Aquatic Reserves Program
The Aquatic Reserves Program is part of Department of Natural Resources (DNR) efforts to promote preservation, restoration, and enhancement of state-owned aquatic lands—sites that benefit the health of native aquatic habitat and species in the state.
DNR is to establish state Aquatic Reserves to protect important native ecosystems on state-owned aquatic lands throughout the state. These are to be aquatic lands of special educational or scientific interest, or lands of special environmental importance. By examining past successes in site-based conservation, DNR helps ensure that aquatic reserve status is applied when it is the most appropriate management tool.
DNR and its partners manage each reserve in a manner consistent with goals for the type of reserve established (ecological, scientific, or educational), described in a site-specific management plan, as guided by the Aquatic Reserve Non-Project Final Environmental Impact Statement and the Aquatic Reserves Program Implementation and Design Guidance.
Program Updates — January 2008
New Aquatic Reserves Designation Cycle — DNR recently solicited proposals for new aquatic reserves. The program received 8 letters-of-intent pre-proposals for sites throughout Puget Sound. Nominations were submitted by a wide range of entities, from individuals, to university professors, to non-profit organizations and government agencies. Nominations included proposals for environmental, scientific and educational reserves.
After internal review of the eight letters-of-intent, DNR staff recommended to the Commissioner that six of the eight sites proposed be solicited for submission of full proposals. Site proponents are now developing full proposals for submission to the Aquatic Reserves Program in late January.
Once full proposals are submitted, DNR will review the proposals to ensure they are complete and accurate, and begin the evaluation process. DNR will begin working with site proponents to organize public meetings on each proposed site, and begin soliciting for members to serve on the Technical Advisory Committee that will evaluate all proposals and make formal recommendations to DNR on which sites to seek full designation for.
Fidalgo Bay Aquatic Reserve
After two years of hard work, the Fidalgo Bay Aquatic Reserve plan is almost complete. During November of 2007 the Draft Fidalgo Bay Aquatic Reserve Management Plan was available for public review and comment through the SEPA process. DNR received numerous favorable comments, and is now in the process if finalizing the management plan and should have it completed and adopted by early February.
DNR continues to work with many partners on research, monitoring and restoration projects in Fidalgo Bay, including the City of Anacortes, the Samish Tribe, the Swinomish Tribe, the Skagit Marine Resources Committee, the Port of Anacortes, Tesoro Refinery, Shell Refinery and adjacent property owners.