Washington State Department of Natural Resources – Aquatic Reserves Program Puget SoundCorps Team
Presentation Abstract
Puget SoundCorps (PSC) members sponsored by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Aquatic Reserves Program perform baseline monitoring and education/outreach within the state’s seven DNR aquatic reserves. This PSC group, a Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) AmeriCorps Program, is funded by an agreement between the Washington State Department of Ecology (ECY) and the DNR Aquatic Reserves Program. The first PSC team was established in October 2012 to serve a one year term; the second team, hired in October 2013, continues projects initiated during the first year. The PSC works with a diverse group of organizations to support objectives of the seven Aquatic Reserve Management Plans. Collaborating with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), the PSC conducts monthly forage fish beach spawning surveys on state-owned aquatic land within each reserve. In addition, the PSC trains and supports members of the reserve’s Citizen Stewardship Committees (CSCs) in the same sampling protocol, enabling community involvement and supplementation of datasets utilized by DNR and WDFW. Working with DNR’s Nearshore Habitat Program, the PSC contributes quarterly data to SeagrassNet, a global seagrass monitoring program, at sites within five aquatic reserves. Other projects the PSC regularly participates in are Coastal Observations and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) surveys, marine debris removal, nearshore fish use assessment with the Nisqually Tribe, and trainings, outreach and educational projects. Additionally, the PSC has participated in eelgrass transplanting projects, shoreline assessments at Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve, clam surveys on McNeil Island, the WDFW Mussel Watch Pilot Expansion Project, pre-oil spill intertidal sediment collection, and creosote debris clean-up. The PSC will continue to seek out new projects and opportunities to expand the breadth of scientific knowledge in the aquatic reserves through research and community involvement.
Session Title
Session S-03D: Forage Fish Research and Protection in the Salish Sea
Conference Track
Species and Food Webs
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2014 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
Start Date
1-5-2014 5:00 PM
End Date
1-5-2014 6:30 PM
Location
Room 6C
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Names (LCNAF)
Washington (State). Aquatic Resources Program
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Puget Sound (Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Washington State Department of Natural Resources – Aquatic Reserves Program Puget SoundCorps Team
Room 6C
Puget SoundCorps (PSC) members sponsored by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Aquatic Reserves Program perform baseline monitoring and education/outreach within the state’s seven DNR aquatic reserves. This PSC group, a Washington Conservation Corps (WCC) AmeriCorps Program, is funded by an agreement between the Washington State Department of Ecology (ECY) and the DNR Aquatic Reserves Program. The first PSC team was established in October 2012 to serve a one year term; the second team, hired in October 2013, continues projects initiated during the first year. The PSC works with a diverse group of organizations to support objectives of the seven Aquatic Reserve Management Plans. Collaborating with the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW), the PSC conducts monthly forage fish beach spawning surveys on state-owned aquatic land within each reserve. In addition, the PSC trains and supports members of the reserve’s Citizen Stewardship Committees (CSCs) in the same sampling protocol, enabling community involvement and supplementation of datasets utilized by DNR and WDFW. Working with DNR’s Nearshore Habitat Program, the PSC contributes quarterly data to SeagrassNet, a global seagrass monitoring program, at sites within five aquatic reserves. Other projects the PSC regularly participates in are Coastal Observations and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) surveys, marine debris removal, nearshore fish use assessment with the Nisqually Tribe, and trainings, outreach and educational projects. Additionally, the PSC has participated in eelgrass transplanting projects, shoreline assessments at Cherry Point Aquatic Reserve, clam surveys on McNeil Island, the WDFW Mussel Watch Pilot Expansion Project, pre-oil spill intertidal sediment collection, and creosote debris clean-up. The PSC will continue to seek out new projects and opportunities to expand the breadth of scientific knowledge in the aquatic reserves through research and community involvement.
