Puget Sound Day on the Hill

San Juan MRC’s Marine Project Manager Dr. Frances Robertson attended Puget Sound Day on the Hill this spring in Washington, D.C., to advocate for the reauthorization of the NW Straits Initiative and represent San Juan County’s marine interests.

She joined regional partners in meeting with legislators to build support for salmon recovery, reducing vessel noise impacts on Southern Resident killer whales, shellfish and green crab monitoring, Tribal treaty rights, and broader Puget Sound restoration efforts.

Special thanks were extended to Sen. Patty Murray and Sen. Maria Cantwell for introducing SB 1433 Rep. Rick Larsen and Rep. Emily Randall for sponsoring HB 2860, and to  to support reauthorization of the NW Straits Initiative.

“All legislators stressed the importance of telling our stories and why marine conservation and protection matters.” -  Dr. Frances Robertson

Washington Kelp Project inventory

Interested in who is doing what with kelp in Washington? NW Straits Commission staff, in collaboration with partners throughout Washington and British Columbia, have developed the WA Kelp Project Inventory, a shared resource for adding, updating, and exploring WA kelp-related project information. Have a kelp-related project? Please feel free to update your project information at any time!

Visit WA Kelp Project Inventory to learn more.

Students dive into marine science

Whatcom MRC hosted three Beach Seine with Schools field events this spring, giving 166 fourth graders from four local schools (Harmony, Carl Cozier, Alderwood, and Acme Elementary Schools) a hands-on marine science experience.

Students observed beach seining by Lummi Natural Resources biologists, who identified salmon species like chum, coho, and Chinook. The April event saw a record catch of 938 chum salmon. Tribal elders from Nooksack Tribe and Lummi Nation shared cultural knowledge and environmental insights. Salish Sea School also joined this year, adding stations for interactive student learning. The Beach Seine with Schools program is part of the MRC’s ongoing commitment to youth education and community engagement in marine conservation. Learn more about Beach Seine with Schools.