Northwest Straits Initiative

08/31/2026

Do you harvest, eat, or use kelp? Or maybe you're interested in kelp protection, restoration, and monitoring efforts?

We want to hear from you! There are three workshops left in our series supporting a project to better understand human interactions with, connections to, and uses of kelp to inform kelp management, conservation, and harvesting opportunities:

• Sept. 14 at Asia Pacific Cultural Center in Tacoma
• Sept. 16 at Padilla Bay National Estuary Research Reserve in Mount Vernon
• Oct. 7 at Port Hadlock Library in Jefferson County

Get the details and RSVP through our Kelp Community Workshop Registration Form: https://survey123.arcgis.com/share/77d640185317451797a648740b57ba6a

Individuals must register and be at least 18 years of age or older to participate. All workshops will include refreshments and participant compensation ($50 gift card).

This social science research project is a collaboration between WDFW, Washington State Department of Natural Resources, Northwest Straits Initiative, Asia Pacific Cultural Center, and Cascadia Consulting Group. Refer to our webpage for more information and other ways to participate, including submitting photos and stories about kelp: wdfw.wa.gov/species-habitats/ecosystems/marine-shorelines/kelp

Photo of giant kelp on the Washington Coast by Jeff Whitty, Northwest Straits Commission.

08/24/2026

Join Snohomish MRC and WSU Snohomish County Extension Beach Watchers to celebrate (a belated) International Coastal Cleanup Day on September 26th!

WSU Beach Watchers aims to keep Snohomish County’s beaches beautiful and trash free by holding a beach clean-up at Howarth Park. This once-a-year large clean-up uses the EPAs Escaped Trash Assessment Protocol, picking up, counting, weighing, and categorizing all the trash in a given area on the beach.

Sign up >> Bit.ly/2026HowarthParkETAP

08/20/2026

Snohomish County's Marine Resources Committee will be at Sustainamania, will you? Meet the MRC members and learn about our shared marine environment and actions you can take to protect it for a sustainable future.

https://www.snocomrc.org/meetings-events/

08/14/2026

Heading out to Seafarers' Park in Anacortes? Before you drop anchor, take a moment to learn from the local experts at Port of Anacortes about what makes this spot so special.

From seasonal boating tips to guidance on low‑impact anchoring, there’s a lot you can do to help keep these eelgrass meadows thriving for the benefit of salmon, crabs, forage fish, and the entire marine ecosystem!

Want to know where to explore, what to watch for, and how to protect sensitive eelgrass habitat while you’re visiting? Check out the Waggoner Cruising Guide article on protecting eelgrass at Seafarers' Park in Anacortes. » https://waggonerguide.com/protecting-eelgrass-meadows-in-east-sound-orcas-island/

08/07/2026

ICYMI our August newsletter is available online >> https://bit.ly/August2026NWStraits

In this issue:

* MRC member news: Mike Ramsey steps in as San Juan MRC’s representative to the Commission, Flora Vaught Scholarship recipient
* MRC’s in the field: project highlights Pigeon guillemot site visit (Clallam), Summer fieldwork (San Juan) Olympia oyster restoration (Jefferson), Kelp monitoring (Skagit), Crabber & marine vegetation Outreach (Snohomish), Summer interns share eelgrass education & outreach (Whatcom)
* Anchor Out of Eelgrass for Safety & Salmon

Upcoming events include:

* Aug. 13-17 San Juan County Fair (San Juan MRC tabling)
* Aug. 28 NW Straits Commission Meeting - 10:00 am- 12:00 pm (Virtual Zoom)
* Sept. 1 Cornet Bay & Hoypus Point Restoration (Island MRC & Salish Sea Alliance-formerly NW Straits Foundation)
* Sept. 11 Wooden Boat Festival – Port Townsend (Jefferson MRC host of the Marine Science and Stewardship Stage)
* Sept. 26 Fidalgo Bay Day (Hosted by Salish Sea School partnering with Skagit MRC)
* Sept. 26 Sustainamania – Bothell (Snohomish MRC tabling)

View current vacancies with county MRCs (NW Straits Opportunities) https://nwstraits.org/opportunities

08/07/2026

Green crab crews hit Samish Bay European green crabs by airboat!

Last week, Washington State Department of Natural Resources outer coast and Salish Sea teams joined forces with Washington Conservation Corps and NW Straits Commission to trap European green crabs in Samish Bay. Monitoring and removal is an important part of protecting local habitats from these invasive crabs. The crew of 13 used airboats to set traps and access difficult-to-reach marshy areas on the east side of Samish Bay. They set nearly 170 traps and removed a total of 83 invasive green crabs!

08/07/2026

Over 900 European green crabs have been caught in Samish Bay since mid‑April! Monitoring and removing these invasive crabs is a key part of protecting local habitats. Check out the The Northern Light interview with Allie Simpson NW Straits Ecosystem Project Coordinator for the full story.

A record number of European green crabs have been trapped in Blaine so far this year, a sign that years of control efforts may be paying off in the fight against the invasive crustaceans.  …

08/03/2026

07/31/2026

ANACORTES — On a windy Tuesday, outside a garage filled with tanks of pinto abalone the size of fingernails and small stones, U.S. Rep. Rick Larsen prepared ...

07/29/2026

Congratulations to the scholarship recipients!

We’re especially proud of Flora Vaught, who currently serves as a youth representative on the San Juan County Marine Resources Committee. It’s a wonderful reminder that the future of preserving and restoring our marine environment is in good hands with the next generation.