Grays Harbor County Marine Resources Committee - Washington State: National Ocean Council Listening Session in Ocean Shores June 27

Thursday, June 2, 2011

National Ocean Council Listening Session in Ocean Shores June 27

The National Ocean Council (NOC) has announced a series of listening sessions to be held around the country including one right here in Washington concerning the new National Policy for the Stewardship of the Ocean, Coasts, and Great Lakes. This policy was established by President Obama through an executive order in July 2010 and is currently being implemented through the National Ocean Council. The upcoming listening sessions will provide a unique opportunity to learn more about the National Ocean Policy and provide input on strategic action plans being developed for each of the nine priority objectives.

Please mark your calendars. The Washington session will be held:

June 27, 2011

8:30am-5:00pm

Quinault Beach Resort and Casino

Ocean Shores, Washington

What is a Marine Resources Committee?

Marine Resources Committees (MRC) engage citizens to set priorities and design projects of local importance to help protect and restore the marine environment. The first MRCs in Washington were established in Whatcom, Skagit, Snohomish, Island, San Juan, Jefferson and Clallam counties under the Northwest Straits Commission.

Each member of the MRC represents a broad spectrum of interests from businesses, tribes, recreational interests, the conservation community, the local port or someone with relevant scientific expertise. An MRC is a citizen based approach to propose and implement research, scientific surveys, and restoration projects. They have the ability to engage a broad range of citizens in marine stewardship to accomplish research and restoration projects that reflect local priorities contributing to broader marine conservation goals.

MRCs At a Glance

MRCs work to bring together many interests to work cooperatively and effectively, contribute to scientific understanding of the marine ecosystem, spread innovative ideas regionally, and help mobilize citizen support for marine conservation. By tapping local support they can generate and implement practical, on-the-ground projects that benefit the ecosystem and economic development.

*Many diverse partners
*Creative solutions to challenging issues
*Education and outreach elements
*Inexpensive – good leveraging of funds
*Action oriented

How did the MRC originate?

The Grays Harbor MRC project was formalized in spring 2008 through new Washington State legislation passed via the Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife and Grays Harbor County. Serving as the pilot coastal MRC for southwest Washington, Grays Harbor's became the first state funded grass roots, locally driven conservation group emphasizing coastal and marine waters. With measurable funding and regional and national support it provides major potential for successful conservation measures for Washington's rapidly developing coastline.

What are the benefits of having an MRC in my community?

Marine Resources Committees are an advisory body on marine issues. They bring together many interests to work cooperatively and effectively, contribute to the scientific understanding of the marine ecosystem, spread innovative ideas regionally, and mobilize citizen support for marine conservation. As a result, they implement practical, on-the-ground projects that benefit the local ecosystem and economy. These projects often generate money and resources from state agencies and other entities.

Examples of MRC accomplishments
· Identifying priority conservation and restoration sites.
· Mapping forage fish spawning beaches.
· Working with the State DNR to remove creosote-laden logs.
· Creating voluntary no anchor zones to protect eelgrass.
· Coordinating the efforts of marine managers from the state,
local, federal and tribal governments.

Grays Harbor County Marine Resources Committee - Washington State

Thursday, June 2, 2011

National Ocean Council Listening Session in Ocean Shores June 27

Broad Local Representation

Advantages of Citizen Based Approach