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Snohomish County Marine Resources Committee presents 2024 annual report, highlights kelp and forage-fish monitoring
Summary
The Snohomish County Marine Resources Committee presented its 2024 annual report to the Planning and Community Development Committee on April 15, describing volunteer-driven monitoring of bull kelp, eelgrass and forage fish, development of a five-year strategic plan, quarterly beach cleanups and more than 1,400 volunteer hours in 2024.
The Snohomish County Marine Resources Committee (MRC) presented its 2024 annual report to the Planning and Community Development Committee on April 15, outlining monitoring, restoration, outreach and advisory work completed last year.
Natasha Como, a restoration ecologist with the Tulalip Tribes and the Tulalip Tribes’ representative on the MRC, said the committee is volunteer driven, with 12 volunteer members and two tribal representatives. "Our members contributed over 1,400 hours in 2024 in a variety of projects from kelp monitoring to forage fish surveys," Como said.
Committee staff described funding sources that supported the MRC’s 2024 work as the Northwest Straits Commission, Snohomish County Surface Water Management utility charges, and Department of Natural Resources funding. The committee said it completed a strategic plan—supported by a Northwest Straits Commission grant—that identifies six focus teams for the MRC’s next five years: collaboration, conservation, advising, restoration, education and sustainability.
MRC staff highlighted ongoing monitoring of marine vegetation (bull kelp and eelgrass) and forage-fish surveys at county beaches, noting the program’s nearly decade-long monitoring record in areas such as Mukilteo and Hat Island and that the committee expanded outreach in 2024 to increase public awareness of marine vegetation values.
The committee also described recurring volunteer opportunities: quarterly beach cleanups organized in different parts of the county; seasonal forage-fish monitoring conducted in collaboration with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife; kayak-based marine vegetation monitoring; and an outreach event held in Edmonds in 2024. MRC members said a similar community event focused on Mukilteo marine vegetation is planned for September, with a final date to be confirmed.
Committee members thanked the MRC presenters and asked staff to share upcoming volunteer opportunities on the council calendar and via committee distribution lists.
Presenters at the April 15 meeting included Natasha Como (restoration ecologist, Tulalip Tribes; 2024 MRC chair), Julie Schleinger (current chair), Richard Strickland (MRC member), Elisa Dawson (Snohomish MRC staff) and Joycelyn Blue (Snohomish MRC staff).
