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HomeMy WebLinkAboutJanuary 2023 NPC MRC First DRAFT Meeting Summary NPC MRC 1/17/2023 DRAFT Meeting Summary 1 January 17, 2023 NPC MRC 1st Draft Meeting Summary The Tuesday, January 17, 2023 NPC MRC meeting took place by Zoom connection from 4:00 PM to 5:49 PM ([00:00:01] to [01:36:05] on audio recording). Appointed committee members present at the meeting were Chris Butler-Minor (Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary [OCNMS]), Wendy Feltham (Citizen Representative, Jefferson County – Scientific Community), Rod Fleck (City of Forks), Jennifer Hagen (Quileute Tribe Representative), John Hunter (Citizen Representative, Clallam County – Conservation / Environmental Groups), Julie Ann Koehlinger (Hoh Tribe Representative), Katie Krueger (Citizen Representative, Clallam County – Scientific Community), Rebecca Mahan (Clallam County Representative), Ian Miller (Washington Sea Grant, Ex. Officio Representative), Tami Pokorny (Jefferson County Representative, Coordinator / Facilitator), and Jill Silver (Citizen Representative, Jefferson County – Conservation / Environmental Groups). A quorum was present at the beginning of the meeting. Rebekah Brooks (Rebekah Brooks Contracting), Lee First (Twin Harbors Waterkeeper), Matt McCauley (Northwest Shipwreck Alliance), and Katie Wrubel (OCNMS) were also in attendance. Introductions Public Comments There were no public comments. Additions to and Approval of the Agenda The agenda was approved by consensus. Approval of the December 2022 NPC MRC Meeting Summary The December 2022 NPC MRC Summary was approved by consensus. Announcements Chris Butler-Minor announced the next OCNMS meeting, which was scheduled for 1/20/23 at Ediz Hook and would be open to the public. She also noted that the OCNMS Speaker Series would be starting up on 1/24/23. Old Business There was no old business. New Business The Long and Successful Search for the SS Pacific Matt McCauley with the Northwest Shipwreck Alliance presented on the background and goals of the Alliance, history of some northwest shipwrecks, and the wreck and discovery of the SS Pacific. A long-term goal of the Alliance is to have a world class museum that would feature exhibits and artifacts, including native seafaring history, the age of exploration, accidental visitors, and shipbuilding, that are specific to the northwest. They NPC MRC 1/17/2023 DRAFT Meeting Summary 2 hope to also have a technology center that would be equipped to preserve maritime artifacts, and designed to explore underwater cultural resources and provide education, outreach, and leadership opportunities for a future generation of explorers. The Alliance was started by Jeff Hummel and Matt McCauley, who worked together in high school on amateur dive recoveries of naval aircraft and moved on to multiple other projects. In the 1990s, Jeff became interested in the wreck of the SS Pacific, which was the first scheduled steamer that ran between San Francisco and Seattle and was a frequent caller to Victoria, British Columbia. On the morning of November 4, 1875, the SS Pacific departed Victoria with at least 277 passengers from the gold rush and mining industry, and a cargo of gold and other goods and valuables. Even though the ship was not in good condition, demands from the gold rush prompted companies to take advantage of the business opportunity. There were only two survivors who endured several days floating on the wreckage before being rescued. Jeff completed 12 expeditions in search of the SS Pacific between 2017 and 2022, finally locating the vessel using a side scan sonar, local fisher knowledge, and a large amount of data analysis of the speed, course, weather, and tides for the day of the sinking. The SS Pacific was identified by the discovery of the paddle wheels, which fell off the ship during the collision and were imbedded in the seafloor several hundred meters from the main wreck. The SS Pacific is a world class find that has been uniquely preserved. There is no other wreck from this era in the world in this condition. They hope to recover artifacts including clothes, furnishings, luggage, shoes, wine, preserved foods, and cases of opium as they excavate the site over the next three years; the artifacts will be housed in a museum that will be open to the public. The site will be surveyed and sampled with custom built remotely operated vehicles (ROV)s and according to a strict archeological plan. More information can be found at The Northwest Shipwreck Alliance. The group discussed possible partnerships, the excavation, and potential involvement in the Marine Advanced Technology Educators ROV competition. New Funding Cycle Discussion Tami Pokorny brought up the next funding cycle and whether the NPC MRC wished to review the request for proposals (RFP). Discussion followed on targeting specific projects, themes for the funding cycle, and NPC MRC benchmarks. This topic will be continued at the next NPC MRC meeting. Updates Coast MRC Update Coastal MRC Coordinator Chris Waldbillig was not present for an update. Washington Coastal Marine Advisory Council (WCMAC) The last meeting was held on 12/13/22. Jennifer Hagen mentioned that a subcommittee was being formed on offshore wind energy. WCMAC meeting materials can be found at the Ecology website: Department of Ecology - Committees, Boards, and Workgroups (wa.gov). Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Advisory Council The next meeting is scheduled for 1/20/23 in Port Angeles. Chris Butler-Minor said it would be a hybrid meeting with the in-person component at the Coast Guard Air Station at Ediz Hook. The agenda includes approval of the Whale Reporting Group recommendation memo, an update on the public scoping of the management plan, a presentation on acoustic monitoring of salmon in the nearshore, and a tour of the Coast Guard boats. The Zoom link for the presentation is: https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/934726957, and can also be accessed by phone at +1 (872) 240-3412. The access code is: 934-726-957. West Coast Ocean Alliance Jennifer Hagen said there was a call scheduled for tomorrow, 1/18/23. The focus has been on hiring coordinator positions; there was nothing new to report. Invasive European Green Crab NPC MRC 1/17/2023 DRAFT Meeting Summary 3 Wendy Feltham said that fresh European green crabs were being imported to Seattle markets. Hakai magazine featured an article on local green shore crab but with a photo of European green crab instead; Wendy notified the editor and the mistake was corrected. The group discussed the problem of misidentification. Chris Butler- Minor mentioned a stakeholder’s meeting coming up in February, and posted European green crab capture and removal totals to the Zoom chat: as of 11/30/2022, a total of 269,579 had been captured on the Washington coast and the Salish Sea. Marine Debris Jennifer Hagen reported meeting with the Olympic National Park about using minimum use tools for cache removal and controlling the human waste on the beaches. CoastSavers coordinator Megan Juran has been working with the Park as well. Wendy Feltham said that the king tides and recent storm had covered Port Townsend beaches with enormous amounts of driftwood and plastic. Additional cleanups may be coordinated. Climate/Fossil Fuels Related (All) The group discussed the transition from the La Nina to the El Nino climate cycle. Tami Pokorny mentioned the reflective capacity of accumulated dust and how that contributed to the climate. Administrative Update Tami Pokorny reported that the geology project was not able to invoice for 2022, and that the ROV project might be behind schedule. This is incentive for releasing the NPC MRC RFP earlier in the upcoming funding cycle. Wendy Feltham and Eileen Cooney will be reappointed in their positions. Rebecca Mahan said that Clallam County representatives were all on track in their appointments. Next Agenda (February 21, 2023): The next NPC MRC Meeting will be held on 2/21/23. Agenda items include a presentation from Martin Thiel, and review of the NPC MRC scoresheet. Public Comments/General Rebecca Mahan inquired about forage fish sampling on the coast. Jennifer Hagen went over the coverage from the coastal tribes and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife; the project was completed prior to the pandemic. Access and safety on the outer coast are significant factors. *Rebecca will follow up with Tami Pokorny and Jennifer for more information. Adjourn at 5:49 PM Action Items: *Rebecca Mahan will follow up with Tami Pokorny and Jennifer Hagen for more information on forage fish sampling. Draft summary compiled by Rebekah Brooks (Rebekah Brooks Contracting).