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Home My WebLink AboutUPDATE re MRC Annual Report JEFFERSON COUNTY BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS AGENDA REQUEST TO: Board of County Commissioners Mark McCauley, County Administrator FROM: Katie Kowal, Water Resources Program Coordinator Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee and WSU Extension DATE: April 14, 2025 SUBJECT: UPDATE re: Marine Resources Committee (MRC) Annual Report STATEMENT OF ISSUE: The Marine Resources Committee (MRC) would like to provide an overview of the work done by the MRC in 2024 to the BOCC. ANALYSIS: As an annual check-in, two MRC Members and the MRC Coordinator would like to present the details of funding and projects worked on in 2024. FISCAL IMPACT: None. RECOMMENDATION: Listen to staff presentation and provide feedback. REVIEWED BY: Mark McCauley, County Admi istrat Date Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee 2024 Annual Report to the Board of County Commissioners April 14, 202 5 www.jeffersonmrc.org Source: NW Straits Commission Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee Members MRC Member Representatives (Current) Tribal Rep (Jamestown S’Klallam)Neil Harrington Jefferson County Commissioner Heidi Eisenhour (ex officio) Local Govt (City of PT)Vacant Local Govt (Port of PT)Carol Hasse District 1; Alt.Brad Bebout, Janette Mestre; Timothy Behrenfeld District 2; Alt.Jeff Taylor (NWSC rep), Brenda Johnson; Frank Handler District 3; Alt.Sarah Fisken (NWSC rep alt),Vacant; Tim Cross Marine Science Practitioner, Educator or Researcher; Alt. Emily Buckner (Vice Chair); Jon Waggoner Environmental/Conservation Interests; Alt. Betsy Carlson (Chair); Bryan DeCaterina Commercial Interests Gordon King Recreational Interests; Alt.Troy McKelvey; Roy Clark Local Youth; Alt.Akeyla Behrenfeld; Vacant New in 2024! 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, WDFW, Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, Point No Point Treaty Council, WA DNR, Taylor Shellfish, Hama Hama Oyster Co., Applied Education Foundation, Sea Dragons, City of PT, Port of PT, WA State Parks, Puget Sound Restoration Fund, Strait ERN LIO, PTMSC, Ross Anderson, and others 2024 MRC Funding $ 194,000 NW Straits Commission: WA State + EPA + NOAA funding (Jan -Dec 2024 ) $ 78,3 18 Volunteer time (2246 hours @ $34.87/hr) $ 5,000 (est.) Community in-kind match (biologists, Taylor Shellfish, Port of PT) $277,318 = TOTAL VALUE $2,310,000 = Commission funds into Jefferson County since 1999 Volunteer 28% State 23% Federal 47% In-Kind 2% 2024 Funding Breakdown 2024 Volunteer Hours By Activity MRC members (75%) and community volunteers (25%) contributed 2246 volunteer hours in 2024 23% 12% 30% 15%20% WBF Speaker Series, festivals, community workshops, etc. Community Science Monitoring Forage fish spawning surveys •2 sites: Dabob Bay (4th yr), Quilcene Marina (1st yr) •12 surveys at Dabob Bay •Surf Smelt eggs (5) at Dabob Bay •Sand lance eggs (39)at Dabob Bay Storm surge monitoring •2 sites: Salmon Club & Chetzemoka Park •4 surveys (Sound IQ database) Solenne Walker Bull kelp monitoring •1 site:East Bed,North Beach (9th yr) •3 surveys (July, Aug, Sept) •Continue to see a healthy and dynamic bed •Satellite Imagery summary report Education & Outreach 1823 direct contacts Educational Workshops •Searching for Seaweed •Digging for Dinner •Crabbing 101 •Shoreline landowner outreach Community Events •Shrimpfest •Wooden Boat Festival Eelgrass/shellfish protection no-anchor zones •Regular maintenance at PH and PT •95% boater compliance at PT (14 days monitored) •Presentation to Patty Murray July 2024 Olympia oyster restoration •Lagoon site – 8th year, added shell •Powerlines site – 10th year, added shell and monitored •Broad Spit survey Rain gardens •5 rain garden maintenance work parties •19 total rain gardens in Jefferson County •Working with City of PT to pick up green waste ROV derelict crab pot removal •On pause for 2024 Restoration & Protection 111,500 est. Olys in plot 12 volunteers counted 47 transects Size range: 2 to 84 mm Average size: 38 mm Olympia Oyster Restoration –North and South Powerlines Site Olympia Oysters by size class, North and South Powerlines Site, Discovery Bay June 8, 2024 Number of Olympia OystersSize Class Olympia Oyster Restoration –North and South Powerlines Site Olympia Oysters by size class, North and South Powerlines Site, Discovery Bay June 8, 2024 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 DB •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 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, ROV derelict crab pot removal in Killisut Harbor, DEI subcommittee Developing New Projects/Efforts •Exploring Olympia oyster restoration in Kilisut Harbor •Recruiting volunteers to “adopt” rain gardens •Derelict vessel removal subcommittee •Marine Science Alley at WBF Hiring part-time MRC support staff •Goal to have position staffed by July 2025 Funding •Federal and State funds (Jan 1 – Dec 31, 2025) – $194,000 •Next 2-year funding cycle (Oct 2025 – Dec 2027) – up to $199,000 per year 2025 –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 2024 MRC Conference in Everett, WA