Coastal residents convene to promote marine protection and restoration

On the heels of two major coastal storms, representatives from the four coastal county Marine Resources Committees (MRCs) will gather next week for a three-day summit to discuss local marine issues, including coastal erosion and flooding. The 7th annual Coastal Marine Resources Committee Summit will include all four coastal county MRCs: Clallam and Jefferson (combined and named the North Pacific Coast), Grays Harbor, Pacific, and Wahkiakum. Each MRC is comprised of community members from their respective counties and represent a broad spectrum of interests to serve as a local advisory body on marine issues.

“Anyone and everyone is welcome to attend,” says Casey Dennehy, Washington Coast Program Manager with Surfrider Foundation. “We welcome all members of the public to come learn about the work the Marine Resources Committees are doing in their communities.”

The three-day summit runs from Thursday afternoon to Saturday mid-day at the Cranberry Museum (October 20-22). In addition to learning about current shoreline and ocean protection policies currently under development, such as the Shoreline Management Program and marine spatial planning, attendees will also hear about proposed watershed and salmon habitat restoration projects that will be included in the Washington Coast Restoration Initiative, and hear from scientists about the latest research on ocean acidification and coastal erosion. On Saturday, Sol Mertz from Wahkiakum County will chronicle the Rose Creek Retreat Project through geophotography.

For more information and to register, visit https://washington.surfrider.org/2016-coastal-marine-resources-committee-summit/.