Minutes
December 3, 2003
Members Present: Mike Bertrand, Tim Carpenter,
Peter Fromm, David Hoopes, Terrie Klinger,
David Loyd, Mary Masters, Kevin Ranker, Kit Rawson, Jim Slocomb,
Dennis Willows
Absent: Kelley Balcomb-Bartok, Brian Calvert,
Rich Osborne
Guests: Laura Arnold, Mark Billington, Shannon
Davis, Jody Kennedy, Kari Koski, Tina Whitman,
Sandy Wyllie-Echeverria, Tessa Wyllie-Echeverria
Chair, Jim Slocomb, called the meeting to order
at 8:30 a.m. in the Community Room at Islanders' Bank, FridayHarbor.
David Hoopes announced that Navigating the Nearshore,
a workshop for salmon recovery planners, will be held on December
16th, location to be determined. The Puget Sound Salmon Forum
Shared Strategy is sponsoring the event and Kit added that the
idea is to get all watershed groups on the same page on nearshore
issues for salmon recovery planning.
Minutes:
Minutes of the 11/19/03 meeting were approved with the following
corrections: on page 1, 3, 4th line, replace "on venue issues"
with "who will describe the project and discuss nearshore
issues;" on page 2, first Motion, 3rd line, replace "and
comment at next meeting" with "for submission to the
BOCC;" under "Rockfish Symposium," 9th line, change
"Gullback" to "Quillback;" and, under "Aquaculture,"
2nd line, change "nays" to "mays."
Forage Fish Project:
Tina Whitman presented an update on the project. She said that
the sand lance and surf smelt egg surveys are nearing completion;
570 sites have been sampled to date on 22 islands and 49 positive
spawning sites have been documented (31 of which were previously
undocumented). Data is now being analyzed for distribution to
all San Juan County and Town of Friday Harbor staff with land
use management and project implementation duties related to county
shorelines. Tina announced that FOSJ will sponsor a January 15th
work session for such staff and other interested parties on forage
fish and nearshore habitat protection (including forage fish biology,
survey/assessment results, relevant permitting and regulations,
and review and use of available databases); she asked if the MRC
was interested in co-sponsoring the event.
On the marine riparian shade enhancement project,
Tina said that a team will be planting eight native species this
weekend on the Land Bank's beach just north of the Lopez ferry
landing where there was an erosion event some 10 years ago. The
Lopez Project Wet Team, trained by the SJC Conservation District,
will do long term monitoring of the site. A second shade restoration
site will be implemented on a privately owned beach on Blind Bay;
the Shaw Island 4-H group will be assisting.
Herring surveys will begin in late January (during
spawn season), especially in areas that have not been visited
by DFW; these surveys are being augmented by interviews with elders
and other fishermen.
Funding Issues:
Jim said there is an opportunity for a full page map of existing
protected areas in a SJC Visitors Bureau brochure that will go
to print soon with a distribution of 200,000. Jim also noted that
the Bureau's excellent "Leave Only Footprints" brochure
was paid for by tourism dollars.
Motion: Kevin moved, and David Loyd seconded,
that the MRC allocate $2600 for including a map in the SJC Visitors
Bureau brochure. The motion passed unanimously.
Details of the map graphics were discussed and
Jim, Kevin, Peter, Mary, and David will work on drafting the map.
FOSJ's funding request for co-sponsorship of
its January work session for 75 county and town staff was discussed.
Motion: Mary moved, and Kevin seconded, that the MRC allocate
$1000 for co-sponsorship
of the FOSJ work/training session. The motion passed unanimously.
The importance of these first steps, as
part of an effort of sustained presence of the MSA issue, was
noted.
There was discussion of FOSJ's funding request
for $800 to help print forage fish and eelgrass posters, that
will incorporate information specific to the MSA project, for
circulation to libraries, schools, community centers, and ferries.
It was agreed to postpone MSA inclusion in the posters until the
stewardship effort is better defined.
2004 Work Plan:
The most recent draft of the work plan was discussed and edits
were suggested. Sandy Echeverria-Wyllie noted that further research
is needed on possible human impacts contributing to the cause
of eelgrass loss in Westcott/ Garrison Bay, Blind Bay, and False
Bay; he said that Sea Grant and the Russell Foundation may fund
the research and asked that the MRC write a letter of support.
Sandy added that the Army Corps of Engineers is considering granting
a permit for a large dock on Horseshoe Bay and another permit
is on the table for modifying the shoreline and adding docks;
the concern is for the loss of herring spawn sites due to loss
of eelgrass.
The committee agreed to sign off on the "Summary
of Responses to the Marine Resources Survey," which will
be part of the 2003 work plan report/2004 work plan package for
the BOCC.
The proposed revisions to the county's shoreline
regulations on aquaculture were discussed, also to be included
in the package.
Motion: Kit moved, and Peter seconded, that the committee approve
the Atlantic salmon netpen ban, with references cited in the Whatcom
County model. The motion was unanimously passed.
Motion: Mary moved, and Dennis seconded, that
the aquaculture regulation revisions be adopted as written. Motion
was passed unanimously.
Motion: Kevin moved, and Mary seconded, that
the 2004 Work Plan be approved as amended.
Motion passed unanimously.
New/Old Business:
Jim circulated a draft letter from Dr. Russel Barsh to the BOCC,
Senator Murray, Representative Larsen, (and NOAA ?), asking MRC
support for the Samish Indian Nation proposal to confirm their
research center's preliminary findings, through a larger study,
on adult sockeye salmon nearshore feeding around San Juan Island
as part of their spawning migration. It was agreed to invite Dr.
Barsh to present more information to a future MRC meeting.
There was discussion on the use of remaining
2003 administrative funds. There was consensus that a budget sub-committee
is needed for next year.
Motion: Kevin moved, and Peter seconded,
that $650 be allocated for co-sponsorship of the "Be Whale
Wise" ad in the SJC Visitors Bureau publication. Motion passed
unanimously.
Peter suggested that there be an MRC retreat
early next year.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:30 a.m.
Submitted by Helen Venada
MRC minutes, page 2
12/3/03
