About us

We are one of seven Marine Resources Committees (MRCs) in the Northwest Straits region of Washington, formed in 1998 under the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative.  This Congressional initiative founded the Northwest Straits Commission (NWSC), which was tasked with improving the overall health of the Northwest Straits ecosystem by developing and proposing science-based recommendations to decision-makers.  The MRCs were created to provide local (county level) input to NWSC, which in turn provides MRCs with scientific, technical, and financial support.

The Jefferson MRC is focused on the marine and nearshore environments of eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca, Admiralty Inlet and Hood Canal, spanning nearly 200 miles of shoreline from Gardiner to Triton Cove.  These include the ancestral lands and waters of the Coast Salish Peoples who have inhabited this area since time immemorial and who continue to steward it for future generations. We are a locally-based, volunteer committee appointed by the Jefferson Board of County Commissioners.  Our members come from the fishing, boating, aquaculture, environmental, marine education, Tribal, and government communities.  We serve the County in an advisory capacity, with no regulatory or enforcement responsibilities.  Our goal is to promote an ethic of stewardship, support science-based projects, and work in partnership with others involved with restoring and protecting the Salish Sea.