Wanted: Input on improving marine life

The problems are real.

The status of salmon is poor, and the trend is declining. For rockfish, the status is critical. There are 63 Species of Concern in the Puget Sound Georgia Basin marine ecosystem; while 26 are listed as threatened or endangered. And, according to the document "State of the Sound 2004," a report by the Puget Sound Action Team, the plight of these and other marine life may signal a broader systemic problem. That report can be obtained at www.psat.wa.gov or by calling (800) 547-6863.

The San Juan County Marine Resources Committee, an advisory group to the Board of County Commissioners, believes that these problems can be addressed, but it will require an expanded effort.

It also will require a partnership with local citizens, and that's why the committee is beginning a series of outreach meetings in which it will hear what islanders consider to be their top priorities.

It explains why the committee will be holding outreach meetings on all of the ferry-served islands. The first will take place Wednesday, April 27, at 5:30 p.m. in the Orcas Senior Center. A second meeting will take place Tuesday, May 10, from 4 to 6 p.m. at the Shaw Island Community Center. Meetings on the other islands will be set at a later date.

MRC coordinator Jody Kennedy will be at the Orcas meeting, as will members of the committee. They include Orcas islanders Michael Durland, Victoria Parker and Tina Whitman.

San Juan County favors a locally-driven approach to managing the local marine resources, Kennedy said. She hopes that many segments of the community will attend the April 27 meeting, among them boaters, educators, environmentalists and those in the tourism industry. She says that if the local community doesn't take ownership of this process, the federal government could step in. Kennedy believes that islanders don't want that to happen.

Once the MRC's recommendations are formulated, they will be presented to the county commissioners for approval.

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