San Juan County Marine Resources Committee: San Juan Island, Washington

The San Juan County Marine Resources Committee (MRC) is a citizen advisory committee dedicated to the protection and restoration of marine resources in the San Juan Islands.

The MRC receives funding and support through the Northwest Straits Commission (NWSC). MRC members, selected by the San Juan County Council, represent local government, tribal government, and the scientific, economic, recreational and conservation communities.

Updated RFP for prioritizing salmon projects
San Juan County is seeking a qualified contractor to assist the Lead Entity in synthesizing, analyzing, and displaying key data layers that will lead to identifying and prioritizing protection and restoration actions that benefit salmon recovery. Responses to the request for proposals were due by May 24. Thank you to those who submitted proposals. For additional information, please contact Barbara Rosenkotter, Lead Entity Coordinator, 360-370-7593, barbarar@sanjuanco.com. after June 14, 2010.

Marine Stewardship Area
In partnership with the Northwest Straits Commission, the Nature Conservancy, the Surfrider Foundation and other partners, the MRC has engaged citizens, scientists, conservationists, business community leaders, and managers in completing an action plan for the San Juan County Marine Stewardship Area (MSA).

MSA Monitoring Plan
The MRC's Science Subcommittee has recently developed a monitoring plan for the Marine Stewardship Area along with a database and maps which identify existing local and regional monitoring programs that provide information about the health of the MSA. The maps show the location of monitoring sites, the organizations that are conducting monitoring, location of efforts to monitor conservation targets and threats from the MSA Plan. The references for the monitoring plan and monitoring inventory are included.

County Council adopted the Marine Stewardship Area Plan
The MRC hosted community workshops on the four ferry served islands during the spring of 2007 to obtain public input for the Marine Stewardship Area Plan. The MRC summarized citizens comments in a report and have created an overview of the MSA planning and public review processes which includes the top 6 protection strategies that citizens are most willing to support. The San Juan County Council adopted the Marine Stewardship Area Plan on July 17, 2007 which means that they will consult the plan in their consideration of policies and as they manage County operations.

2010 Work Plan
Each year, the MRC develops a work plan focused on the top protection strategies in the San Juan Marine Stewardship Area Plan. The MRC presented its 2009 Annual Report and 2010 Work Plan to the County Council in January for adoption. Focal areas for 2010 include working with our partners to advance our monitoring goals to improve adaptive management of upland activities through local and regional coordination and by engaging volunteers.

MRC Policy Recommendations--NOAA's proposed vessel rule for killer whales
In its role as advisory group to the County Council on marine issues, the MRC recently produced a report on NOAA's proposed vessel rule for the protection of southern resident killer whales.

2010 Marine Managers Workshop
On March 1 and 2, the MRC sponsored the sixth workshop for federal, tribal, state and local managers with responsibilities in the San Juan Islands. The theme of the workshop was implementing the local and regional elements of the Puget Sound Action Agenda through protection and restoration. Presenters included:

Linda Lyshall, Puget Sound Partnership, Kit Rawson, Chair, MRC, Puget Sound Action Agenda
Geoff Tallant, Department of Ecology, Shoreline Master Program
Matt Niles, Department of Fish & Wildlife, Hydraulic Approval Process Habitat Conservation Plan
David Palazzi, Department of Natural Resources, State Aquatic Lands Habitat Conservation Plan
Jim Slocomb, Friends of the San Juans, San Juan Shoreline Assessment
Kyle Loring, Friends of the San Juans, Bulkhead Permit Case Study
Doug Myers, People for Puget Sound/Puget Sound Nearshore Ecosystem Restoration Program

Stewardship Connections Newsletter and Caring for Our Natural Resources Guide
The San Juan MRC produces a newsletter on environmental issues. If you're interested in receiving the newsletter by email, contact us at the email address below. The spring 2009 issue of the newsletter highlights citizen monitoring and other volunteer work that helps us better understand and protect the marine ecosystem.

The MRC collaborated with several community partners to create a guide that provides tips and resources on stewardship called Caring for Our Natural Resources. The guide was distributed to most of the households in the San Juans in local newspapers. A guide to Green Living in the San Juans showcases green products and services provided by local businesses in the San Juan Islands.

A Short Run To the Sea
A Short Run to the Sea is an effort of the Stewardship Network of the San Juans. A Short Run is a series of articles with insights and information about water in the San Juan Islands: where our fresh water comes from, how it travels across and through our land, how it’s purified, how it becomes contaminated, what problems that contamination can cause, and how we, together, through our individual actions, can keep our waters healthy and safe.

MRC Meetings
The MRC meets on the first and third Wednesdays from 8:30 to 10:30 AM at the Islanders Bank Annex Community Room in Friday Harbor. The public is encouraged to attend the meetings. If you would like to be included on our email distribution list to be informed of MRC issues and events, please send us an email.

For more information, contact Mary Knackstedt, MRC Coordinator.