Minutes
January 19, 2005
Members Present: Laura Arnold, Mike Bertrand, David Hoopes, David Loyd, Mary Masters, Kit Rawson,
Jim Slocomb, Dennis Willows
Absent: Kelley Balcomb-Bartok, Brian Calvert, Peter Fromm, Terrie Klinger
Guests: Mark Billington, Phil Green, Jody Kennedy, Kari Koski, Victoria Parker, Commissioner Kevin Ranker, Rowann Tallmon, Tina Whitman
Guest speaker: Betsy Peabody, Executive Director, Puget Sound Restoration Fund
Chair Jim Slocomb called the meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. in the Community Room at Islanders Bank Annex, Friday Harbor.
Minutes: The minutes of the 1/5/05 meeting were approved, as amended by prior email revisions.
Membership:
Following discussion on possible strategies to interview new members, it was agreed that an MRC membership subcommittee would do a preliminary review of applicants to generate a short list of qualified candidates. This list would them be considered by the MRC as a whole at a regular meeting discussion and a memo of preferences and comments would then be sent to the BOCC for the commissioners’ final decisions.
Newly-elected Commissioner, Kevin Ranker, said that he would know by the end of the day what the BOCC process will be for interviewing and selecting new MRC members.
NWSC Retreat report:
Jody reported that the first day of the Retreat in Coupeville was focused on long-range strategic planning; a brainstorming session was held in light of the Ruckelshaus Commission’s suggestion to develop a strategic view. Other visioning themes that came out of this initial planning group were to increase partnerships / links with other groups; to provide a model for other areas; to increase work with other managers / agencies; to work on more regional projects (with other MRCs?); to develop more of an ocean ethic.
Jody distributed copies of the draft FY 2005 workplan and said that the NWSC will be receiving a larger appropriation for their 2006-07 budget, about $70,000 of which will go to regional MRC projects and $86,000 to the Marine Program. Regional project ideas will be discussed further at the March 4th NWSC meeting; more feedback from MRC members is requested, particularly in identifying priority projects. The meeting will also bring in experts to provide additional scientific advice.
Guest presentation:
Betsy Peabody explained that the Olympia Oyster Restoration project, sponsored by the Puget Sound Restoration Fund, was inspired by the state’s Olympia Oyster Stock Rebuilding Plan, which was not funded. Since 1999, the Project, in partnership with many other groups, including several regional tribes, commercial growers, the U.S. Navy, DNR, MRCs, private tideland owners, WADFW, NOAA’s Community-based Restoration Program, and business sponsors, has been doing assessments of necessary spawning conditions, researching other requirements for restoration, and seeding the species of concern, the native oyster, in Puget Sound waters. Some 5 million oysters have been planted in 80 sites around Puget Sound and a few sites in Willapa Bay.
The goal of the project is to re-establish naturally reproducing populations of the Olympia oyster throughout their native ranges. Native oyster populations have been all but decimated by pollution, habitat loss, and overharvest. Betsy said that surveys done 15 years ago found no native oysters in North Bay; there has been some natural resurgence of the species in the south Sound and there are some remnant populations in the central basin of Puget Sound, with much less occurrence in the San Juans. The native oyster, compared to the Pacific oyster, exhibits thinner shells with a purplish edge; they are smaller and more vulnerable to weather extremes, Betsy said.
Dennis Willows pointed out that the resurgence of the native oyster in the south Sound seems to coincide with increased numbers several years ago of the larger oyster in the San Juans; researchers looked into changes in environmental conditions that could have led to the growth in numbers. Betsy said that one factor may be that 1999, when the increases were recorded, saw the end of the last El Nino event here.
In discussing habitat needs of the native oyster, Betsy said that one important lesson in rebuilding the population has been that selected sites need to have had historical populations; public input is sought to locate natural remnant populations. Ideal elevation is not as important as constant water coverage (mixture of fresh and saltwater); clean water in highly protected coves and estuaries and good, relatively firm, substrate are important requirements and it has been observed that the species is often found in the assemblage of sea lettuce and sand dollars.
Betsy said that participating tribes include the Skokomish, Samish, Swinomish, Lummi, Suquamish, Squaxin Island, and Jamestown S’Klallam. She added that Russel Barsh’s archeological record is invaluable and she is honored to be working with the tribes whose subsistence and ceremonial harvests included the native oysters. The project has been obtaining permission from tideland owners to re-seed beaches and many landowners take great interest in the restoration effort. Puget Sound was divided into six different zones to preserve local genetic variability and integrity of the Olympia oyster.
Betsy said that brood oysters have been collected for seed from Shoal Bay on Lopez. Hatchery seed production is also used to supplement natural seed, such as that collected in artificial lagoons that are protected and warmer. San Juan planting sites include Buck Bay, Haida Point, Deer Channel, Deer Lagoon, Judd Cove, and Mail Bay. The sites are monitored for survival and growth of the seeded natives to document natural reproduction. The project is also testing for the presence of Denman Island parasitic disease that is fatal to older oysters.
Besides providing heritage food for humans, there are many ecological benefits of the re-seeding: Olympia oysters, the only oysters native to Puget Sound and the Pacific Coast, support rich diverse underwater communities; they are natural bio-filters that clean the water; they provide food for many animals and make nitrogen available to eelgrass.
Betsy said that the project is working on a Washington Sea Grant publication about small scale aquaculture to boost restoration on private tidelands. She added that researchers are trying to find studies that scientifically document the creation of nearshore habitat by oysters for salmon; the literature is scanty but does exist. Russel Barsh has been monitoring sites and using observation to document community ecology.
NWSC Action grant:
Jody said that NWSC’s next grant cycle starts in July, with $50,000 available for action grants and $10,000 for administration grants. The following grant cycle (July ‘06) will provide $80,000 for action grants. Jody said there will be one application process for both 2005 and 2006 funding; the letter of intent is due the beginning of March and the application, due the end of March, will be for both years ($130,000) but only $50,000 can be spent in 2005.
2005 Workplan:
Copies of the workplan were distributed. Jim said the workplan is a BOCC agenda item for February 8th, along with the MRC annual report and MSA update. He said the workplan could be revised to include 2006 activities. There was discussion about planning for the MRC calendar year versus NWSC’s fiscal year. Kevin suggested that the committee think about project workplans rather than annual workplans. The Executive/Planning subcommittee will discuss budget priorities and projects that could be rolled into the 2006 cycle.
Sub-committees:
Executive/Planning: Laura (Chair), Jim, Mary, and David Loyd
Science/ Technology: Terrie (Chair), Kit, David Hoopes, David Loyd
Policy/Management: Kit (Chair), Terrie, Dennis, Laura, Mary
Outreach/Education: Brian, Mary, Jim, David Hoopes, David Loyd
Membership: Brian (Chair), Mary, Dennis
It was agreed that sub-committee reports be an agenda item for the second meeting of each month, with the proposal that designated Chairs poll their respective sub-committee members regarding scheduling of their meetings. There was discussion about the public meeting aspect of regular MRC meetings.
Kari Koski said that she is interested in participating on the outreach/education sub-committee, as a non-member of the MRC; she wondered about how to include other interested parties.
Membership:
It was agreed that the BOCC needs to set and publicize a closing date for applications; there are 5 open positions.
New/Old Business:
Registration for the Puget Sound / Georgia Basin Research Conference is due the end of March; Jody and Mary will each be presenting on the last day of the conference.
The “Leave Only Footprints” brochure is being revised to include MSA language.
Jim said that the Port Commission is interested in splitting the costs of a future printing of the MSA laminants.
Tina Whitman said that the lecture, “Living Within the Nearshore,” will be presented at Roche Harbor on March 22nd and will be repeated on Lopez and Orcas Islands. She also announced a Land Use for Realtors workshop in April.
Kevin said that the BOCC will probably not combine the Shoreline Master Program review (new regulations) and the Critical Areas update; there will be more discussion at next Tuesday’s BOCC meeting.
Victoria Parker invited everyone to the upcoming San Juan Nature Institute-sponsored lecture by Dr. Brian Atwater of USGS, “Orphan Tsunami of 1700: Earthquakes of North America.”
The meeting was adjourned at 10:20 a.m.
Submitted by Helen Venada
