All content © 2002
by the Island County MRC.

Workplan 2002

1. What are the applicable Benchmarks?

Summary of Benchmarks established for the Northwest Straits Commission and county Marine Resources Committees (from NWSC website):

Local Participation: Obtain broad county participation in marine resources committees.

Marine Protected Areas: Achieve a science-based, regional system of marine protected areas. (MPA's may include ANY level of protection)

Habitat: Demonstrate a net gain in highly ecologically productive nearshore, intertidal and estuarine habitat in the Northwest Straits, with no significant loss of existing, high-value habitat. Improve state, tribal and local tools to map, assess and protect nearshore habitat. Prevent harm from upland activities.

Shellfish: Show a net reduction in shellfish harvest areas closed due to contamination.

Bottomfish: Exhibit measurable increases in factors supporting recovery of Bottomfish (such as rockfish) - including numbers of fish of broodstock size and age, average fish size and abundance of prey species - as well as sufficient amounts and quality of protected habitat.

Marine Indicator Species: Demonstrate increases in other key marine indicator species (including those identified in the 1997 West report on Puget Sound marine resources).

Scientific Data: Initiate coordination of scientific data (for example, through the Puget Sound Ambient Monitoring Program), including a scientific baseline, common protocols, unified GIS, and sharing of ecosystem assessments and research.

Outreach and Education: Coordinate with the Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team and other entities on an effective outreach and education effort with measurements of the numbers of people contacted as well as changes in behavior.

2. How does the Island County MRC track benchmark progress?

Every MRC member is assigned to track one or more benchmarks.

Extract from March 21, 2001 minutes of the Island County MRC:

Benchmark # 1 - Local Participation/Administration

Continue to have well organized meetings with significant educational content. Seek to have 75% or higher meeting attendance participation from MRC membership. Insure full committee appointments by working with the Board of Island County Commissioners (BOCC).

Have regular meetings with the County Commissioners to insure their understanding of the work plan, projects, and issues facing the MRC. Schedule an annual meeting of the MRC and BOCC if possible.

Provide regular notices to news media of meetings (to include agendas) and educational programs. Keep the ICMRC Website, located at www.islandcountymrc.org, up-to-date.

Develop, maintain and work on an annual work plan. Put work plan on the MRC website.

Education: Design an annual educational program to fit with the work plan and to look to the future work of the MRC. Include full membership in the design of the annual program.

Work with the MRC secretary to develop a plan for a public relations effort to push out media content the MRC feels the public should have about the MRC or the issues it is facing.

MRC member education - ((Refer to Report Section on Future Priorities and Educational Programs below)

Project:
MRC membership Training year round.

Benchmark # 2 - Marine Protected Areas

The first meeting of the Island County Marine Resource Committee was held on September 21, l999. The Committee was challenged to protect the local marine environment and contribute to the protection of the marine environment of the northwest straits (whatever that is). Since that first meeting, it has become increasingly obvious that Marine Protected Areas, or Marine Reserves were the tools needed.

The meetings for the first two years have included numerous forms of committee education about the complexities of MPAs and marine reserves. We have had workshops, attended MPA conferences and had hands on experience. The location and design of any type of marine reserve is very complex. Numerous designations may be used, such as "no take," "volunteer no take," "no spear fishing," "no shellfish," "recreational," "commercial only," "sport fishing only," "educational" and etc. The planning process must include the public along with numerous governmental agencies.

This is an exciting time for all county MPAs. WDFW has proposed three MPAs on Whidbey Island and DNR is in the hearing process to establish an Aquatic Reserve Program for state owned aquatic lands and associated resources. Our MRC will accomplish the following benchmarks.

1 Help WDFW establish Island County MPAs.

2 Help DNR establish aquatic reserves.

3 Investigate potential new sites for MPAs.

4 Continue the education of the Island County MRC.

5 Educate the public about MPAs and reserves. (See benchmark #8)

6 Community involvement in the selection of MPAs

7 Develop MPA criteria for Island County.

Education Programs planned for 2002:

Salmon habitat MPAs

Tribal presentation

Keystone jetty – The underwater view by Henry Powers

Sound Waters: Near the shore – MPAs and bottom fish by Wayne Paulsen

DNR proposed reserves by Steve Jennison

"Reef," protecting marine life through education, service and research by Dr. Christy Pattengill-Semmens.

Projects:

Nearshore Project I – mapping – forage fish, eelgrass, shoreline hardening – ongoing.

Nearshore Project II – mapping – forage fish, eelgrass, feeder bluff study, mapping, shoreline stewards certification program – new (not yet funded)

Benchmark # 3 - Net Gain in Nearshore Habitat

Continue inventory and mapping for eelgrass. Begin inventory and mapping of feeder bluffs, forage fish and shoreline hardening. Start overlaying eelgrass, feeder bluff, forage fish and shoreline hardening data, possibly incorporate Beach Watcher info that shows beach profiles and conditions. This will be a first step in determining correlations in the presence of specific geologic conditions and marine conditions with upland development and shoreline modification.

Education pamphlet for shoreline property owners. The purpose of the pamphlet would be to provide existing and potential shoreline property owners with information about how to manage their land. The focus of the pamphlet would be to inform owners of techniques that can be employed which will protect their land and investments in a manner that will ensure nearshore and shoreline habitat are protected. Specifically, the pamphlet should include types of fertilizers that should be used, where they can purchased and how they should be applied; types of vegetation that can be planted that will help reduce erosion and where they can purchase such plants; a list of best management practices related to drainage, construction and other items; a list of contact names and numbers of DFW, DOE and county staff, as well as contact names and numbers of groups that promote shoreline education and preservation like Beach Watchers, Audubon and TNC. The pamphlet should be provided to realtors and lending institutions with a targeted outreach program that informs them of how these measures will better protect the lands in which they are trying to sell and/or finance, which will lead to a more sound investment.

Education:

Publish the benefits that would accrue from the restoration of the eelgrass beds by making a comparison between the "before" and "after" scenarios.

Publish the results of the soon-to-be launched Derelict gear project.

Army Corps of Engineers - Among other reasons, they have significant funding for restoration projects on the shoreline.

Possibly a presentation by the Whidbey Island Dive Center who could show us photographs of the different species we're concerned about and spending money learning about.

Projects:

Nearshore Project I - mapping – forage fish, eelgrass

Nearshore Project II – mapping – forage fish, eelgrass, feeder bluff study, mapping, shoreline stewards certification program – new (not yet funded)

Benchmark #4 - Shellfish

The benchmark calls for a net reduction in closure of shellfish areas. At some point we'll need to query the Health District to get this kind of data.

Determine the source(s) of contamination and the culprit(s).

Determine if the contamination is chronic or transient.

Explore means to mitigate such contamination.

Determine if there is a threat to the shellfish populations.

Education:

Educate the public to what causes the decline in shellfish harvest

Inform the public about sources of contamination and how to avoid.

Project:

None for 2002

Benchmark # 5 -Bottomfish Recovery

Put on a program for the members of Puget Sound Anglers (PSA) of North Whidbey explaining the mission and Goals of the MRC and the work it had done to date.

Show the video "The Inland Sea: A Puget Sound Fish Story.

Solicit their input as knowledgeable experts on the location of Bottom fish populations in the waters surrounding Whidbey and Camano islands. Provide a large-scale map of the waters around Whidbey and Camano Islands and request that the location of known bottom fish populations be marked along with the type of fish predominating in the area.

Discuss the success of the Edmonds Marine Reserve, a no-take area, which has resulted in not just increasing the numbers of bottom fish but also the size of the fish that are now found there.

Other related activity

1. Establishment of an Underwater Marine Protected Area by WDFW will enhance Bottomfish in the Keystone Jetty area.

Long Term Goals

Curtail over fishing

Protect Salmon Habitat and spawning grounds of bottomfish

Explore the possibilities of transplanting brood stocks.

Education:

Educate fisherman about the perils of over fishing

MRC - Flat Fish & Their Habitat in Island County Marine Waters

Projects:

Habitat mapping by Skagit MRC and MPA designations by outside agencies have begun.

Derelict Fishing Gear removal efforts continue to move forward. These initiatives will have an immediate and direct positive impact on the Bottomfish populations.

Benchmark # 6 - Increase in Indicator Species

Determine if there is one or more indicator species in a given area.

Work with State Agencies to determine which species they consider as indicators species.

Determine if this dominance is seasonal, cyclical, or episodic.

Education:

The public needs to be made aware of the role of indicator species in determining the health of Is. Co. Marine Waters.

Projects:

Nearshore Project I - mapping – forage fish, eelgrass

Nearshore Project II – mapping – forage fish, eelgrass, feeder bluff study, mapping, shoreline stewards certification program – new (not yet funded)

Benchmark # 7 - Sharing Data

We need a well-coordinated effort in constructing a thorough database that includes all elements of the marine ecosystem.

Efforts should be made to facilitate data exchange among the responsible fishing and environmental agencies.

Identify one agency to have the responsibility of collating these data.

Education:

Public should be made aware of the existence of these data.

MRC - The Science of Data Interpretation (Kind/El Sayed)

MRC - Data Sets and GIS - How it Works (Tate/Kelly)

Projects:

Continue to ensure uniform data and mapping protocols and media.

Generally: Require that all project deliverables be provided in electronic media formats as well as printed materials.

Mapping: Mapping product deliverables should include AutoCAD dwg files as well as ArcView GIS base files.

Benchmark # 8 - Outreach and Education

Need to coordinate efforts among those agencies/entities responsible for Outreach and Educational Programs.

Education of the public should be approached in a variety of ways for maximum impact. These should include:

A public relations effort, development and distribution of brochure, posters, notification of regular educational programs conducted by the MRC during their regular meetings, development and implementation of major educational events such as Sound Waters: Near the Shore, and website education.

Speakers' bureau

Education: - redundant

Educate the public and make them aware of the usefulness of the projects undertaken; encourage volunteerism.

The media should be made aware of these projects and, where possible, publicize them. Capitalize on the work from the Semiahmoo mtg.

Projects:

Sponsor/partner with other organizations to conduct special educational programs for the public such as the 2002 Sound Waters: Near the Shore - One Day University.

Sponsor/partner with other organizations to conduct special educational programs for the public such as the 2002 Wonders of the Islands Field Day

Design a brochure about the MRC and distribute it to local businesses that have high contact with marine resource users.

Acquire and distribute existing brochures about Puget Sound that focus on protection.

Upgrade the Website (more info on projects, more links to other sites relevant to MRC work, Add work plan, Add benchmark reports.)

Design an Island County MRC Logo for marketing purposes.

2002 - Future Priorities

Set at 12-12-01 MRC mtg in Freeland, WA

Priority	Benchmarks covered
Forage Fish	All eight
Eelgrass	All eight
Armoring	All but 2 and 5
Feeder Bluffs	All eight
Estuary Assessments	All eight
Derelict Gear	undetermined by group (not discussed)
New Priorities
Crab breeding Habitat	undetermined by group (not discussed)
Algae survival	"
Urban Runoff	"
Creosote in P. S.	"
Outreach to Youth	"
Data interpretation	"

Calendar of proposed MRC Educational Programs - Year 2002

January	Keystone Jetty MPA
February	WDFW - MPAs - Mary Lou Mills
March	Science Data Interpretation
April	Salmon Habitat MPA's
May	Flat Fish
June	Langley Marina Tour
July	MRC - Social
August	MRC - Social
September	Data Sets & GIS
October	Crab Management - WDFW
November	Tribal Presentation
December