HomeMy WebLinkAbout032519_ca06Consent Agenda
Commissioners Office
JEFFERSON COUNTY
BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS
AGENDA REQUEST
TO: Board of County Commissioners
Philip Morley, County Administrator
FROM: Leslie Locke, Executive Assistant
DATE: March 25, 2019
SUBJECT: LETTER OF SUPPORT re: Proposal to List Pinto Abalone as a State Endangered
Species; Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife, Fish Program
STATEMENT OF ISSUE:
LETTER OF SUPPORT re: Proposal to List Pinto Abalone as a State Endangered Species; Washington
State Department of Fish and Wildlife, Fish Program
ANALYSIS:
At their March meetings, the Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee (MRC), and the North Pacific
Coast Marine Resources Committee passed motions to fully support the Washington State Department of
Fish and Wildlife, Fish Program to list the Pinto Abalone as a State Endangered Species.
The BOCC are being asked to send a letter of support to the WSDFW that states that the Jefferson County
Commissioners, the Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee (MRC), and the North Pacific Coast
Marine Resources Committee all support the Pinto Abalone be listed on the State Endangered Species List.
RECOMMENDATION:
Review and approve the proposed letter of support.
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March 25, 2019
Board of County Commissioners
1820 Jefferson Street
PO Box 1220
Port Townsend, WA 98368
Kate Dean, District 1 David Sullivan, District 2 Greg Brotherton, District 3
Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife
Fish Program, Attention: Michael Ulrich
P.O. Box 43200
Olympia, WA 98504-3200
Dear Mr. Ulrich,
The Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners, Jefferson County Marine Resources
Committee (MRC), and North Pacific Coast Marine Resources Committee (NPC MRC) fully
support the WDFW's proposal to list the Pinto Abalone as a State Endangered Species. The
Marine Resources Committees are advisory bodies to the County Commissioners and work
locally to monitor, protect and enhance marine and nearshore habitats such as eelgrass, bull kelp
beds and Olympia oysters.
The MRCS reviewed the Pinto Abalone Preliminary Status Report that summarizes over 20 years
of basic and applied science. The evidence is compelling, and we agree that the proposed listing
is necessary as a next step toward recovery of this species. Pinto Abalone, once abundant in our
waters„ are now found in such low densities that there is little or no natural reproductive success.
The MRCS and the Commissioners are aware of and support ongoing restoration efforts led by
Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), Puget Sound Restoration Fund, and
other partners like our own Port Townsend Marine Science Center to help with recovery of Pinto
Abalone.
We encourage the WDFW Commission to move forward with the proposed listing and a
subsequent recovery plan, which we hope will lead to increased efforts for protection and
recovery of Pinto Abalone in Washington State marine waters.
Thank you for the opportunity to comment.
Sincerely,
Kate Dean, Chair David Sullivan, Member Greg Brotherton, Member
cc: JC MRC
NPC MRC
Phone (360) 385-9100 Fax (360) 385-9382 jeffbocc@co.jefferson.wa.us