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March Meeting Minutes |
Trinity Lutheran Church, Freeland
4 p.m. to 6 p.m.
Revision I per Mike Gallion and Julie Buktenica 4/4/01
Item 2. under Additions to Agenda was clarified
Present: MRC Members Chair Tom Campbell, Gary Wood, Don Meehan, Mike Gallion, El Sayed-Sayed, Hi Bronson, Roger Sherman, Jeff Tate, Tom Roehl, Marty Behr, Dick Toft; MRC technical advisory member Julie Buktenica; Visitors: Bill Attwater, Mike Sato, Michael Kyte; MRC secretary Kate Poss; Excused: Tom Shaughnessy and Matt Klope
A quorum was established Chair Tom Campbell called the meeting to order at 4 p.m.
Adoption of meeting agenda and 3/07/01 meeting minutes @ 4:03 p.m.
· Roger Sherman moved and Jeff Tate seconded approval of the meeting minutes with amendment per Don. Motion carried. Revised copy of the 3/7 minutes attached.
· Don Meehan moved and Hi Bronson seconded approval of the agenda with the following additions. Motion carried.
· Additions to agenda
1. Tom Roehl handed out copies for comment/ consideration of the updated draft for the Port of South Whidbey six-year masterplan
2. Julie B. handed out copies from an article about salmon hatcheries by Ray Hilborn of UW forwarded by Rich Johnson of WDFW
3. Jeff Tate mentioned he has the monitoring report for state ferries and eelgrass report
4. Don said he will report on Jim Norris’ thoughts on the eelgrass window
Action Items: MRC benchmarks-- by Don Meehan at 4:08 p.m.
· Don suggested everyone adopt one of the eight MRC benchmarks and the item is discussed; note it. The benchmarks in a nutshell--and the MRC parent(s)” adopting them are:
1. County participation Don Meehan
2. Regional MPAs Roger Sherman
3. Net Gain Habitat Jeff Tate & Marty Behr
4. Shellfish Hi Bronson
5. Bottomfish Recovery Dick Toft
6. Increase in indicator species Tom Campbell & Matt Klope
7. Data sharing/protocol Tom Roehl
8. Outreach/education Don Meehan and El Sayed-Sayed
· Discussion Don said he wants MRC members to take notes at the meetings and update their benchmark. At the end of say, a 6-month period, MRC would have a summary report for the Island County Board of Commissioners. He suggested reviewing previous meeting minutes and emailing him with benchmark information. Members were asked to share their knowledge in 3 weeks. He prefers quarterly succinct reports; not long dissertations.
· Gary Wood said when Congress asks what we did to achieve the benchmarks--2003 (the NWSC grant runs for five years; after its creation in 1998), we will have solid and credible data to supply.
Reports: by Gary Wood at 4:40 pm.
· AAAS and Sea Web Conference. Gary attended scholary conferences in San Francisco in February on the future of marine protected areas. Gary handed out three conference reports citing evidence environmentally and economically on the necessity and success of Marine Protected Areas. Tom Roehl said it is hard to imagine what else we can do there’ so much regulation now. Gary told him there is still much left to do; i.e. mapping areas to determine what’s there so that in the event of another Exxon oil spill, for instance, that we’ll know what we’ve got before it’s gone. Don added that education is the key the more people understand, the more they’ll want to help.
· How MRC Science may influence shorelines guidelines
Gary said it is ironic that while a MRC doesn’t have the power of a regulatory agency, it does have a peculiar opportunity to do good. He said MRCs can create new protection for resources by finding them and mapping them. The power a MRC has is subtle; for their best success they need to learn classification systems on how to identify what needs protection. Other groups are ahead of us in this area and he suggested a future meeting introducing Marxan software which details methods to map various interests and still provide protection.
· The NWSC will meet on Whidbey Island 4/27 for its annual meeting.
· SRFBD and appointing a regional coordinator The Salmon Recovery Funding Board wants the same protocol used when managing its various grants. There is talk of appointing a regional coordinator to ensure smooth sailing among the MRCs who received grants Gary said he is hopeful Island County is appointed for that role.
Nearshore Projects meeting with SRFB 3/20 Don M and Gary Wood @ 5:30 p.m.
· Island County’s success with winning grants to map forage fish was recognized by the SRFB folks. As a result Don and Gary were invited to attend a meeting on nearshore projects. Gary said if Island County MRC takes the lead role in coordinating SRFB grant management, he will ask for $160,000 to $200,000. Now that the competition is over, Gary said, SRFB wants the grantees to work together.
SRFB meeting in Mt. Vernon 3/13 Don, Julie, Janet K. and Gary attended @5:39 pm
· SRFB applicants gathered to get direction on the task ahead; we will see where we are accounting-wise
OWN meeting in Seattle April 10 @ 5:40 p.m.
· The Packard-funded Ocean Wilderness Network which covers Alaska to San Diego-- seeks to saturate the media with Science-supported evidence for MPAs.
Gary Wood spoke at Camano BOCC town meeting 3/28--@ 5:41 p.m.
· Gary did the same show he did on the South Island early in March on nearshore habitat
Executive Director position update by Don Meehan @ 5:43 p.m.
· The position requirements are still being reviewed in the prosecuting attorney’s office. No word yet
Shoreline presentation at South Whidbey High by Tom Campbell @ 5:45 p.m.
· Tom said that Gary stole the show with his citizens can do anything approach
· Gary explained that Island County needs the studies our MRC can provide and could not afford otherwise to pay for nearshore studies. We want people to be informed rather than scared of the guidelines,” Gary said. People want to know what’s happening to their beach and their real estate.
New Business @ 5:55 p.m.
· Jeff Tate wants to explain what Island County regulations are in place; what the guidelines say (in plain talk); lawsuits the county’s involved in; MRCs role with the county; other member support this idea and plan to hear Jeff’s report at the April 18th meeting in Freeland.
· Don Meehan said Jim Norris’ eelgrass videography will be ready by April 30. The question of seasonal mapping is addressed in the report
· Tom said Andrea Copping’s Audubon presentation at Camp Casey was terrific.
The meeting was adjourned at 6 p.m.
The next meeting is scheduled for April 4th at the Monroe Landing Firehall in Oak Harbor from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. El Sayed-Sayed asked to be excused from that meeting; he’ll be in Texas then.
