HomeMy WebLinkAbout100426 - Fw_ Thank You and Follow-Up on Salmon and Marine Mammal ProtectionYour email has been received. As two or more Commissioners have received this message, it has been forwarded to the Commissioners’ public facing correspondence folder. Thank you
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________________________________
From: Deisy Bach <deisyishiking@gmail.com>
Sent: Saturday, October 3, 2026 11:26 AM
To: Heidi Eisenhour <HEisenhour@co.jefferson.wa.us>; Greg Brotherton <GBrotherton@co.jefferson.wa.us>; Heather Dudley-Nollette <HDudley-Nollette@co.jefferson.wa.us>; Carolyn Gallaway
<carolyn@co.jefferson.wa.us>
Cc: Jackie Canterbury <jackie.canterbury@gmail.com>; Joyce Lauterback <joycemft@me.com>; rimper3@gmail com <rimper3@gmail.com>; jenniferkolodny@hotmail.com <jenniferkolodny@hotmail.com>
Subject: Thank You and Follow-Up on Salmon and Marine Mammal Protection
ALERT: BE CAUTIOUS This email originated outside the organization. Do not open attachments or click on links if you are not expecting them.
Dear Commissioners,
Thank you again for taking the time to meet with us a couple of weeks ago to discuss H.R. 9621, H.R. 9637, salmon recovery, and the potential consequences of weakening protections under
the Marine Mammal Protection Act.
We especially appreciated your willingness to listen and your open-minded approach to what is a complicated issue. We all share the goal of recovering our salmon populations. Our concern
is that killing more seals and sea lions may not provide the solution being promised and could create unintended consequences within an already stressed marine ecosystem.
Since our meeting, we have continued researching alternatives and the broader science surrounding pinniped predation.
One area that I believe deserves serious consideration is Targeted Acoustic Startle Technology, or TAST. This technology is designed to deter seals from specific areas without killing
them. It has been tested in salmon rivers in Scotland, where researchers have reported substantial reductions in seals moving upstream, and it has also been studied here in the Pacific
Northwest.
More information on the technology and the underlying research can be found at:
https://genuswave.com/
This is precisely the type of approach we hope policymakers will thoroughly evaluate before expanding lethal control. If we can protect vulnerable salmon at locations where predation
is concentrated while also protecting marine mammals, that deserves serious consideration.
We are also looking more closely at the role of Pacific hake and other predators of juvenile salmon. Research from Fisheries and Oceans Canada shows that the resident Strait of Georgia
Pacific hake population has increased substantially in recent years. This raises important questions about the entire food web and the possible unintended effects of significantly reducing
predators such as seals and sea lions.
The point is not that we already know exactly what would happen if pinniped numbers were substantially reduced. We don't. That uncertainty is exactly why we believe decisions of this
magnitude should be based on a comprehensive evaluation of the ecosystem rather than simply looking at how many salmon seals and sea lions consume.
Although we recognize that the County Commissioners are not the decision makers on these federal bills, you do have an important voice. We hope you will encourage our federal representatives
to carefully examine the science, consider non-lethal approaches such as TAST, and look at the entire ecosystem before supporting policies that expand the killing of marine mammals
or weaken protections under the MMPA.
There is also a local economic reason for Jefferson County to pay attention. Tourism is an important part of our county's economy, particularly in Port Townsend, and our marine environment
and wildlife are part of what makes this area such a special place to live and visit. Protecting a healthy Salish Sea is therefore not only an environmental issue; it is important to
the character and economic vitality of our community.
We will continue to keep you informed as we learn more. Additional information, research, and updates about our work can be found on the Salish Sea Science Coalition website:
www.SalishSeaSC.com <http://www.SalishSeaSC.com>
Thank you again for your time, your thoughtful questions, and your willingness to consider the science behind this issue. We greatly appreciate having local leaders who are willing to
listen and engage in the discussion.
Warm regards,
Deisy Bach
Salish Sea Science Coalition
--
Sincerely,
Deisy Bach
925.785.3137
deisyishiking@gmail.com <mailto:deisyishiking@gmail.com>
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