Minutes
March 3 , 2004
Members Present: Brian Calvert, David Hoopes, David Loyd, Mary Masters, Kevin Ranker, Jim Slocomb
Absent: Laura Arnold, Kelley Balcomb-Bartok, Mike Bertrand, Tim Carpenter, Peter Fromm, Terrie Klinger, Kit Rawson, Dennis Willows
Guests: Ray Bigler, Mark Billington, Ginny Broadhurst, Stephanie Buffum, Shannon Davis, Robyn du Pré, Lisa Kaufman, Jody Kennedy, Kari Koski , Skeeter Lowe, Craig Staude, Sandy Wyllie-Echeverria, Tessa Wyllie-Echeverria
Guest speakers: David Roberts, Sarah Wilson, Mike Sato, Tina Wyllie-Echeverria
Chair, David Loyd, called the non-quorum meeting to order at 8:30 a.m. in the conference room at Islanders Bank, Friday Harbor.
Citizens' Comments:
Jim Slocomb distributed copies of a proposal from a local salvage company for the salvaging of derelict vessels in the San Juans; the proposal includes a list of 12 such vessels, sited in the San Juan Islands, with photographs, locations, and projected salvage costs.
Guest presentations:
David Loyd welcomed Sarah Wilson and David Roberts, noting that Sarah spoke to the BOCC a month ago about the derelict vessels around the San Juans and David Roberts has previously addressed the MRC on the DNR Reserve Program.
David Roberts, Assistant Regional Manager of DNR's Aquatics Program, said that he hopes to attend future MRC meetings as often as possible. He introduced Lisa Kaufman, the Restoration Manager for the Aquatics Program, and said Lisa will also be a DNR contact and will attend future meetings. Dave added that it is a luxury for this region to have MRC's doing so much of the groundwork. He said that DNR's restoration funds for projects around the region solicited five viable proposals for pilot funding ($100,000 for this area); projects were chosen from three MRCs and one through the Port of Bellingham, including a creosote removal project, a marsh restoration project in Island County, a huge beach restoration project in south Bellingham, removal of an old marine trestle in Port Townsend, and salmon enhancement. Dave said there is $10,000 left in the fund and he encouraged that applications be made before September for creosote removal projects, natural bank stabilization, shellfish restoration. He added that the hope is, with success of the currently-funded projects, a request for larger Program funding can be assured in the future.
Dave said the Reserves Program has had a tough start and work is, primarily, being done on the Mori Island Reserve and Cherry Point Reserve right now. The focus is to do the best job on these sites so that others, like Fidalgo Island and Cypress Island, can follow, he added.
Dave said that his workplan includes looking at areas with high concentrations of buoys, both authorized and un-authorized, that may be of concern (e.g. water quality and navigation) in both Jefferson County and San Juan County (e.g. Fisherman's Bay, Deer Harbor). Dave asked for more suggestions of areas to look at; interns have been hired to do the mapping of buoys.
Jim said that the existing licensing process seems to be to phone Sedro-Wooley and send money. There was discussion about licensing and required permits. Dave said that DNR prefers to license private buoys (up to 2 per preference area) at no cost so their location can be known. Commercial buoys are licensed with a fee dependent on the size of the moored vessel. He said the licenses are being processed at a steady pace. Dave explained that issues such as eelgrass are addressed in the shoreline permit process and WADFW's HPA. He will send new brochures to Jody with buoy applications and standards, such as the requirement that they not scour the bottom. Dave spoke about zoning considerations, such as navigation, protection of preference rights, and the potential limiting of the number of boats in areas that are starting to get crowded (for water quality purposes, e.g. overboard discharges). Jim explained that the basic infrastructure for handling discharge does not exist in the San Juans, including the new wastewater treatment plant in Friday Harbor which does not like holding tank effluent. Jim emphasized that water quality issues are only going to be addressed by source control, meaning Coast Guard-approved in-boat black treatment boxes or other technology along with some certification process.
Sarah Wilson presented a PowerPoint program on DNR's Derelict Vessel Removal Program (DVRP) and distributed printed copies of the presentation. She explained that the DVRP was created out of RCW 79.100, passed in 2002, effective January 2003. A statewide survey of derelict vessels in Washington waterways pointed to the size of the problem. The Bill authorizes certain public entities (DNR, WDFW, Port Districts, Parks & Recreation Commission, Park Districts, any city/town/county with ownership, management or jurisdiction over aquatic lands) to take temporary custody of “derelict” or “abandoned” vessels; the entity does not, however, have a duty to do so.
DNR, as the steward for public lands, manages the DVRP, whose roles are to remove and dispose of derelict vessels found in Washington's navigable waterways. The budget is funded by the $2 or $5 surcharge on a vessel's annual WA registration fee; 266,000 vessels were registered last year in the state. Approximately $400,000 is raised each year; 75% of an authorized entity's costs (which can include in-kind contributions) for vessel removal and disposal is reimbursed by the fund. A database inventories all derelict/abandoned vessels reported since the program began and assigns a priority category and schedule for removal. Guidelines, reporting and application forms, as well as current vessel inventory are available at www.dnr.wa.gov.
Sarah said that RCW 79.100 requires that priority be given to vessels in danger of breaking up, sinking, or presenting a threat to human health/safety, the environment or navigation. The Program only works with vessels up to 200 feet in length (there is no funding for larger vessels). Sarah reported that 22 vessels were pulled out last year. In the case of derelict vessels on private property, an Authorized Public Entity is needed to take the lead and assure the 25% funding match. Sarah discussed vessel owner liability; the Program can help in identifying the owner of an abandoned vessel. Hydraulic Project Approval (HPA) and local permits and authorizations are the responsibility of the lead entity. $50,000 is held in emergency funds to manage vessels that are sinking, breaking up, polluting, or otherwise creating a hazard.
Sarah encouraged that people use the DVRP form on the DNR website to report all known derelict vessels, with as much detail as possible. She defined “about to sink” as “will sink, without constant mechanical aide.” Sarah left a CD copy of her presentation; she can be reached at DVRP@wadnr.gov .
All pollutants on the vessels are removed and properly managed. Demolition is then done with heavy cutting equipment for appropriate landfilling.
Rockfish/Lingcod Project Final Report:
Mike Sato said that this final People for Puget Sound deliverable of the NWSC contract includes findings as well as recommended actions that “...should form the basis for formal management recommendations by the MRCs to county, state and tribal co-managers and for research projects....”[from “White Paper Recommendations: February 2004,” by Tina Wyllie-Echeverria and Mike Sato]. Tina explained that this report is the result of the recent Rockfish/ Lingcod Best Management Symposium that convened scientists to review the state of the resource. Mike left a CD and hardcopy of the final reports with Jody for MRC use. Dr. Tina Wyllie-Echevarria said that Dr. Claudia Mills, who had been invited to the Symposium, wrote a report on the event for local newspapers, which will also be published in the journal, “Fish and Fisheries.” Tina said that rockfish research here has included recent interviews with 10 local fishermen who have each had 20-60 years of fishing in San Juan County waters; she gave a summary of their responses. These fishermen mainly focused on quillback, yelloweye, and coppers but also fished for lingcod, salmon, halibut, and crab. Their range of fishing “effort” was from “no change in effort” to “no catch” now and the fishermen seemed to agree that fish caught now are smaller than historically. Schooling fishes are basically gone as far as these fishermen are concerned; lingcod are being caught, depending on when and where they are fished. The fishermen reported that, contrary to WDFW's belief that a caught fish is a dead fish, there is no bloating if the fish is brought up slowly so released catches could survive return to the water. No one reported seals taking rockfish from their lines but seals do compete for the same food as rockfish (herring). There was agreement that no take zones are working and are honored most of the time.
Tina reviewed the matrix of life histories developed in the symposium for each of the species of rockfish found here. Three major research gaps were identified: basic life histories (age structure, numbers of population, diet, reproduction timing), effects of environment on populations (e.g. El Nino events, surface layer exposures to pollutants), and habitat requirements (e.g. where the young live). Tina noted that there is evidence in South Sound that there is feminization of some male rockfishes due to sewage leaks containing estrogen pill residue. She said that a big point of discussion at the Symposium is the need to protect all life stages so that whole areas should be stewarded, which suggests that international stewardship areas are the way to go for real recovery.
Jim suggested that the UW Friday Harbor Labs fish classes could perhaps help to address some of the research gaps. Craig Staude offered to relay the information to the classes.
Mike emphasized that the recommendations represent contract action items. The recommended action items are:
1. Define the management goals of San Juan County. Tina said that the level of recovery for San Juan waters is not clear and consensus on this point is necessary to focus research and management goals. “...These goals must be developed by both State and Tribal co-managers with local participation and will help focus the types of protection necessary in order to achieve the defined goals....”
2. Fund more effective and efficient enforcement and monitoring of pollution sources and shoreline modifications. A precautionary approach is recommended especially in critical nearshore habitats. “Shoreline modifications, such as docks, floats, and bulkheads should be prohibited if they have a cumulative adverse impact on seagrasses and kelp beds.” David Hoopes pointed out the general concern over Victoria's sewage outflow mixing in San Juan waters. Tina said that a local informed public is critical in reporting regulatory infractions and in the education of fishers in voluntary reserve areas...She also recommended that the county take a strong stance with state and federal regulators regarding the threat of oil spills in the area.
3. Investigate the trophic interactions of rockfish and lingcod in San Juan County. Complex species interactions need to be identified and understood. The effects of reduction in forage fish population on rockfish species targeted for recovery needs to be investigated for recovery success (e.g. seals compete with rockfish and lingcod for herring and lingcod eat rockfish).
4. Fund more effective and efficient enforcement and monitoring to determine how much fishing is done in regulated and non-regulated areas. One recommended action is that “SJC should support sportfishing regulations that close county waters to spearfishing of rockfish and establishing a season for fishing for rockfish.”
5. Identify and establish recovery areas with management plans for all resident species of rockfish in SJC waters (black, tiger, yelloweye, Puget Sound, copper and quillback rockfish).
Shannon suggested that since the grant requires that actions be completed by April 15th the bottomfish subcommittee should meet soon. There was discussion on action items to be taken, including presenting the report findings to regulatory authorities (DNR, WA Fish and Wildlife Commission, the tribes). Kevin pointed out that monitoring is not an action per the NWSC guidelines. David Loyd suggested that a press release on the report would be an appropriate outreach action item. Kevin asked that the issue of current signage at the BFRP zones be reviewed. Jody said that a proposal for distribution on follow-up to the report is being worked on right now; it will be going out to members for discussion at the next meeting.
Fishing Regulations Ad:
A final version of the ad will be ready for vote at the next meeting; suggested edits should be emailed to Jody asap.
New/Old Business:
Stephanie Buffum said that next week Tina Whitman will be presenting forage fish reports which will dovetail Friends of the San Juans' action grant, the habitat restoration project, that was presented to the NWSC and Evaluation Team. She said the eelgrass report will be out on May 30th. Herring assessments are continuing, with a final report due in August. Stephanie said that this year's Canoe Journey will likely be held in the last week of July through the first week of August and a portion of the canoers will be coming through San Juan County waters and landing at Odlin Park. The final destination is just south of Nanaimo this year. Friends are working with their liaison on obtaining additional funding to start a realtor education program called, “With A Water View;” which will be equivalent to CLE credits, continuing education for realtors. Impacts of septic systems, outflows, etc. will be part of the shoreline training program.
David Loyd mentioned that the Beachwatchers program will be coming to San Juan County soon.
Robyn announced that the Puget Sound Action Team, along with the Puget Sound Council, is working on action priorities and a list will be available for citizen comment by March 18th; she distributed copies of the flier and the document can be found on the PSAT website.
David Hoopes said there has been some question with SRFBoard on whether there are Chinook salmon in the Islands throughout the year. He held up a newspaper photo of a Chinook recently caught here, noting that this is verifiable proof that they are present and that our nearshore area is indeed very important.
David also announced that Russel Barsh is looking for funding to study juvenile salmon use, among other things, in nearshore waters. He also reported that the federal government is considering opening up the Exclusive Economic Zone to privatization (e.g. for possible salmon net pens outside the three-mile zone in the Straits of Juan de Fuca); David suggested that concerned parties contact their legislators.
The meeting was adjourned at 10:20 a.m.
Submitted by Helen Venada
