Northwest Straits Initiative

05/27/2026

Join our Anchor Out of Eelgrass Volunteer Training on

Tuesday June 2, 2:30pm – 4:00pm

For an overview of Voluntary No Anchor Zones and vessel monitoring volunteer training on how you can help protect eelgrass!

NW Straits Commission will be hosting a virtual training session where we will cover:

* History and background of the Voluntary No Anchor Zone project
* How volunteer collected vessel monitoring data is being used
* Training on how you can collect vessel monitoring data using our survey form on KoboToolbox

Anchors can cause physical damage to eelgrass beds by leaving large scour marks degrading eelgrass habitat. Voluntary No Anchor Zones are designed to limit the direct physical damage caused by anchor scour to support a more resilient eelgrass meadow. But we need your help surveying where boats are and aren’t anchoring to help us understand how we can better protect eelgrass in the Salish Sea!

Find the zoom link on our events page https://nwstraits.org/upcoming-events

05/27/2026

Whatcom MRC Internship - Summer 2026!

Whatcom MRC is offering two internship opportunities to support education and outreach activities within Wildcat Cove during the 2026 summer season (June-August), with a focus on low-tide periods when eelgrass is most vulnerable to disturbance. Interns will interact with boat launch users, educating folks about the importance of eelgrass habitats and encouraging best practices to reduce damage to the eelgrass beds in Wildcat Cove. These positions require a variable work schedule aligned with low tide windows that vary from month to month and may include weekend and holiday work.

Application closing date 6/1/2026>> https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/whatcomcounty?pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs&jobId=5355305&jobName=marine-resources-committee-intern&tab=1

05/27/2026

Birch Bay Day at the Beach will be 10AM to 1PM on May 30th at Birch Bay State Park! Whatcom MRC will be tabling alongside partners. Learn more at: www.whatcomcd.org/event-details/day-at-the-beach-2026

This Saturday is Day at the Beach! Join Whatcom Conservation District, Birch Bay Watershed Aquatic Resources Management District, Friends of Birch Bay State Park - BP Heron Center, Blaine-Birch Bay Park and Recreation District 2, Whatcom Marine Resources Committee, The Salish Sea School & Discovery Center, RE Sources, NSEA - Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association, Washington State Parks, and Whatcom County Library System for a day of fun at a -1.6 low tide! Naturalist-led walks, refreshments, kids activities, and interactive booths will be set up from 10AM to 1PM on May 30th at Birch Bay State Park. We hope to see you there! Learn more at: www.whatcomcd.org/event-details/day-at-the-beach-2026

05/22/2026

Our Washington Conservation Corps crew traded in their muddy boots for time in the lab this week at Western Washington University’s Shannon Point Marine Center! They teamed up with researchers testing an innovative technique for restoring eelgrass, gluing eelgrass seeds to native cockles! Once released at a restoration site, the cockles naturally bury themselves in the sand, planting the seeds as they go.

WCC member Chris Seymour shared, “Today provided an opportunity to experience a new style of eelgrass restoration strategy. I learned about the challenges of eelgrass restoration, the scientific side of this project, and why cockles are a great vessel to get the seeds in the mud. A huge thank you to all the organizations that made today possible!”

This collaborative project brings together Western Washington University’s Shannon Point Marine Center, Padilla Bay National Estuarine Reserve, Puget Sound Restoration Fund, San Juan Islands Conservation District, SAVE Environmental, Chuckanut Shellfish, Washington Department of Natural Resources, Washington State Parks, Northwest Straits Foundation, and is funded by the SeaDoc Society.

Photos: Hannah Paolucci (WCC)

05/21/2026

Thank you, Amelia!

Amelia Kalagher joined Clallam Marine Resources Committee team in February 2024 as an Administrative Specialist, bringing dedication, positive energy, and a genuine passion for marine stewardship. Prior to joining the Clallam MRC staff, Amelia was a Program Assistant with Jefferson MRC. A graduate of Western Washington University’s Salish Sea Region program in Port Angeles, she contributed a strong foundation in marine ecology and a deep love for our local waters. Thank you, Amelia, for everything you’ve done for the MRC and our community. The NW Straits community wishes you all the best as you begin the next chapter of your career, you’ll be missed!

05/20/2026

Crab molts, and plankton, and estuaries oh my!

Concrete High School students join the Kids on the Beach. A hands-on marine science education program led by Skagit MRC in partnership with Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve to give local students hands-on marine science experience.

BAY VIEW STATE PARK — Twenty-eight students from Concrete High School scanned the beach along Padilla Bay for crab molts Tuesday as part of the Kids on the Beach program.

05/14/2026

Dave Checkley of Shaw Island has been a dedicated and impactful member of San Juan County Marine Resources Committee since 2023. As a professor emeritus in oceanography, he’s brought deep knowledge and curiosity to the MRC and NW Straits Community. Dave has been active in advisory efforts to the County Council, research, bringing forward fair and excellent questions, and hosting outreach events. We are grateful for his contributions, and he will be greatly missed in this role.

05/06/2026

Thank you, Mike!

Mike Doherty has been involved with Clallam Marine Resources Committee since its inception, serving as a County Commissioner on its founding resolution in 1999. He joined the MRC as the representative for the County’s west end (District III) in 2015 and has been a passionate voice for marine protection, calling the MRC a “door to lots of exciting activities and neat people.”

Mike’s decades of service include 20 years as a Clallam County Commissioner, teaching law at Peninsula College, work with Washington Sea Grant, serving as a co‑principal investigator on a NASA‑funded satellite imagery study of Dungeness River water flow, and time as a Backcountry Ranger in Olympic National Park. His deep historical knowledge and strong advocacy for oil spill prevention and preparedness in the Strait of Juan de Fuca have made a lasting impact. He was also the recipient of NW Straits Commission's Environmental Leadership Award in 2014.

As Mike steps away from the MRC to enjoy more time and travels with his wife and family, the NW Straits community extend a huge thanks and happy trails!