The URL can be used to link to this page

Home My WebLink AboutUPDATE re Marine Resources Committee MRC - PresentationJefferson County Marine Resources Committee 2025 Annual Report to the Board of County Commissioners April 6,2026 www.jeffersonmrc.org Source:NW Straits Commission Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee Members MRC Member Representatives (Current) Tribal Rep (Jamestown S’Klallam)Neil Harrington (Vice Chair) Jefferson County Commissioner Heidi Eisenhour (ex officio) Local Govt (City of PT)Steve King Local Govt (Port of PT)Carol Hasse (ex officio) District 1;Alt.Timothy Behrenfeld, Vacant; Vacant District 2;Alt.Jeff Taylor,Brenda Johnson (NWSC rep);Frank Handler District 3;Alt.Sarah Fisken (NWSC rep alt),Vacant; Tim Cross Marine Science Practitioner, Educator or Researcher;Alt.Emily Buckner (Chair);Jon Waggoner Environmental/Conservation Interests;Alt.Betsy Carlson;Bryan DeCaterina Commercial Interests Gordon King Recreational Interests;Alt.Troy McKelvey;Roy Clark Local Youth ;Alt.Odhran Waggoner;Bella Ferland What we do: •Advisory committee to the BoCC •Hold monthly public meetings:https://www.jeffersonmrc.org/ •Engage in hands-on projects that support local and regional goals focused on marine and nearshore habitat protection,restoration &education MRC project partners: Many community volunteers,WSU Extension,WA Dept. of Fish and Wildlife,Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe,WA Dept. Nat. Resources,Taylor Shellfish,Hood Canal Oyster Co., City of PT, Port of PT,WA State Parks, Puget Sound Restoration Fund,Strait Ecosystem Recovery Network LIO,Port Townsend Marine Science Center,NW Maritime Center, and others 2025 MRC Funding $182 ,000 NW Straits Commission:WA State +EPA + NOAA funding (Jan-Dec 2025) $67,550 Volunteer time (1,620 hours @ $41.70 /hr) $2,180 (est.)Community in-kind match (Professional services,Taylor Shellfish) $251,730 =TOTAL VALUE $2,560,000 =Commission funds into Jefferson County since 1999 2025 Volunteer Hours By Activity 53 volunteers contributed to marine stewardship through MRC projects! MRC members (89%) and community volunteers (11%) contributed 1620 volunteer hours in 2025 22% 9% 31% 10%28% WBF Speaker Series, festivals, community workshops, etc. Community Science Monitoring Bull kelp monitoring •1 site:East Bed,North Beach (9th yr) •3 surveys (June, July, Aug) •Continue to see a healthy and dynamic bed •Sound IQ database Community Science Monitoring Forage fish spawning surveys •2 sites:Dabob Bay (4th yr), Quilcene Marina (1st yr) •10 surveys at both sites •Surf smelt eggs (1, Jan)at Dabob Bay •Sand lance eggs (1, Feb)at Dabob Bay Solenne Walker Bull kelp monitoring •1 site:East Bed,North Beach (9th yr) •3 surveys (June, July, Aug) •Continue to see a healthy and dynamic bed •Sound IQ database Community Science Monitoring Forage fish spawning surveys •2 sites:Dabob Bay (4th yr), Quilcene Marina (1st yr) •10 surveys at both sites •Surf smelt eggs (1, Jan)at Dabob Bay •Sand lance eggs (1, Feb)at Dabob Bay Storm surge monitoring •1 site: Salmon Club (Port Townsend) •2 surveys (Sound IQ database) Solenne Walker Bull kelp monitoring •1 site:East Bed,North Beach (9th yr) •3 surveys (June, July, Aug) •Continue to see a healthy and dynamic bed •Sound IQ database 2,040 direct contacts Educational Workshops •Searching for Seaweed •Digging for Dinner •Crabbing 101 •Seaweed Pressing •Shoreline landowner outreach Community Events •Connectivity Fair •Shrimpfest •Wooden Boat Festival •KPTZ County Connections Education & Outreach Education & Outreach Marine Science and Stewardship Stage at the Wooden Boat Festival Highlights •1,404 people attended •19 presentations •19 presenters •MRC created a 9-minute video compilation featuring MRC work to be shown between presenters https://vimeo.com/1133576790/58 a4b150bf?share=copy&fl=sv&fe=ci •Kelp & Eelgrass •Dam removal •Pinto Abalone •Puffins •And more! Topics •Whales and marine mammals •Plankton •Derelict vessels •Red tides Eelgrass/shellfish protection no-anchor zones •Regular maintenance at Pt Hadlock, Mystery Bay, and Pt. Townsend •95%boater compliance at PT (25 days monitored) •Presentation to Strait ERN June 2025 Olympia oyster restoration •Lagoon site –9th year,shell stacks •Powerlines site –11 th year,added shell and monitored Rain gardens •5 rain garden maintenance work parties •19 MRC rain gardens in Jefferson County •City of PT picks up green waste in town ROV derelict crab pot removal •3rd year •37 pots removed from Kilisut Harbor and Port Townsend Bay Restoration & Protection Restoration & Protection Voluntary No -anchor zones, eelgrass protection •Three sites: Port Townsend waterfront, Port Hadlock and Mystery Bay •21 Buoys •100 acres of eelgrass and shellfish beds protected Olympia Oyster Restoration –North and South Powerlines Site Restoration & Protection •South Discovery Bay •2 shell spread events •2500 bags of shell •17 volunteers Olympia Oysters by size class Powerlines Site (2023 Shell) Discovery Bay July 12, 2025 Number of Olympia OystersSize Class Changes from 2023 to 2024: •We counted ~10% less settled Oly’s, but they averaged 10mm bigger •Suggests natural recruitment of Oly’s is happening in Disco Bay •We saw Oly’s settling on 2023 Pacific oyster shell spread, will be surveyed July 2025 •We saw Oly’s settling on Oly shell stacks at Lagoon site Restoration & Protection Olympia Oyster Restoration –North and South Powerlines Site 97 ,000 est. Olys in plot 7 volunteers counted 32 quadrats 722 Oly’s counted Average size:17 mm Restoration & Protection ROV Derelict Crab Pot Removal •Port Townsend Bay & Kilisut Harbor •4 days on the water with Coastal Sensing & Survey •37 pots removed with ROV •7 pots donated to Jefferson Search and Rescue •9 HS students from PT/Maritime School Continuing Existing Projects •Forage fish spawning surveys,bull kelp monitoring,Olympia oyster restoration in Discovery Bay,eelgrass and shellfish protection no-anchor zones,rain garden maintenance,education and outreach,storm surge monitoring Developing New Projects/Efforts •Exploring Olympia oyster restoration in Kilisut Harbor •Recruiting volunteers to “adopt” rain gardens •Derelict vessel removal subcommittee •Shoreline armoring subcommittee Hiring part-time MRC support staff •Goal to have position staffed by June 2026 Funding •Federal and State funds (Jan 1 –Dec 31,2026)–$182,000 •Next 2-year funding cycle (Oct 2027 –Dec 2029)–Est. up to $199,000 per year 2026 –Current Projects & Efforts How can the MRC be of service? Advisory and/or Projects •County-wide assessments of kelp, eelgrass, restoration potential,etc. •Restoring priority nearshore &marine habitats •Public education on climate change/sea level rise and other local marine issues Contact:jeff.co.mrc@gmail.com Cory and Catska Ench THANK YOU! Cory and Catska Ench MRC members at the November 2025 MRC Conference in La Conner, WA