Meetings and Events

Marine Resources Committee Meetings

The monthly MRC meetings are held on the first Thursday of every month from 6 to 8 p.m. Meetings are held at the Whatcom County Civic Center Building Second Floor Conference Room at 322 N. Commercial Street, Bellingham unless otherwise noted. The public is always welcome.

Subcommittee meetings are called as necessary.  They are open to the public.  Updates will be added to this site as meetings are scheduled.  Ad-hoc committees are called as necessary, and will be added to this website.  Please call Whatcom County Public Works - Natural Resources at (360) 676-6876 to confirm meeting times and locations.

Stategic Planning Subcommittee: Tuesday, February 9, 4:30 - 6:00 pm, Civic Center Annex, 1st floor conference room

Shellfish Subcommittee:  No meetings are scheduled at this time.

Nearshore Subcommittee:  Thursday, February 4, 4:30 - 6:00 pm, Civic Center Annex, 2nd floor conference room

Education & Outreach Subcommittee:  No meetings are scheduled at this time.

Rockfish Subcommittee:  No meetings are scheduled at this time.

On-site Septic Systems Ad-hoc Subcommittee:  No meetings are scheduled at this time.


2010 Meetings

January 7 (Agenda)
February 4 (Agenda)
March 4
April 1
May 6
June 3
July 1
August 5
September 2
October 7
November 4
December 2

2009 Meetings (Zip File)

2008 Meetings (Zip File)

2007 Meetings (Zip File)

2006 Meetings (Zip File)

2005 Meetings (Zip File)

2004 Meetings (Zip File)

2003 Meetings (Zip File)

2002 Meetings (Zip File)

For meeting summaries from previous years, please contact the Whatcom County Public Works-Natural Resources Division at (360) 676-6876.

Northwest Straits Commission Meetings

The Northwest Straits Commission provides guidance and offers resources to the marine Resources committees (MRCs), with the goal of mobilizing science to focus on key priorities and coordinating regional priorities for the ecosystem. The Commission serves as a sort of "board of directors" for the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative. Its members represent each of the MRCs, tribes, the Puget Sound Water Quality Action Team and additional appointments by the Governor. NWSC meetings are held on the last Friday of each month from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. in different counties. The public is welcome to attend.

Shellfish Protection District Advisory Committees Meetings

Drayton Harbor and Portage Bay Shellfish Protection Districts
The purpose of establishing a shellfish protection district is to create a forum to address point and non-point sources of pollution that may be affecting water quality over the shellfish beds, with the intent of developing strategies to help restore the areas for shellfish harvesting. The advisory committees, consisting of nine members, are comprised of local citizens and local governments with an interest in helping to improve the water quality of the harbor and the entire shellfish district. The ultimate goal of the committee is to make improvements to the water quality of the shellfish district to enable the shellfish beds to be re-classified to an approved status.

The ACs function in an advisory capacity, helping to identify possible pollution sources and making recommendations as to courses of action to be taken to correct these problems. The implementing agencies associated with the shellfish district deal with initiating corrective action and with regulatory/enforcement issues associated with water quality concerns.

The Drayton Harbor AC meetings are held bimonthly at the Blaine Marina and Portage Bay AC meetings are held quartlerly at the Whatcom County Civic Building.  Please contact Natural Resources staff for details.