The
MRC and What It Does
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here- to review latest 2007 By-law revisions
The
Clallam County Marine Resources Committee (Clallam MRC) was established by
the Northwest Straits Commission
as a result of the 1998 Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative,
which combines data-driven science with grassroots involvement by citizen
groups in an effort to address the depletion of marine resources in the Straits
of Juan de Fuca.
The
Clallam County MRC is a balanced team of members comprised of local citizens
representing commercial and sport fishers, conservation and environmental
interests as well as tribes, cities academic and other local governmental
agencies. We are working hard to gather information necessary to promote a
local solution to curtail the degradation of natural resources in Clallam
County.
Our
job is to discover collaborative ways to improve shellfish harvest areas,
protect marine habitat, support salmon and bottomfish recovery and examine
resource management alternatives. Ultimately, we will recommend remedial actions
to local authorities.
In
meeting these goals, we hope to address and rectify the many serious threats
to the Northwest Straits, its natural resources and human residents.
Goals
Coordinate with the Northwest Straits Commission to meet benchmarks
on marine ecosystem objectives.
Maintain and active and open relationship with the public and other key constituencies
on such issues as marine habitat and healthy marine resources.
Help ensure a net gain in highly ecologically productive nearshore, intertidal
and estuarine habitat within the county, as well as no significant loss of
existing, high-value habitats.
Contribute to ongoing work to reopen closed shellfish harvest areas in Dungeness
Bay.
Contribute to measurable increase in bottom fish (rockfish) recovery.
Assess local forage fish (herring, sand lance, surf smelt and ling cod) habitat
and populations and make recommendations for habitat preservation. Click
here to view forage fish habitat reports.
Contribute to measurable increases in other key marine indicator species (include
names).
Identify the role of the Clallam County MRC in salmon recovery programs.
Work with the Puget Sound Ambient Monitoring Program (PSAMP), and other entities
to enhance scientific baseline data for the marine environment of the Northwest
Straits.
Work closely with the local groups such as the Dungeness River Management
Team,the Elwha-Morse Management Team,the WRIA 19 Watershed Planning Team,
the Sequim-Dungeness Clean Water Work Group and the Salmon Recovery Lead Entity
Group to implement local marine conservation and restoration initiatives.
Acknowledge the value of local citizenry as a resource for current and historical
conditions of resources and work to involve the public in the creation and
implementation of future actions affecting those resources.
Use local knowledge to define data gaps, research and management priorities
for federally listed species and their critical habitat.
Partner with regional and state managers to add local steward expertise to
resource and habitat for future wise managment.
