SAN JUAN COUNTY MARINE RESOURCE COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES

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Minutes from the March 20, 2002 meeting

Members Present: Laura Arnold, Brian Calvert, Peter Fromm, Terrie Klinger, Tom McMillen, Rich Osborne, Jim Slocomb, Dennis Willows

Absent: Kelley Balcomb-Bartok, Mike Bertrand, Mark Billington, Jim Capron, Kevin Ranker, Kit Rawson, Jean Van Leuven,

Guests: Stephanie Buffum, Shannon Davis, David Hoopes, Eric Eisenhardt, Kari Koski, Skeeter Lowe, Nick Nash, Heather Spaulding, Tina Whitman

Guest Speakers: Mike Sato, Caroline Gibson

Chair Jim Slocomb called the meeting to order at 8:35 A.M. in the BOCC Conference Room at the courthouse, Friday Harbor.

Citizen comments: David Hoopes announced that the state legislature chose not to fund the lead entity program and alternative revenue sources are being sought. He said he will learn more at the April strategy meeting in Wenatchee.

Mike Sato said that due to a huge state revenue shortfall, there have been substantial cuts to the Puget Sound Ambient Monitoring Program (PSAMP) and to WDFW, but the Neah Bay rescue tug was funded for another 200 days.

Minutes: The minutes of 3/6/02 were approved, with the following correction (submitted by email from Kit Rawson): o page 1, last , 6th line should read "...local sockeye here is that the majority of the catch in some Alaskan salmon fisheries is chinook or coho from Canada or the lower 48...."

"The Inland Sea: A Puget Sound Fish Story:" Mike Sato presented the 22-minute video (second in a series of three films recently produced by People for Puget Sound). Some highlights included Jean-Michel Cousteau's introduction that "...things are not okay in Puget Sound." Dr. Wayne Palsson, WADFW biologist, discussed the "web of stressors to the food chain" that has led to a dramatic depletion of fisheries in Puget Sound. Dr. Usha Varanasi discussed one of those impacts, the "toxic sink," sedimentary accumulation of persistent industrial contaminants such as PCB's and mercury; she said that bottomfish are affected since they are the fish most exposed to settled chemicals. Dr. Varanasi added that we should "be clever" and use icons (salmon, orca) to promulgate fixing the entire system.

The Edmonds Reserve was discussed in the video; the 20-year old no-take MPA has been studied since 1993, with dramatic increases in size and numbers of species being noted. The film pointed out that citizens, tribal co-managers, anglers, non governmental organizations (NGO's), and governmental agencies can "turn the tide" by working together to restore habitat; long-term studies and solutions are needed, not short-term fixes.

Mike presented a copy of the video to the MRC, encouraging the committee to engage in promoting species-at-risk recovery efforts. He said that the film was produced for an audience of the general public to develop a constituency, as well as for TV, schools, and other groups. The video will be shown at the April 5th BFRP presentation at Moran State Park and The Whale Museum will include it in its May 10th program. The third video in the series is "Voice of the Sound."

Pacific Marine Conservation Council: Caroline Gibson said that she has been working out of the Friday Harbor office of the Oregon-based Council for about a year now. The Council was founded by a group of fishermen four-and-a-half years ago, is funded by the Packard Foundation, and is made up of five staff members and nineteen on the Board of Directors (70% of whom are bottomfish commercial fishers). The Council's focus is to bridge the gap between commercial fishermen and the scientific community and works in ports with commercial and sports fishermen to develop ways to sustain the diversity of fishing communities up and down the west coast. Caroline expressed the Council's interest in the work of San Juan County's MRC.

Caroline said the groundfish issue is huge for the Pacific West Coast and the Council has an active campaign to rebuild rockfish stocks. The campaign's well-thought out strategic goals are:

1. to establish the first mandatory by-catch monitoring program (i.e. observers on vessels);
   
   
2. to help fishers get involved in the MPA issue and process;
   
   
3. to create economic incentive for fishermen to use selective gear (through federally-funded collaborative research projects);
   
   
4. to advocate economic and social relief to fishing families (e.g. federal funds for those affected by the groundfish disaster declared in year 2000). She said the groundfish fleet on the entire west coast is expected to be cut in half over the next five years.

The PMCC has been asked by a major funder and NMFS to become the clearing house for rockfish projects on the west coast. Caroline displayed a rockfish poster and discussed particulars of various species, including their longevity (the average yelloweye age studied is 150 years old and a 205-year old rockfish was pulled out of a net in southeast Alaska last year).

PMCC's outreach efforts include the website, pmcc.org, with good links and articles, as well as newsletters for which Caroline is soliciting bottomfish information and photos. The Council is planning to host a three-day meeting in Friday Harbor for its board members and staff, hoping to work with local ports, harbormasters, and the scientific community; the meeting will be held in the first two weeks of November.

Forage Fish: Jim said a distribution list for the recently-released CD database (lab results, photographs, etc.) is being developed. A program update will be posted to the website. Tina Whitman said that 16 beaches were surveyed on Orcas and Lopez Islands, with 24 samples taken (totals: 314 beaches, 414 samples).

BFRP: Grant deliverables will be met soon. Dennis said that Eric Eisenhardt will be speaking at the Friday Harbor Labs potluck on April 22nd, 6 p.m.; the topic is "Do marine protected areas in San Juan County work?" Dennis asked for help in locating a fisherman who could provide a fisheries researcher with eggs gathered from 4-6 large rockfishes (collected in reserves?). Dennis noted Wayne Palsson's comment in today's video on the $64 million question: Do MPA's benefit fisheries outside a reserve? He said there is some evidence that there are benefits from as far as half a mile from the Edmonds Reserve and Eric Eisenhardt noted dramatic benefit for lingcod in the Labs' reserve, established in 1991. Dennis suggested that MRC get involved in a collaborative recovery study here; Kari Koski said that this would be a good opportunity to work with local fishermen, who are knowledgeable and interested in participating. David suggested face-to-face interchanges with fishers, on their boats, rather than by email or press releases. [Caroline said that work being done in the San Juan Islands is mentioned in major conferences on the west coast.]

Terrie said that evidence presented at a recent meeting suggests that in no case where reserves have been established anywhere have there not been benefits (e.g. increased fish size) within the reserve; benefits outside the area are difficult to identify. She added that research also indicates that most reserves are far too small for significant export of larvae and for other benefits.

Whales: Brian said that NMFS abandoned the concept of permanent captivity for the orphaned orca; the idea now, he said, is to move the calf north. Terrie added that it is illegal for NMFS to directly benefit from selling the whale.

MPA's: Jim will attend the April 9th meeting in Saturna for an update on Island-based activities. The planning for an outreach education program for no-take zones continues. Dennis said he is concerned that the local MPA initiative may be overtaken by larger efforts so that it is time "to just do it." Peter said that it would be helpful if the public knew about the longevity of marine organisms since it wold take several human generations for recovery of such species. (Caroline explained that fish age is determined by counting rings in their earbones and scales.)

"Seafood Solutions" Proposal: Jim emailed to members five proposed approaches to MRC's involvement in such a project; these include supporting the labeling of local products, supporting legally-harvested local commercial salmon over farmed fish, promoting local boat-based sales (Port-supported), advocating a subscription fish buying program, and supporting local commercial pot/trap-caught crab and prawns over trawl caught.

Comments around the table were in general agreement that the "Seafood Solutions" brochure information is too general and too difficult for the MRC to update. Skeeter Lowe said the MRC should not promote the brochure because, contrary to its information, the Washington fishery is well-managed. Nick Nash said that there will be federally-regulated labels on Alaska fish soon; it was noted that state label regulations are not followed. Rich suggested that MRC should support labeling at this time but revisit the situation later.

New/Old Business: Laura said the Prosecuting Attorney's office is reviewing the resolution on tribal recognition.

Rich said that a report on Ports and Waterways Assessment is due. He said that a seismic study similar to the one in 1999 in Puget Sound by USGS has been proposed for May or June; the proposal is under review and his concern is that early summer is not a good time in this region for such tests; also, there may be mitigating factors disclosed by a porpoise impacts study. Rich added that earthquake preparedness is important.

Jim said that, as part of the formal environmental review process, the scoping document on the Cattlepoint Road reconfiguration is available on the County webpage and hardcopy is available at the Public Works Department. He suggested that members read the material (11 alternatives) for comment. Terrie noted that impacts to the beach are a real concern.

There was discussion on the use of public access television to help with MRC outreach to other islands, perhaps through schools and public libraries. Jim said a subscription is $50/month and it may be worth investigating. There was a 5 to 2 vote in favor of using live video to conference with other islands on particular issues (e.g. the pipeline), rather than for every MRC meeting.

Mike Sato mentioned the letter from the Nooksack tribe; Jim said he is pursuing an opportunity for information exchange. Mike said that a representative from the Jamestown Slallam tribe will be visiting here soon.

The meeting was adjourned at 10:25 a.m.

Recording Secretary, Helen Venada