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Dr. Julia K. Parrish speaks in Forks
Dr. Parrish speaks on Seabird Ecology on May 11th at 7:00 pm, at the
Olympic Natural Resources Center (Hemlock/Forest Room) in Forks, Washington. Admission is
free.
"Listening to the birds: what seabirds are telling us about the coastal
ecosystem
health"
Are seabird populations changing? How do we know? What can we, as citizens, do to
increase understanding and awareness of our coastal resources?
Recent reports documenting the decline of fish, marine mammals, and seabirds have
prompted action
from government agencies, academic scientists, and environmental groups to sort out the causes.
Please join Dr. Parrish in examining some of the patterns of Washington seabird populations - both
breeders and migrants - and factors affecting their success.
For nearly 20 years, Julia's research has focused on the patterns of seabird
populations along the
West Coast, from Oregon to Alaska, and the factors - both natural and human-associated - that
influence seabird survival and reproduction. In addition to a long-term study of the Common Murres
of Tatoosh Island, Julia has been involved in work to reduce seabird bycatch in coastal fisheries,
including the gilllnet fisheries of greater Puget Sound and the Strait of Georgia. In 1998, Julia
founded Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) - a citizen science program that
teaches local coastal residents to find and identify beached birds as a way to monitor nearshore
environmental health.
COASST Training for Volunteers Interested in Monitoring Seabirds
COASST Training will be held from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at the
Olympic Natural Resources Center (Hemlock/Forest Room) in Forks, Washington. Admission is
free.
COASST is a citizen science project based at the University of Washington School
of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences in partnership with the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary,
local community and environmental organizations, and state and federal agencies. COASST volunteers
collect data on beach-cast carcasses of marine birds on a monthly basis to establish the baseline,
or 'normal' pattern of beached bird mortality on North Pacific beaches. Baselines are crucial for
assessing the impacts of oil spills, fisheries, and climate change. Data collected by COASST
volunteers helps address important marine conservation issues and protect marine resources.
For more information, or to sign up for the training, please contact Barbara
Blackie at
(360) 457-6622 x21
Barbara.Blackie@noaa.gov
Oxygen Monitoring System in Olympic Coast Sanctuary
Featured in NOAA Sanctuaries Report
 The installation of a monitoring system to detect low oxygen conditions in Olympic
Coast National Marine Sanctuary is one of the major accomplishments highlighted in the
2006 State of the
Sanctuaries Report,
an annual summary of the NOAA National Marine Sanctuary Program's most
significant achievements.
"Scientific research plays a vital role in management of our sanctuaries," said
Olympic Coast sanctuary Superintendent Carol Bernthal. "When Oregon and Washington's coasts were
inexplicably littered by dead fish last season, sanctuary staff installed sensors in the sanctuary
to monitor if dissolved oxygen in the ocean dipped to dangerous levels for marine life. We were
able to detect several events that corresponded with reported crab and fish die-offs in the
sanctuary, and it will be important to continue monitoring to determine if this indicates a
consistent trend."
 In addition to the oxygen monitoring, the report highlights other accomplishments
that took place in Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary in 2006. These include a cooperative oil
spill drill with the Canadian Government, exploratory surveys for deep sea corals, a new
partnership agreement with coastal tribes and the State of Washington, and the reinstallation of a
fiber optic cable within the sanctuary.
The 2006 State of the
Sanctuaries Report
also details science, education, and
resource protection accomplishments throughout the sanctuary system, including establishing the
world's largest area of marine protection in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands and shifting
shipping lanes to reduce the risks of ship strikes to endangered whales in Stellwagen Bank National
Marine Sanctuary.
"Our 2006 accomplishments reflect the significant progress being made by the
National Marine Sanctuary Program to develop results-oriented resource protection, science,
management and educational programs," said sanctuary program Director Daniel J. Basta. "I am
especially proud of our program's five years of hard work with our partners that resulted in the
president establishing the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument."
Information on the Olympic Coast sanctuary accomplishments and more across the
sanctuary system, including in-depth features, stunning images and videos, are available on the
sanctuary program web site at
http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov
The NOAA
National Marine Sanctuary Program, which manages Olympic Coast National
Marine Sanctuary, seeks to increase the public awareness of America's marine resources and maritime
heritage by conducting scientific research, monitoring, exploration and educational programs.
Today, the sanctuary program manages 13 national marine sanctuaries and one marine national
monument that together encompass more than 150,000 square miles of America's ocean and Great Lakes
natural and cultural resources.
Intergovernmental Policy Council Formed for Olympic Coast
National Marine Sanctuary
The coastal treaty Indian tribes, State of Washington and National Oceanic and
Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA) National Marine Sanctuary Program have established an Intergovernmental
Policy Council to manage the marine resources of Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary. The
Policy Council will provide a forum for the tribal, state and federal governments to coordinate
activities within the sanctuary.
"This Policy Council is a landmark collaborative opportunity, one of the first of
its kind and a
tribute to the resolve of the partners vested in the future of the sanctuary waters," said Daniel
J. Basta, director of the sanctuary program. "It will bring together entities that have varied
responsibility for regulation of activities and management of one of the most pristine marine
ecosystems in North America."
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary was created in 1994, encompassing 3,310
square miles of
Washington coastal waters from Neah Bay to the Copalis River. The area is home to many marine
mammal and seabird species, diverse populations of kelp and intertidal algae, and thriving
invertebrate communities.
The sanctuary is entirely encompassed by the traditional harvest areas of the Hoh,
Makah, and
Quileute tribes, and the Quinault Indian Nation. As sovereign nations, the tribes have treaty
fishing rights and co-management responsibilities with the State of Washington for fish and other
natural resources within the sanctuary.
"This is another positive step toward an ecosystem-based approach to managing
these resources,"
said Mel Moon, natural resources director for the Quileute Tribe. "We must address the entire
ecosystem and the relationships between the various components to ensure effective management,"
said Moon.
"The Policy Council brings tribes to the table and integrates us into the
management and
decision-making process about resources that we co-manage with the state within the sanctuary,"
said Jim Woods, policy representative for the Makah Tribe. "This is an important step in improving
federally-mandated government-to-government communication between the tribes, the state and the
sanctuary on coastal marine matters."
"We look forward to continuing our management of this area in cooperation with our
partners for
the conservation of our marine ecosystems," said Carol Bernthal, Olympic Coast sanctuary
superintendent. "The sanctuary is the new kid on the block when you compare it to the tribes and
their long history of place-based management on the coast."
Coordination of research projects within the sanctuary was a key reason the treaty
tribes sought
the creation of a Policy Council. Tribes are especially interested in research into low oxygen
zones like the one that occurred this past summer off the beaches of the Quinault Indian Nation
(QIN). Thousands of dead fish washed up on QIN beaches and pots full of dead crab were being pulled
up by QIN fishermen.
"In the modern era of fisheries management, no one remembers ever seeing anything
like this,"
said Ed Johnstone, fisheries policy representative for QIN. "We need additional and more accurate
monitoring devices and more research to understand what's going on."
The Hoh Tribe is also eager to participate in coordinating research projects
within the
sanctuary, said David Hudson, policy spokesperson for the Hoh Tribe. "Many Hoh tribal members have
observed a decline in certain marine resources such as razor clams, smelts and flounder in recent
years. Collaborative management within the sanctuary is a positive step toward preserving these
resources for generations to come."
Contact: Andrew Palmer at 360-457-6622 x15
e-mail: andrew.palmer@noaa.gov
Sanctuary Advisory Council Meets on the
19th of
January, 2007 at the Quileute Information Center, 19628 US Highway 101, north of Forks, WA.
The Olympic Coast National Marine
Sanctuary’s
Advisory Council
will hold its January, 2007 meeting at the Quileute
Information
Center, 19628 US Highway 101, north of Forks, WA. on the
19th. The meeting will convene at 10:00 AM and is open to the public. Public comment periods
are scheduled for 11:45 AM and 2:35 PM. Members of the public are invited to comment on items
pertaining to the agenda during this time. To obtain a copy of the agenda, please contact
Andrew Palmer as noted above.
The Sanctuary Advisory Council is
comprised of
twenty-one representatives of various local and regional organizations and agencies whose role is
to advise the Sanctuary Manager on matters of policy and in reviewing strategic plans.
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary is
administered
by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and was designated in 1994 as the
first National Marine Sanctuary in the Pacific Northwest. It encompasses about 3,300 square miles
off the Washington Coast, extending from Cape Flattery to the mouth of the Copalis River.
Significant natural and cultural resources include 29 species of whales, dolphins and porpoises,
large populations of nesting seabirds, Native American communities and archaeological sites and
some of the last remaining wilderness coastline in the lower 48 states.
On the Web:
NOAA:
http://www.noaa.gov
NOAA’s National Ocean Service:
http://oceanservice.noaa.gov
National Marine Sanctuary Program:
http://sanctuaries.noaa.gov
Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary:
http://olympiccoast@noaa.gov
Sanctuary Advisory Council:
olympiccoast.noaa.gov/AboutUs/sac/welcome.html
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