension programs provide property owners with a “Guide to Shoreline Living” handbook, volunteer support, website content, monthly newsletters and ongoing education and training opportunities. Training topics range from using water wisely to protecting eelgrass beds and forage fish spawning habitats. Property owners are recognized as ‘Certified Shore Stewards’ after committing to adopt a number of best management practices on their property. The Foundation is providing support for the continued implementation of the Certified Shore Stewards program into Clallam, Whatcom, Snohomish and Skagit, Jefferson, Kitsap, Island, San Juan, and Mason Counties with funds from the Department of Ecology’s Public Participation grant program.
Visit the Shore Stewards website at: www.shorestewards.wsu.edu
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