The Marine Resources Committee (MRC) is an advisory group to the Board of County Commissioners and part of the regional Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative. MRC members are citizen volunteers committed to protecting and restoring marine habitats in our ecologically rich corner of the world.
Join us and the NW Straits Shore Friendly program for a Shore Friendly Workshop from 9am-1pm on Saturday, October 21! This workshop will include a beach walk and talk featuring speakers from Herrera Environmental. Topics covered include: shoreline responses to sea level rise, alternatives to shoreline armoring, and using native vegetation for erosion protection and habitat enhancement. Find more information and register for the workshop by clicking here!
The Jefferson MRC has been collaborating with the Sea Dragons, a Port Townsend-based robotics club, since 2021 to find and remove lost crab pots in East Jefferson County using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV). Last year, we piloted this project in Discovery Bay, with some success and many lessons learned. In 2023, we focused removal efforts in Port Townsend Bay and have continued to learn and adapt. You can read more about this project in our recently published StoryMap: "Recovering Lost Crab Pots of the Salish Sea."
The Jefferson MRC is hiring interns this year to gain valuable experience in the marine conservation field and forward efforts on several local projects. Interns will help conduct outreach to recreational crabbers, grow a community of rain garden stewards, develop a storm surge citizen science monitoring program, and support fieldwork and operations across the MRC.