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HomeMy WebLinkAbout20150818 FINAL NPC MRC Minutes NPC MRC 8/18/2015 FINAL Meeting Summary 1 August 18, 2015 NPC MRC Final Meeting Summary The August 18, 2015 NPC MRC meeting took place at the ONRC Hemlock Room at 1455 Forks Avenue, Forks, WA on Tuesday the 18th from 4:15 to 6:29 PM (00:12:10 on the audio counter). A quorum of voting members was established. Appointed committee members present at the meeting were Steve Allison (Hoh Tribe Rep.), John Hunter (Citizen Rep., Clallam County), Deborah Kucipeck (Clallam County Rep.), Ian Miller (Washington SeaGrant – ex officio), Roy Morris (Citizen Rep., Clallam County), Rich Osborne (Citizen Rep., Clallam County), Tami Pokorny (Jefferson County Rep.), John Richmond (Citizen Rep., Jefferson County) and Jill Silver (Citizen Rep., Jefferson County). Helle Anderson (Feiro Marine Life Center) and Rebekah Brooks (ONRC) were also present. Introductions Public Comments There were none. Additions to the Agenda There were none. The agenda was approved by consensus. Approval of the July Meeting Summary The July Meeting Summary was approved by consensus, with changes. Announcements Rich Osborne announced that the new coordinator for the North Pacific Coast Lead Entity is Frank Hanson with the ONRC. Old Business MRC Summit Update Tami Pokorny is working with Casey Dennehey on Summit details; thoughts on activities and field trips were discussed among the group, including geographic response plans, tours of the harbor, a walk to Second or Rialto Beach and John Anderson’s Beachcomber Museum in Forks. There will be a phone conference call next week for further planning for anyone who would like to join in. ICC – Salmon Feed and Poetry Read Roy Morris led discussion on event details, which will be held on September 19th at Tillicum Park at 4:00 pm. He is connecting with Barbara Blackie from Peninsula College, Sequim and Port Townsend poetry readers, quilters and carvers; he has also invited Nicole Rasmussen (Quileute Tribe) and Stephanie Martin (Makah Tribe) to bring their natural resources displays. Poetry readers will have five minute segments to share nature poems. NPC MRC 8/18/2015 FINAL Meeting Summary 2 New Business Project Results: Pilot Study of Micro Debris Accumulation This was accidentally skipped in the agenda. Project Scores and Ranking of RFP Projects This was momentarily skipped until Rich Osborne could finish entering all of the scores on the spreadsheet. Tami Pokorny’s email was down all day and she was unable to enter the last minute scores. Confirmation of Available Funds (RFP Projects and Future Projects 2015-2017) The total available is $77,000 for the two year period; after the $50,000 set aside for the RFP projects, $27,000 remains for other uses. Tami Pokorny went through current ideas for the non-RFP project list: Funding for School Field Trip Transportation; ICC Salmon Feed and Poetry Read (Roy Morris does not anticipate any additional expenses); Signs for Beachcombers Museum (this project probably will not go forward); Support for Water Quality Monitoring at Forks Intermediate School (the project contact is working up details and plans to get back to the NPC MRC *John Hunter volunteered to assist with this project); West End Natural Resource Newsletter; RainFest—Trashion Show and Film Fest; Angler Logbook Program—Support for Trainings; and a Coastal Display at Forks Transit Center. Roy suggested forming work groups to address the projects. Return to Project Results: Pilot Study of Micro Debris Accumulation Helle Anderson (Feiro and WA SeaGrant) presented on her pilot study findings of micro debris on Kalaloch Beach, Second Beach, Norwegian Memorial and Rialto Beach. Using transects along the wrack line of the beaches, micro debris was collected, measured and weighed and compared against similar study results from Puget Sound beaches. Rialto Beach is a higher energy environment and no micro debris could be collected. Conclusions of the study found that plastic is the main component of micro debris on the other three beaches, 81% by count or more than 99% by weight. The amount of coastal micro debris in the wrack line is only a fraction of the debris found on Puget Sound beaches, between 1-13%. Future studies would require a new protocol, be expanded to more beaches and look in the wood zone, which may be the wrack line for the Pacific Northwest beaches. Return to Project Scores and Ranking of RFP Projects Projects were ranked in the following order: 1: CoastSavers; 2: COASST; 3: Pacific Coast Salmon Coalition (PCSC); 4: Feiro Marine Life Center; 5: North Olympic Peninsula Skills Center (NOPSC); 6: Makah Tribe. At the time of the ranking, scores from Rod Fleck, Ed Ansorg and Dana Sarff were still not received. Lengthy discussion on available funds, funding request amounts and project problems and merits followed. Roy Morris moved to approve the first two projects (CoastSavers and COASST) for the full funding request amounts, and to approve the next three (PCSC, Feiro and NOPSC) for one year only, with the chance to reapply for the second year with improvement to the projects; John Hunter seconded. Discussion followed over issues with funding allocations within the PCSC and NOPSC proposals. The motion passed by consensus. The final four proposals are up for reapplication next year. Final funding recommendations are as follows: CoastSavers: $20,000 over two years COASST: $14,920 over two years PCSC: $5,725 over one year FMLC: $3,670 over one year NOPSC: $3,997 over one year Total awards: $48,312 Funding Recommendations for RFP Projects NPC MRC 8/18/2015 FINAL Meeting Summary 3 This topic was covered under Confirmation of Available Funds. MRC-Initiated Project Ideas This topic was covered under Confirmation of Available Funds. Updates Marine Debris/Ocean Acidification/Hypoxia Rich Osborne said that the harmful algal bloom is still going on. Another notification came out yesterday; the counts are down but still toxic to humans. Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife shut down the commercial and sport crab fisheries on the south coast. This is the longest harmful algal bloom on record and stretches from Alaska to northern California. Humpback, blue and fin whales are washing up dead, potentially from demoic acid. Steve Allison reported dying tidepools at Ozette, the bleakest looking tidepools he has ever seen. Most of the West End rivers are shut down to fishing. The Hoh is closed for salmon and will continue to be closed through September if the Tribe decides not to fish. Washington Coast Marine Advisory Council The next meeting is scheduled for September 23rd in Grays Harbor. Additional information can be found at www.msp.wa.gov. Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council Roy Morris gave a recap of the last meeting and showed biodegradable debris collection bags that will be handed out to cleanup volunteers. The Sanctuary is looking at filling a recreational fishing seat. The next meeting will be held on September 25th in Taholah. Administration and Fiscal Agent Update Tami Pokorny said it is status quo funding from Fish and Wildlife. Next Agenda The next NPC MRC meeting is scheduled for September 15th at ONRC in Forks. Public Comments/General Rich Osborne announced that Miles Batchelder is stepping down from WCSSP at the end of the year and there will be a national search for his replacement. Adjourn The NPC MRC meeting adjourned at 6:29 pm (02:27:15 on the audio counter). Compiled by Rebekah Brooks. Action Items: *John Hunter volunteered to assist with the Support for Water Quality Monitoring at Forks Intermediate School project.