Rockfishes (Sebastes spp.) are a group of long-lived Pacific fishes that are susceptible to overharvest in commercial and recreational fisheries due to their life history and site fidelity. Different histories of rockfish fishery development throughout their range have led to varying management challenges for these species, including the listing of two rockfish species under the Endangered Species Act in Puget Sound. In this talk, I will present stories of rockfish fisheries in Puget Sound from community, policy, and science perspectives. Using examples drawn from our research over the last decade, I will highlight ways in which fishers’ knowledge, stewardship, and innovation are contributing to improved conservation and management of rockfish.
With over 400 miles of marine shoreline located in the heart of the Salish Sea, nearshore habitats in the San Juan Archipelago play a key role in local and regional marine ecosystem recovery. Learn more about collaborative shoreline research, protection, and restoration efforts in the islands, including successes, challenges, and opportunities for the future.
At the core of marine resilience is a thriving portfolio of marine species and habitats and our strong connections to them. At Puget Sound Restoration Fund (PSRF), this tenet drives our work - collaboratively spearheading a diverse set of in-water projects throughout the southern Salish Sea. Our main focus is restoring living marine habitat and species, using structure forming species (Olympia oysters, bull kelp) and habitat enhancing species (pinto abalone), but also with a keen eye to species of paramount importance to Tribes (heart cockles) and other communities Sound-wide (Dungeness crab). These species are critical to the food web, too, and maintain the living marine architecture that supports the marine ecosystem in Puget Sound and beyond. Robust restoration of these core elements has ripple effects, boosting function and providing direct and indirect support to fish and marine mammals throughout the food web as they face compounding effects of climate change. In this talk, I will highlight the work that PSRF and partners are doing in service of: improved water quality, increased abundance of native species, additional acres of restored habitat, enhanced ecological benefits, and re-forged connections with healthy marine resources.
Join Ron as he describes the modern construction techniques used and the features incorporated into new vessels being constructed by local Bellingham boat builder, All American Marine, Vessels and features discussed will include catamarans, hydrofoils, hybrid boats and the world’s first hydrogen fuel cell powered passenger vessel.
If you're surprised to hear that the 2nd largest fish on the planet used to be abundant in the shared waters of British Columbia and Washington, you're not alone! Now almost forgotten, the Basking Shark (Cetorhinus maximus) - which reaches sizes of up to 12 m (40 ft) - used to be abundant from British Columbia, Canada to Baja California, Mexico. Although these giant filter-feeders are harmless to humans, they were hunted and persecuted throughout much of the 20th century, first for their oil-rich livers and then because they were impeding profitable salmon fisheries by getting tangled in gillnets. In British Columbia in 1949, they were put on the Canadian Department of Fisheries and Oceans list of 'destructive pests', and from 1955 to 1969 a Federal eradication program was directed at them. Today, only a handful of sightings are reported from throughout British Columbia and Washington each year. Can this enigmatic wonder of our ocean world that has survived as a species for at least 30 million years recover here in the Northeast Pacific? How has our treatment of them shifted and what might we do to better understand them and their habitat, and 'turn the tide' for them, and for us?
The breadth of the economic impact of the maritime sector in Whatcom County is wide, and the Port of Bellingham has a dominant role as owner of most waterfront properties in Bellingham and Blaine. In this talk you will learn about the many aspects of a working waterfront, including major development projects, environmental clean-up programs, introduction to the local commercial seafood industry and stream rehabilitation and salmon enhancement. The Whatcom Working Waterfront Coalition is made up of over 120 members (companies, associations and individuals) that help keep Whatcom’s waterfronts working. Learn how the Coalition is involved in these various projects and works alongside coastal leaders to catalyze community sustainability and ensure thriving and diverse waterfronts that all can enjoy.
Consistent information on ecosystem health is critical to inform actions that will ensure the long-term health the Salish Sea’s ecological functions and the human communities that depend upon them. Dedicated scientists and practitioners serve as the region’s eyes and ears to assess ecosystem status and trends, progress toward recovery, and effectiveness of recovery actions. The Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program (PSEMP) collects, organizes, synthesizes, and communicates the best available science to protect, preserve, and enhance Puget Sound’s vitality now and for future generations. The result of PSEMP’s approach of bringing together diverse partners and information is a more fully informed and broadly shared understanding of how the ecosystem functions. This talk will provide a high-level overview of the PSEMP program, highlight the successes of transdisciplinary collaboration, and note current challenges and barriers in meeting its goals.
Public lands conservation alone will never be enough to create lasting change on complex basins, such as the Salish Sea. Today, private individuals and corporations own approximately 60% of land in the United States. Conservation Districts aim to bridge this gap by being locally focused trusted resources for landowners. This is done by providing locally focused, voluntary, incentive-based programing and free financial and technical assistance. These local conservation efforts on each stream and watershed add up to larger benefits for the Salish Sea as a whole.
For decades, terrestrial wildlife centers and aquariums were the only places in the Pacific Northwest where a limited number of marine species could be rehabilitated. With the opening of SR3's sealife hospital in 2021 the number and diversity of species capable of receiving care has expanded dramatically. This talk will focus on 4 different types of animals SR3 has cared for, and what their stories can teach us about starting something new, growing, and working collaboratively.
"This talk will introduce you to the Salish Sea Institute, the work we are doing, and discuss the importance of a transboundary perspective on the conservation of the Salish Sea."
Map of Salish Sea, with elevation and bathymetry data, extending from the north end of the Strait of Georgia to the south end of the Puget sound and west to the mouth of the Straight of Juan de Fuca. Map text focuses on natural features rather than political jurisdictions.
This place-based, experiential, and multidisciplinary course introduces students to the complex human-environment systems of our shared bioregion, an international inland sea fed by watersheds governed by the United States, Canada, and over 60 Tribes and First Nations. This course invites students to critically examine complex issues in the Salish Sea, and to build meaningful connections across borders, disciplines, and systems to help bring to life an environmentally healthy and just future for the Salish Sea.
