Featured Project

Cannery Pond Project

An interesting project under development by longtime Skagit MRC member Paul Dinnel aims to study - and ultimately restore - a pond on Fidalgo Island which is believed to have been a pocket estuary. A short tromp through woods thick with salal and native blackberry ends at Cannery Pond, not far from the Anacortes ferry terminal and overlooking a rocky beach and great beds of kelp.

Pocket estuaries provide food and shelter to young salmon and surf smelt, shorebirds and other wildlife. Dramatic human alteration of our shorelines over the past century has resulted in the loss of these important habitats, posing additional challenges to small and hungry creatures on the move. At Cannery Pond, the name of which in itself elicits visions of local history, the original tide channel was blocked long ago by a berm built for the coastal railway. Currently home to bull trout and largemouth bass, ducks, geese, river otters and more, the pond is separated from the open waters of Guemes Channel by only a stone's throw.

Dr. Dinnel, a marine scientist at Western Washington University’s Shannon Point Marine Center, is working with colleagues to document historical, geological, and biological features of Cannery Pond, painstakingly laying the foundation needed for a major restoration effort. The effects of sea level rise will also be considered as both past and future aspects of tidal elevation are assessed at this site. If the studies show that there is a good restoration potential at the site, this work will result in a restoration project for the Skagit MRC.

News Items

Derelict Fishing Net Removal Project

The derelict fishing gear removal project has attracted a lot of media attention recently.  We had a CNN reporter out on the boat July 27; his story ran several times on CNN and was also picked up by the local KING5 television station. NBC Nightly News was onboard the BetSea (one of our removal boats, currently working in the San Juan Islands) August 10, for a story expected to air this week. And a New York Times reporter visited another removal boat, the Twila Dawn, working near Seattle. We will post links to the stories on our home page as quickly as we get them.

Ecosystem Coordination Board Seat

The Puget Sound Partnership’s Ecosystem Coordination Board (ECB) met July 29 and 30 at the Lummi Nation’s Silver Reef Casino. At this meeting, the ECB recognized the need to have the Northwest Straits Commission participate in discussions, and approved an ex-officio seat for us on the ECB.

2009 Canoe Journey

The 2009 Tribal Canoe Journey is now over, ending in Suquamish and marking the 20th anniversary of this event. This year was the second annual Canoe Journey Water Quality project, funded again in part by the Northwest Straits Commission. Data collected by canoes, photos and a video podcast are available online at http://wa.water.usgs.gov/projects/coastsalish/.

Coastal MRCs

Concerns about the future of marine resources on the outer coast have successfully led to the creation of a new MRC in Grays Harbor County; those in Pacific and western Clallam-Jefferson (jointly) counties are pending. The developing Clallam-Jefferson MRC has already expressed interest in doing aerial surveys of world-class kelp beds on the north coast. Through state legislation passed in 2007 and endorsing the Northwest Straits model, and with the support and guidance of Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, outer coast counties have been provided a great mechanism through which to tackle local conservation projects. Congratulations to the many committed people engaged in this effort!

The Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Project

PSNERP (http://www.pugetsoundnearshore.org), a massive ongoing study, is a cooperative effort among the Army Corps of Engineers, resource agencies, tribes, the Northwest Straits Commission and other entities. Among the resulting products is a GIS-based tool known as the Change Analysis. By comparing current datasets with those from the advent of US territorial settlement (~1850-1880), this analysis provides a picture of human-induced changes to natural nearshore processes over time. Curtis Tanner, PSNERP's local project manager, recently paid a visit to our Padilla Bay offices to discuss ways in which MRCs might use the tool. Tanner will present the Change Analysis at the Northwest Straits Commission’s annual conference on November 7.

Puget Sound Armoring Workshop

In May, a three-day workshop was held to share information on the science that has been done on the effects of shoreline armoring in Puget Sound. A full description of the workshop, along with the presentations, can be found at http://wa.water.usgs.gov/SAW/. Organizers are working on workshop proceedings, to be published by the US Geological Survey by early 2010.

Marine Resources Committee Happenings

Member Spotlight: Judy Surber, Jefferson MRC

Watch out when you start talking to Judy Surber of the Jefferson MRC: you may find yourself lured into a surprisingly interesting conversation about shoreline planning and other wonky policy stuff. Her ability to understand and communicate land use-related issues is an incredible talent. Having been approached by an MRC member soliciting her expertise, Judy established for herself an important role as liaison between the MRC and the Port Townsend planning department. As the city’s Senior Planner and Planning Manager, and a dedicated mom, it is no small commitment to volunteer time and energy to local conservation efforts.

Nine years of service on the Jefferson County MRC are now under her belt, some of it as representative to the Northwest Straits Commission.  Judy is thoughtful and smiles broadly when asked about attracting new members and projects; there are many opportunities yet to explore. She recalls the early stages of the effort to prevent boaters from anchoring in eelgrass beds along the Port Townsend waterfront. Judy helped design the slogan 'Anchor out for Eelgrass' adorning large surface buoys installed by divers each spring. A diver herself, she sheepishly admits the water is just too cold here for her here – beachcombing, kayaking, and horseback riding in the sand are more her style.

With increasing levels of public interest around land use issues, Judy believes that the Northwest Straits Commission could play an important role in helping define where and how to do the monitoring required by Shoreline Master Programs. And she envisions a stronger connection between MRCs and K-12 education. With mounting state budget cuts, kids are missing out on one of the most memorable aspects of school – field trips to see firsthand the world-class beauty of this region. Clearly, Judy's passion for children and preserving the natural environment will keep her active in her community for many years to come.

Lead Staff and Chair Meeting

Last month, MRC chairs, MRC lead staff and Commission staff met at Padilla Bay to spend a day working on common issues and learning from each other. All seven MRCs were represented, and a meeting summary is available outlining discussion topics and action items. Commission staff will be working with MRC staff and project leads to carry out many of the action items discussed.

Welcome New MRC Members

The Whatcom MRC welcomes Paul Greenbough, a Blaine City Council representative. Clallam MRC welcomes Paul Blake, representing the Clallam Bay/Sekiu area. Congratulations to Tracy Patton who is now a happily-married Tracy Alker.

Click here to see a copy of the July MRC Reports to the Commission

Northwest Straits Commission Highlights

Commission Meeting Minutes

Click here for a meeting summary or here for a DRAFT version of Commission minutes from the July meeting.

2010 Commission Meeting Dates

Click here to see a copy of the 2010 meeting dates.

On the Horizon

2009 MRC Fall Conference: Building Resilience in the Salish Sea

Don’t miss out! The Northwest Straits Initiative's11th annual MRC conference will be held on November 6-7, at the Lakeway Inn in Bellingham. Watch for registration by email soon. This is expected to be a terrific event, an informative and fun gathering of MRC and Commission members with our colleagues at the height of an extraordinary year. The national spotlight is on:  10 years of hard work lie behind us, reauthorization of the Initiative is humming right along, and as recipient of a highly sought-after federal economic stimulus grant the derelict fishing gear project has boats and crew going full throttle.

This year’s conference will include a COMPASS (http://www.compassonline.org/) communications workshop designed for MRC members, sessions on climate change (with renowned NOAA scientist Dr. Richard Feely), rockfish conservation and management, a tribal perspective on the health of the region, and a facilitated workgroup on native oyster restoration. We encourage MRCs to prepare a poster for the annual evening poster and networking session. This is a great way to share your project highlights and ideas with fellow MRC members, and learn what others are doing in your county and around the region.

This year’s event features a special attraction, in the form of a film on the evening of November 5 at the Pickford Theater. The Bellingham premiere of ‘A Sea Change’ (http://www.aseachange.net/) will be hosted by the Northwest Straits Commission and open to the general public. We hope to see you there!

Bulletin Board

MRC Nearshore Report

Island County MRC has produced a new report highlighting their work, including the restoration of forage fish habitat and eelgrass in Cornet Bay, creosote log removal from area beaches, and a pilot project-to-watch, filtering and diverting polluted storm water. Click here to see a copy.

Events Calendar

August 22, 2009- Snohomish Marine Resources Committee Beach Expo, Kayak Point County Park
September 11-13, 2009 - Wooden Boat Festival, Port Townsend Click here for more information.
September 19, 2009 – Fidalgo Bay Day, Fidalgo Bay Resort, Anacortes