Northwest Straits Commission - January 2023 news

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January 2023

Sunset view from Larrabee State Park with tree branches peeking in from the sides and Lummi Island in the background.

Sunset over Larrabee State Park and the Salish Sea. Photo: Sasha Horst

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A message from our director

Happy New Year! In 2023, the Northwest Straits Commission, Marine Resources Committees and numerous partners are hitting the ground running! We are embarking together on new programs, such as derelict vessel removal, growing existing programs like voluntary no-anchor zones to protect eelgrass, and building upon years of important monitoring and community education projects that directly engage local communities.

2023 also marks 25 years of Northwest Straits Commission contributions to marine conservation. Our fantastic volunteers, partners, supporters, and staff deserve a big THANK YOU for reaching this incredible milestone, and we look forward to continuing the legacy with all of you in the months ahead.

Signature of Lucas Hart
Lucas Hart, Director
Northwest Straits Commission

Fort Townsend forage fish team winter surveys

Six people standing along a shoreline wearing rubber boots with supplies in hand for collecting beach samples.

Jefferson MRC members and volunteers preparing to collect samples at Fort Townsend to look for forage fish eggs. Photo: Troy McKelvey

Volunteer teams in the Northwest Straits region collect beach samples throughout the year at numerous sites in the region to look for tiny forage fish eggs. The data collected helps fill data gaps about population dynamics and response to restoration efforts.

Jefferson MRC’s Fort Townsend forage fish spawning survey team hit the beach this month. Despite high winter tides that limited access to the beach, the team was able to collect samples from two of the five locations at the restoration site.

Click here to learn more about Jefferson MRC's forage fish monitoring.

Meadowdale beach and estuary restoration

Screen shot of the opening page of the Meadowdale Story Map showing a shoreline with a train track crossing at the edge of a forested upland area.

Click the image above to view the Story Map about the Meadowdale Beach and Estuary Restoration.

Congratulations to Snohomish County and their many partners as a major restoration project at Meadowdale Beach is now complete! The park reopened to the public earlier this month. This project was designed to support salmon recovery and shoreline restoration while also making park improvements.

Snohomish MRC will continue to be a partner in the ongoing monitoring to see how the restored estuary is adjusting over time, and which fish species use the restored habitats.

Check out information about the project on the Snohomish MRC website or view the Story Map here.

Member updates

MRC member Tom Doerge with MRC staff Elisa Dawson sitting in their kayaks and smiling at the camera as they float over the top of a kelp bed in Puget Sound.

Departing Snohomish MRC member Tom Doerge conducting kayak-based kelp surveys with MRC staff Elisa Dawson.

Three cheers for departing Snohomish MRC members Mike Ehlebracht, Laura Gurley, Tom Doerge, and Bob Margulis. Wrapping up their terms at the end of 2022, all of these members made significant contributions to the MRC and its projects. Thank you for your work!

With the end of the year, several MRC vacancies opened up. Learn more and apply at the links below:

Northwest Straits Foundation

Click here to learn more about the work of our non-profit partner, the Northwest Straits Foundation.

Welcome, Caitlyn!

Northwest Straits Program Coordinator Caitlyn Blair.

My name is Caitlyn Blair, and I’m so excited to be part of the Northwest Straits Commission team as the Program Coordinator. Even though I grew up in the mountains of Colorado, I’ve been a long-time lover of the Salish Sea, and all the incredible human and non-human creatures I’ve been able to come to know while living here. My passions lie within building long-lasting relationships, place-based education, marine ecology, and lots of swimming.

I previously worked in curriculum development and teaching for the Salish Sea Studies Minor at the Salish Sea Institute at Western Washington University. I’ve loved this journey, and I look forward to bringing my excitement and love for this place into my new work here at the Northwest Straits Commission!

Job alert!

QR code linking to the Whatcom job application at http://bit.ly/WCMRC23

Whatcom County is seeking a Planner to join their Natural Resources team. The position will provide staff support for preservation, restoration, protection and enhancement of the County’s marine ecosystem including working closely with the Whatcom MRC, community groups, and other outside agencies.

Announcement closes February 12. Click here to learn more and apply.

Upcoming events

January 27, 2023 – Northwest Straits Commission meeting. 10am-12pm via Zoom. More information here.

February 24, 2023 – Northwest Straits Commission meeting. This will be our first in-person meeting since 2020. Join us at the Stillaguamish Natural Resources building. More information here.

NW Straits in the news

King tides expected to arrive Saturday – Skagit Valley Herald, December 22, 2022

County seeking applications for boards, commissions, and committees – The Northern Light, December 21, 2022

2022 European Green Crab Wrap Up: Inland sites – Washington Sea Grant, December 31, 2022

In other news

Tribe concerned about purple urchin barrens and kelp forests – Northwest Treaty Tribes, January 3, 2023

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ABOUT US

The Northwest Straits Commission provides funding, training and support to seven county-based Marine Resources Committees (MRCs) to assist with their work protecting and restoring local marine resources. Learn more about the Commission on our website at www.nwstraits.org.

This work has been funded wholly or in part by the US EPA. The contents of this newsletter do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of the EPA, nor does mention of trade names or commercial products constitute endorsement or recommendation for use.

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