Revitalizing and Preserving Whatcom County Marine Resources for Future Generations
The Whatcom County Marine Resources Committee (MRC) was established by the County Council in 1999 to protect and enhance the local marine environment and contribute to the protection of the marine environment of the Northwest Straits. The Whatcom MRC is one of seven MRCs established in the Northwest Straits region as part of the federal Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative.
MRC meetings are held the first Thursday of the month from 6 to 8 pm at Whatcom County Civic Center, 322 N. Commercial Street, Bellingham, Garden Level Conference Room. Meetings are open to the public.
The March 1 Whatcom MRC Meeting Agenda will be available online on February 28.
Upcoming Meetings
see meetings page for location information
Water Quality Subcommittee: Thursday, February 16, 5:30 pm
Executive Subcommittee: Tuesday, February 14, 5:30 pm
MRC Meeting: Thursday, March 1, 6 - 8 pm
Emerging Biotoxins in Washington State
Wednesday, March 14
6:30 pm
Fairhaven Library Fireside Room
6:30 pm
Fairhaven Library Fireside Room
This past summer, the global problem of Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) arrived in the United States with the first illness recorded in Sequim Bay. What is known about DSP in Washinton? How are public agencies responding to the issue? Please join the Whatcom MRC and Hershman Marine Policy Fellow Clara Hard for this free presentation as Clara discusses these issues as well as biotoxins causing paralytic and amnesic shellfish poisoning. Click here for a downloadable poster.
Cliffside Beach Creosote Log Clean-Up
3.35 tons of creosote and treated-timber wood debris was removed from Cliffside Beach on December 20, 2012. In partnership with the City of Bellingham and the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR), crews removed the toxic wood by hand using log tongs and peevies. This year marks the 10th year of cresosote clean-ups in Whatcom County, which includes removal of derelict structures and pilings that could otherwise continue to be sources of logs to the nearshore environment. Click here for more information on MRC sponsored clean-ups. Information on DNR's Creosote Log Removal Program can be found here.
Coastal Outreach Project Completed
The MRC, in contract with Coastal Geologic Services, Inc., recently completed an outreach project focused on coastal property owners interested in restoration or conservation of their coastal property. The target audience for a series of surveys and educational workshops included property owners whose property bordered forage fish spawning habitat or feeder bluffs. Coastal property owners constitute one of the greatest constraints to nearshore restoration in the area, as the Whatcom County coastline is approximately 95% private ownership. A final report highlighting database development, survey development and results, workshop evaluations, and next step recommendations is available here.
