WRIA 1- SALMONID RECOVERY PLAN

Update No. 1 – October 2003

This is the first issue of Whatcom County’s WRIA 1 Salmonid Recovery Plan Update. Whatcom County will send out this e-newsletter on the progress of the plan on a regular basis. As a local community member, business person, technical expert, policy maker, tribal, federal, state, or local governmental agency, we would especially like you to become more familiar with current salmon recovery planning issues and processes.

If you’d rather not be on the e-mail list, send an e-mail to Scarlet Tang at stang@co.whatcom.wa.us, or call 676-6876.

This month’s update topics include:

1. Recovery Plan Overview
2. Purpose of Recovery Plan
3. Steering Committee
4. Stakeholder Group
5. Timelines
6. Regional Context

1. Recovery Plan Overview

Whatcom County has received a grant from Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife to develop a salmon recovery plan for Water Resource Inventory Area No. 1 (WRIA 1), which includes the Nooksack River basin and adjacent coastal watersheds.

The purpose of the WRIA 1 Salmonid Recovery Plan is to outline a local strategy of projects, programs, and timelines to recover salmonid populations, with a particular focus on chinook salmon. In June 2004, the plan will be submitted to the Puget Sound Shared Strategy, a regional recovery plan.

Whatcom County has contracted with the Nooksack Tribe and the Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association (NSEA) to help with this effort. Nooksack Tribe’s Natural Resources staff will draft the recovery plan and coordinate technical review, while NSEA staff will coordinate outreach to and input from stakeholders on key issues related to the plan. By December 31, 2003, a preliminary draft WRIA 1 Salmon Recovery Plan will be completed for local and regional review and endorsement.

2. Purpose of Recovery Plan

The plan has three goals:

1. Provide the technical background and analyses of key factors (both natural and manmade) that limit the recovery of healthy salmonid populations in WRIA 1. A salmonid is any member of the salmon family, including salmon, trout, and char.
2. Identify the actions necessary in WRIA 1 to recover salmonid populations, especially Endangered Species Act listed species (chinook salmon and bull trout).
3. Outline a framework for implementing these actions that stakeholders and local, state, tribal, and federal governments will support.

Geographic Scope: All upland, freshwater, estuarine and nearshore habitats in Water Resource Inventory Area (WRIA) 1.

3. Steering Committee

The Steering Committee assists Whatcom County and its contractors in developing and reviewing sections of the WRIA 1 Salmonid Recovery Plan. This advisory group brings substantial technical expertise and watershed experience to the table, ensuring that the recovery plan will be based on a sound technical footing while addressing key community issues. The Steering Committee does not replace the existing policymaking relationship between the County and the salmon co-managers (Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife, Lummi Nation, and Nooksack Tribe).

The Steering Committee is made up of technical staff from the County, cities, state agencies, local tribes, and other key partners in salmon recovery. For a complete list of members, please check http://whatcomsalmon.wsu.edu in November, when the Salmon Recovery Plan page will debut.

4. Stakeholder Group

The Stakeholder Group advises Whatcom County about community interests, ideas, concerns, options, and opinions regarding the recovery plan. The Stakeholder Group has 30 community members and meets monthly from September through December 2003.

The Stakeholder Group includes commercial and recreational fishers, farmers, environmental groups, foresters, local and state agencies, businesses, educators, and other interested parties. For a complete list of members, please check http://whatcomsalmon.wsu.edu in November.

5. Timeline

2002
Chinook recovery planning targets and ranges developed for each watershed in Puget Sound.

2003
June - Whatcom County awarded WDFW grant for salmon recovery planning

July - Whatcom County hires Nooksack Tribe and Nooksack Salmon Enhancement Association to work on recovery plan

August - Work on recovery plan begins

September - Stakeholder Group and Steering Committee begin meeting

December - Key sections of the preliminary draft of the recovery plan completed

2004
March - Public draft of recovery plan release, public comment begins

April - Public comment period ends

May - Final draft released

June - Local policymakers endorse final draft, plan sent to Puget Sound Shared Strategy for inclusion in Puget Sound recovery plan

2005
June - WRIA 1 piece of Puget Sound plan endorsed/approved by WRIA 1 governments (Bellingham, Lummi Nation, Nooksack Tribe, Whatcom County, small cities)

Puget Sound Plan submitted to NOAA Fisheries for NEPA/federal review

6. Regional Context

The local salmon recovery planning process is part of a larger collaborative effort to protect and restore salmon runs across Puget Sound and Washington State. The goal is to develop a comprehensive framework and collaborative strategy across state, regional and local levels, moving efforts from near-term actions to a long-term plan for recovery.

For more information about the recovery plan, please contact John N. Thompson, Whatcom County Water Resources Division at (360) 676-6876 or JNThomps@co.whatcom.wa.us.