Public Marine Forum Draws a Crowd and Introduces the First “Coastal” Marine Resources Committee

On Saturday, June 20, Grays Harbor County’s newly formed Marine Resources Committee sponsored an informational public marine forum with the objective of highlighting the benefits of our ocean and coast and presenting opportunities for conserving these resources now and for future generations.

Nearly 100 attendees participated from the local community along with a number of speakers from the Quinault Indian Nation, the Nature Conservancy, the state Department’s of Ecology and Fish and Wildlife, and the non-profits Nature Conservancy and the Surfrider Foundation. Mark Cedergreen, Executive Director of Westport’s Charter Boat Association served as the event’s MC and also spoke about the important history of the charter industry in Grays Harbor.

With a packed agenda poised to get the community up to speed on local conservation topics, County Commissioner Al Carter began the forum with a welcome and introduction. He spoke about the historic importance of the marine industry in Grays Harbor and pointed out how we have continued to watch the decline of our salmon, crab, and shellfish industry in the last decade with many other coastal species are not far behind. He impressed upon attendees how a vital first step in addressing our conservation needs has come with the county’s newly organized Marine Resources Committee.

The committee is made up of area volunteers from the community and are tasked with helping make grass roots, science based recommendations to the County on the conservation needs of our coast. They represent a broad spectrum of interests including business, tribes, recreational interests, the conservation community, the local port, and scientific expertise.

Next on the agenda Joe Schumacker, a marine resources scientist for the Quinault Nation presented information about nearly every major threat we are currently faced with on our coast including marine debris, water quality, dwindling fish stocks, ocean acidification, and climate change. Schumacker’s work has included exploring fish and shellfish population dynamics, harmful algal bloom science, and looking at marine habitat diversity and usage on the Washington coast. As a newly appointed board member himself, Schumacker emphasized the importance of the Marine Resources Committee to help get projects such as coastal mapping and species and habitat monitoring off the ground.

Burt Hamner of Grays Harbor Ocean Energy LLC, was invited to speak about a pilot wave energy project destined for Westport and Ocean Shores just after a presentation was given by Pete Stauffer of the Surfrider Foundation on alternative ocean energy projects along the Pacific coast. Interesting perspectives were offered on both wave and wind energy and you can learn more about this local proposal by visiting http://graysharboroceanenergy.com/grays_harbor.htm. During a half hour lunch break attendees were invited to discuss topics with presenters and after reconvening, Joanna Smith, a marine ecologist with Nature Conservancy gave a great talk on the diverse number of bird species along our coastline and the important role they play in a healthy marine ecosystem. Joanna's current research includes developing innovative solutions to conserving marine ecosystems in Washington.

This half day forum concluded with keynote speaker, Professor David Montgomery, who discussed topics covered in his book 'Dirt: The Erosion of Civilizations.' It talks about how we are depleting the Earth's soil and Professor Montgomery did an incredible job of making the parallel between the sensitive balance of both soil and marine resources as they pertain to a healthy ecosystem. He offered that we need to be thinking long-term as we discuss goals and objectives for our county’s conservation policies as they pertain to the conservation needs of our coast.

The Grays Harbor Marine Resources Committee first official board meeting will be held July 9 (place and time to be announced). For updates on this meeting, for more information on the Grays Harbor Marine Resources Committee, and to link to presentations from this event please visit www.co.grays-harbor.wa.us/info/pub_svcs/MRC/index.html or contact gdalan@co.grays-harbor.wa.us.

Current Grays Harbor Marine Resources Committee Board members:

Don Harders, aquaculture interest citizen/oyster farmer

Lorena Marchant, educational Interests, Grays Harbor College
Robin Leraas, economic interests, Port of Grays Harbor

Bob Burkle, Scientific Interests, State Department of Fish & Wildlife

Eric Delvin, Conservation & Environmental Interests, The Nature Conservancy

Kathy Greer, Recreational Interests, Surfrider Foundation

Joe Schumacker, tribal interests, Quinault Indian Nation

Arthur D. “RD” Grunbaum, local Citizen Interests

Ray Toste, commercial fishing interests, citizen/fisherman
Don Samuelson, commercial fishing interests, Westport Charter Boat Association

Birdie Davenport, State Interests, State Department of Natural Resources

Harvey Lillegard, Master Builders Association
Vacancy, sport fishing interests

Vacancy, governmental interests