WSG Advisory Committee Welcome by washington-sea-grant

Washington Sea Grant Advisory Committee Welcome February 25, 2022 Welcome Letter Advisory Committee Draft Agenda Advisory Committee Member Roster/Bios

Charter of the WSGP Advisory Committee Discussion Guidelines WSG Four-pager WSG By the Numbers Sea Star Strategic Plan DEI Roadmap Site Review Briefing Book Site Review Responses Staff List Important Links

Dear Washington Sea Grant Advisory Committee: I am looking forward to meeting with you on February 25 for the inaugural meeting of the newly reconstituted WSG Advisory Committee on February 25. We have prepared a “Welcome Packet” of background materials to help get everyone up to speed on who we are and what we do. Many of you are familiar with some aspects of our program but probably don’t have a good idea of the depth and breadth of our work. I don’t expect you to read all the materials in the welcome packet before our first meeting, but I suggest you use this information as a resource. The one document that will be critical to read before the meeting is the draft WSG Advisory Committee Charter. Astonishingly, we have had an Advisory Committee for many years with no governing charter. I’d like everyone to be ready for a discussion to discuss this at our first meeting to help set the groundwork for how we operate. If you do have time, I think it would be good to read through the list of your fellow Advisory Committee Members and get to know who they are. We have a fantastic lineup of committee members that represent a diverse set of views and experiences. If you have less familiarity with WSG, I’d suggest reading through the “Site Review Briefing Book .” This document we provided was prepared for our last review by our NOAA reviewers funders at NOAA during our last review. The introduction materials offer an excellent overview of WSG. Please do spend a little time before the meeting reviewing the agenda. Since this is our first meeting together, I want to spend concentrated time at the beginning for all of us to do a short introduction and ask you to share some information about yourself and your past interactions with WSG. We will also have some members of the WSG leadership team and other staff joining

us. They will also briefly introduce themselves. I’ll then walk us through a short WSG overview presentation before discussing the Advisory Committee Charter. I will end the meeting with a short discussion that I hope will set the stage for the next Advisory Committee meeting. In this agenda item, I’d like us to spend a little time “looking ahead” and thinking about a few strategic topics where we would appreciate your advice. As I told you when we discussed joining the committee, I want to use our time together on more significant strategic issues rather than more routine programmatic matters. So please be ready to suggest some future discussion topics that you believe WSG should be addressing. Here are a few examples of the strategic topics we might want to consider: What balance of work should we take on in Puget Sound and the coast? What should be WSG’s role in the conversations on offshore alternative energy? How should we grow or shape strategic efforts in fisheries, coastal resilience, or other areas? These are just a few ideas of possible topics we might consider, but I would appreciate your suggestions. I’m excited about the committee and thank you in advance for your willingness to provide strategic advice to Washington Sea Grant. Please let me know if you have any questions. Otherwise, I’ll look forward to meeting with you on February 25. Best,

Russell

Washington Sea Grant University of Washington 3716 Brooklyn Avenue NE Seattle, WA 98105-6716 206.543.6600 wsg.washington.edu

Washington Sea Grant Advisory Committee Draft Agenda February 25, 2022 10:00 a.m. – 12:30 a.m. PST (2.5 hours)

Join Zoom Meeting ID: 99928569478 10:00 a.m. �� Welcome and Introductions 10:45 a.m. �� Washington Sea Grant 101 11:15 a.m. �� Break 11:30 a.m. �� Washington Sea Grant Advisory Committee Charter – Discussion 12:00 p.m. �� Looking Ahead 12:30 p.m. �� Adjourn

Advisory Committee Member Roster/Bios Laurel Ballew

Chad Bowechop

Laural.ballew@wwu.edu

chad.bowechop@makah.com

American Indian/Alaska Native and First Nations Relations Executive Director and Tribal Liaison, Western Washington University

Treasurer, Makah Tribal Council

An enrolled member of the Swinomish Tribe, Ballew has lived on the Lummi reservation for over 46 years with her husband, Timothy Ballew Sr. She received a bachelor’s degree from Western Washington University and earned a master’s degree in Public Administration-Tribal Governance, from The Evergreen State College, and is studying for a doctorate in Indigenous Development and Advancement from Te Whare Wānanga o Awanuiārangi, in New Zealand. She is the Executive Director for American Indian/Alaska Native and First Nation Relations/ Tribal Liaison for WWU.

Dale Beasley

Councilman G. Chad Bowechop is the Treasurer of the Makah Tribal Council, the governing body of the Makah Tribe, located in Neah Bay, WA. Prior to his election in 2019, Councilman Bowechop served as an ocean policy advisor for the Makah Tribal Council and the manager of the Tribe’s Office of Marine Affairs. Chad has been involved in helping Washington create a safer marine environment by emphasizing oil spill prevention and enhancing marine domain awareness off the coast of Washington and within the waters of Puget Sound. The son of the late Makah Chairman George Bowechop, Chad learned first-hand from his father and grandfather the importance of the 1855 Treaty of Neah Bay. The Makah Tribal Council’s efforts in protecting the Washington Coast from oil spills reflect tribal dedication to protecting the rights that the Makah reserved in that treaty.

crabby@bakerbay.org

President, Coalition of Coastal Fisheries Columbia River Crab Fishermen’s Association Dale is the President of the Coalition of Coastal Fisheries and of the Columbia River Crab Fishermen’s Association. He is an active member of the Pacific County Marine Resources Committee, sits on the Advisory Committee for the Pacific County Shoreline Management Program, and is an advisory member to the WDFW Crab Advisory Group. Fishing was Dale’s livelihood for over forty-five years until he retired in 2010. He also was the Ilwaco Fire Department captain for thirty-six years. Now his passion is traveling with his family and representing his community’s local values. He does this by accepting positions like a Tristate Washington Representative, a member of the Water Protection Network, and a member of the Lower Columbia Solutions Group Technical Committee. Dale is an experienced commercial fisherman and one of the two fishing representatives on the WCMAC.

Laura Butler lbutler@agr.wa.gov

Director of Strategic Initiatives, Washington State Department of Agriculture Laura Butler joined WSDA in 2016 as a policy advisor to the Director and in 2018, was appointed as special assistant. In this capacity, she also filled the role of WSDA’s aquaculture coordinator. In July of 2021, Laura transitioned to full-time aquaculture coordination. Before working for WSDA, Laura was the legislative director for the Washington State Grange. Her background includes working in government affairs with a private lobbying firm in Washington State. Laura holds a Bachelor of Science from The Evergreen State College in Olympia. In her free time, Laura enjoys traveling with her family and outdoor adventures.

William Russell Callender

Mike Doherty

wrc4@uw.edu@uw.edu

Commissioner (retired), Clallam County

Director, Washington Sea Grant Russell Callender is the Director of Washington Sea Grant. He is an interdisciplinary coastal and marine scientist with deep expertise in national-level policy. His research experience spans deep-sea paleoecology, benthic ecology, contaminant monitoring, harmful algal bloom forecasting, and coral reef ecology. He has been lucky to have had a career that has included oceanographic research cruises in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean, over 150 hours in research submersibles, scientific diving, national-level policy leadership, and major conservation successes. In addition, he is an avid SCUBA diver and self-described “big fan of the shark,” having been in the water with 13 different shark species over 45 years of diving. Before coming to Washington Sea Grant, Russell has worked for the Oceanographer of the Navy, Virginia Sea Grant, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). His NOAA career took him from stafflevel support to executive leadership in two of NOAA’s major line offices: Oceanic and Atmospheric Research (OAR) and the National Ocean Service (NOS). He moved from leading one of NOAA’s coastal research labs to leading the entire National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science (NCCOS), a network of seven laboratories and centers spread over four states. Russell then served as the Deputy Assistant Administrator and then Assistant Administrator of the National Ocean Service. While leading the National Ocean Service, he oversaw an annual budget of $535 million dollars and had responsibility for over 1,700 staff located at more than 50 locations around the country. He came to Washington Sea Grant in 2018. Russell received a Ph.D. in geology at Texas A&M University in 1992. Prior to that, he received a master’s degree in geology from Stephen F. Austin State University and a bachelor’s degree in geology from Stephen F. Austin State University in Texas.

Doherty_mike@yahoo.com

Mike Doherty, a now-retired five-term Clallam County commissioner, represented the most northwestern county in the lower fortyeight states. Mike’s former commissioner district is bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the west, the Strait of Juan de Fuca on the north, the Olympic National Park on the south, and encompasses the tribal reservations of the Quileute, Makah, and Lower Elwha nations. A member of the Washington Association of Counties Coastal Caucus, he also served on the Washington State Oil Spill Advisory Committee and the Vessel Risk Traffic Assessment Steering Committee. In his retirement, Mike serves on the Clallam County Marine Resource Committee and the Olympic Coast Natural Marine Sanctuary Advisory Committee, in addition to Washington Sea Grant.

Kate Dean kdean@co.jefferson.wa.us

Commissioner, Jefferson County Kate Dean was elected to the Jefferson County Board of County Commissioners in 2017. Kate moved to rural Jefferson County 20 years ago as a young farmer and entrepreneur committed to growing the local food economy. After leaving the farm, Kate started a consulting firm with an eye to projects that leveraged public, private, and non-profit resources to find innovative solutions to complex rural issues. She coordinated the Jefferson Landworks Collaborative (a farmland preservation and enterprise development initiative), managed WSU Extension’s Small Farm Program, worked for WA Dept. of Labor & Industries, and was the Regional Director for the North Olympic Development Council, a council of governments tasked with community and economic development. Kate holds her Masters in Public Administration from the Evans School of Public Policy and Governance at the University of Washington. Her publications include USDA Farmland Changing Hands and Preparing for Climate Change on the North Olympic Peninsula and Small Towns.

Megan Dethier

Ed Johnstone

mdethier@uw.edu

edward.johnstone@quinault. org

Director of Friday Harbor Labs University of Washington Dr. Megan N. Dethier is a Research Professor in the Biology Department at the University of Washington but works full-time at the College’s Friday Harbor Laboratories on San Juan Island, where she is the Director. She received her undergraduate from Carleton College in Minnesota and her Ph.D. at the University of Washington. Since 1978, she has worked on shoreline ecology of the Pacific Northwest. Her first love is rocky shores, having spent childhood summers on the coast of Maine, but she now also works in mud, gravel, and salt marsh habitats. She designed a marine habitat classification system for Washington state and has worked with the National Park Service and various Washington agencies designing shoreline mapping and monitoring programs. Her current research efforts are mostly focused on Puget Sound, investigating the linkage between physical features of shoreline habitats and their biota and the effects of human impacts (such as shoreline armoring) on this linkage. She greatly enjoys teaching marine biology to undergraduate students, which she has done at the Friday Harbor Labs for over 30 years, but also at marine labs elsewhere, including Maine and Australia.

Deb Granger admin@whatcomworkingwaterfront.org

Program Manager, Working Waterfront Coalition of Whatcom County A founding member of the Coalition and its current part-time Program Manager, Deb Granger, brings many years of experience in the seafood/fishing sector and in workforce development programs in the maritime sector. In addition to working as a high school educator (Career Counselor and more), Deb recently managed a 12-state aquaculture research consortium at the Univ of Washington, funded by USDA. As the founder of Bellingham SeaFeast, a successful celebration of our maritime sector, Deb loves commercial fishing on the Reefnet Boats off of Lummi Island and sharing her love of all things water with friends and family.

Fisheries Policy Spokesperson, Quinault Indian Nation Ed Johnstone is Fisheries Policy Spokesperson for the Quinault Indian Nation in Taholah, Washington. He was recently named head of the NW Indian Fisheries Commission. Ed is also associated with Grays Harbor College and Central Washington State College and is known as a champion of change on the issue of climate change. He was recognized for his work on climate change by President Obama and participated in the 2014 First Stewards Symposium: Uniting Indigenous Voices on Climate Change at the National Museum of American Indian, Washington DC.

Brian Lynn blyn461@ecy.wa.gov

Manager, Coastal and Shorelands Section, WA Department of Ecology Brian Lynn manages the Coastal/Shorelands Section of the Shorelands and Environmental Assistance Program at the Washington State Department of Ecology. He leads a group of staff who provide policy assistance, regulatory and planning oversight, scientific support, and financial assistance to communities. His team leads and supports shoreline, floodplain, coastal, and ocean management for the State of Washington. He serves as the State’s Coastal Program Manager, and has held terms as both chair of the Coastal States Organization and President of the Coastal States Stewardship Foundation. He currently lives in Olympia with his wife Valerie, and has been fortunate to live his entire life near the shores of Puget Sound.

Michelle Ma

John Stein

mcma@uw.edu

jesdonn@gmail.com

Associate Director of UW News, University of Washington

NOAA-NWFSC (retired), Panel Chair, Puget Sound Partnership, Science Panel

Michelle Ma is the Associate Director and a science writer at UW News, the University of Washington’s media relations office. Michelle helps explain and promote research within the College of the Environment, directs multimedia and social media efforts at UW News and serves on the university’s crisis communications team. Before the UW, Michelle was a reporter and web producer at newspapers, including The Seattle Times, The Oregonian, Minneapolis Star-Tribune, and Crescent City Daily Triplicate. She is a member of the National Association of Science Writers and the Northwest Science Writers Association.

John Stein currently serves as the Chair of the Puget Sound Partnerships Science Panel and is the Chair of the Skagit Watershed Council Board of Directors. Previously he was Science and Research Director of NOAA Fisheries’ Northwest Fisheries Science Center in Seattle, WA. The Center’s scientific responsibilities are for living marine resources (e.g., salmon, groundfish, and killer whales) and their habitats. Previously, John was an affiliate faculty member in the University of Washington’s School of Aquatic and Fisheries Sciences, and active in PICES (North Pacific Marine Science Organization) a multinational organization of Pacific Rim countries, and in his last position was Vice-Chair of Governing Council. At NOAA, in addition to his duties as Science Center Director, he co-directed NOAA Fisheries California Current Integrated Ecosystem Assessment with the Director of the SW Fisheries Science and was the federal co-lead for Marine Planning on the west coast under the National Ocean Policy.

Erin Meyer e.meyer@seattleaquarium.org

Director of Conservation Programs & Partnerships, Seattle Aquarium Dr. Erin Meyer is the Director of Conservation Programs and Partnerships at the Seattle Aquarium, where she oversees a diverse portfolio of research, field conservation, ocean policy and advocacy, and species recovery programs in the U.S., Hawai’i, and Coral Triangle. She has nearly 20 years of experience in conservation science, practice, and policy. She is a skilled leader who has led large, collaborative teams across a variety of disciplines, bringing together Indigenous peoples, fishers, farmers, scientists, NGOs, and government agencies in pursuit of healthy, productive ecosystems. Erin serves on the WWU’s Salish Sea Institute Advisory Board and Aquarium Conservation Partnership’s Executive Committee. A passionate educator and mentor, Erin earned her Ph.D. in marine conservation from the University of California Berkeley and holds a B.S. in biological oceanography and a B.S. in applied ecology, both from Rutgers University. As a Seattle native, Erin grew up fishing on Puget Sound, hiking in the North Cascades, and swimming in any body of water she could.

Maya Tolstoy mt290@uw.edu

Director, College of the Environment, ex officio member Maya Tolstoy is a marine geophysicist specializing in seafloor earthquakes and volcanoes and the Maggie Walker Dean of the University of Washington College of the Environment. Over her more than 30-year career as a researcher, professor, and administrator, Tolstoy has dedicated herself to furthering our understanding of the fundamental processes of our planet and advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion in academia. Before joining the UW, Tolstoy was a professor at Columbia University’s Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences at Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory and previously served as the interim executive vice president and dean of the faculty of Arts and Sciences at Columbia.

Tolstoy has led 18 research expeditions at sea as chief or co-chief scientist and has 66 peer-reviewed scientific publications, including 10 in the journals Science or Nature. She also has led or co-led over $22 million worth of federally funded research. The recipient of the Wings Worldquest Sea Award honoring women in exploration, Tolstoy also was a finalist for NASA’s 2009 Astronaut selection. She recently completed a six-year term on the National Academy Committee on Solid Earth Geophysics and was honored by the American Geophysical Union as the Birch Lecturer in 2016. Born in New York and raised in Scotland, Tolstoy earned her bachelor’s degree in geophysics from the University of Edinburgh and her doctorate from Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego. Tolstoy’s interest in marine seismology was ignited during an undergraduate internship, which included the opportunity to sail on a research vessel, an experience that propelled her career as a scientist, teacher, and academic leader.

Dan Tonnes dan.tonnes@noaa.gov

Washington and Oregon Regional Aquaculture Coordinator, NOAA Dan Tonnes is the Washington and Oregon Aquaculture Coordinator for the West Coast Region of NOAA Fisheries. Dan has over 20 years of federal experience. Before becoming an Aquaculture Coordinator, he served as a Recovery Coordinator for rockfish listed under the Endangered Species Act, working on recovery planning, critical habitat designation, research, and habitat restoration initiatives. He has an extensive background in the federal ESA regulatory program, including Section 7 and 10 activities. He also serves as the West Coast Region liaison to the University of Washington. Prior to joining NOAA, he operated fishing boats in Puget Sound and Alaska and passenger ferries and oil spill response vessels in Washington. He received a B.S in Environmental Planning from Seattle Pacific University and a Master of Marine Affairs degree from the University of Washington. Dan is a Kinship Conservation Fellow.

Kevin Werner kevin.werner@noaa.gov

Director, Northwest Fisheries Science Center Kevin has extensive experience working to connect science to application in water resources and climate in the western United States as well as policy and organizational development in the public sector. Most recently, Kevin led the creation of the National Weather Service (NWS) Office of Organizational Excellence (OOE). That new NWS office brought strategic thinking, enabling change, challenging the status quo, and creating connections with and for the NWS. Prior to that, Kevin’s work has ranged from water and climate forecasting and application to climate data and assessment work and its role in decision making. Kevin has successfully connected science and scientists in these areas to application and decision-makers. Kevin has worked in various parts of NOAA, including the NWS, the Satellite and Information Service (NESDIS), and the NOAA commissioned officer corps. Kevin also has experience infusing new science and technology into river forecast operational procedures and methodologies. Kevin holds degrees in atmospheric science, mathematics, public administration, and political science from the Universities of Washington and Utah. Kevin has also been active in his communities, most recently serving on the library board in Salt Lake City.

Charter of the Washington Sea Grant (WSG) Program Advisory Committee Purpose

Member Term Lengths and Limits

The purpose of the WSG Program Advisory Committee is to provide strategic advice to WSG, primarily through the WSG Director, but also engaging with staff, to enhance the capacity, relevance and effectiveness of WSG by:

To allow for input of fresh ideas and viewpoints over time, while also maintaining a degree of continuity in understanding on-going Committee activities and coastal issues, members will serve staggered four (4) year terms. Committee members initially appointed under this charter shall, after consultation with the Chair and WSG Director, serve for two, three or four (2, 3 or 4) more years in order to establish the staggered terms. Members can be appointed to one (1) additional 4- year term but cannot serve more than two (2) successive terms.

• Shaping the future programmatic direction of WSG. • Identifying programmatic opportunities and strategic partnerships. • Interacting with key community and policy leadership to increase awareness of WSG. (Discussion question for Advisory Committee Members - What do you think about adding a statement about reciprocity - what YOU would like to gain from participating on this committee?)

Membership The Committee shall consist of no more than 15 members reflecting the diversity of Washington’s coastal regions, culture and demographics and shall draw from a broad range of coastal interests: resource managers; tribes; federal, state and local governments; business and maritime interests; nonprofits; community groups; researchers; educators and others with interests and/or responsibilities related to coastal resource use, development or conservation. The WSG Director and the Dean of the College of the Environment at the University of Washington shall serve as non-voting members. (Discussion question for Advisory Committee Members - Do we want to include students, fellows or other early career professionals on the committee?)

Appointment of Members Members will be appointed by the WSG Director, after consultation with and approval given by the Committee Chair. Appointments may be made at any time. The identification of prospective new members of the Committee will be sought from WSG, the Committee and other interested groups, as appropriate.

Meetings and Operating Principles 1. The Committee shall meet at least twice a year, typically in spring and fall of the calendar year. 2. Committee meetings may be conducted in person and virtually, via electronic means. 3. A quorum of at least half the membership of the Committee shall be present for meetings (in-person or virtual) for formal meetings of the Committee to take place. For any formal endorsements regarding recommendations made to Washington Sea Grant, approval by at least 60 percent of the membership will be required. At the discretion of the Chair, votes by the membership can be sought, submitted and accepted via remote (electronic or postal) means. 4. Generally, as this committee is an advisory body, formal votes will not be necessary. However, as practicable and needed, endorsements or any decisions shall be conducted in a consensus-based approach. 5. Committee members are expected to attend Committee meetings, whether face-to-face or virtual (electronic) meetings. Should a member be unable to participate in WSG activities for a period of a year or more, please contact the Director and we can discuss accommodations or recommend a replacement. 6. Representation of Committee members by proxy is allowed. A member is expected to inform the Chair or the Director, in advance, of his/her/their inability to attend a forthcoming meeting, and whether a proxy will be in attendance. If a proxy is to be sent, the excused member must notify the Director or Chair of the proxy’s name, role and contact information before the meeting. (Discussion question for Advisory Committee Members: WSG often uses Discussion Guidelines that will be shared with you. Do we want to adopt/modify those as part of this Charter and/or develop an Advisory Committee code of conduct?)

Maintenance and Posting of Membership Roster

Responsibilities of the WSG Director

A current roster of Committee members will be kept upto-date and posted on the WSG website.

The Director will serve as the WSG Advisory Committee Chair. In this role, the Director will:

Conflicts of Interest The Committee membership is selected based in large part on their knowledge of communities/interest groups, science, and policies that are relevant to Washington. It is important to find the right balance between helping WSG set strategic direction, providing a forum that is professionally rewarding to the Committee members, and avoiding undue influence in WSG fiscal decisions. Members shall not use their position on the Committee to benefit personally and/or financially, or to create opportunities that may lead to such benefits. Members can be involved in WSG programs, including research projects and other grant awards, but shall not make any efforts to influence the WSG award decision-making process, and shall recuse themselves from any Committee discussions and reviews of proposals for such awards. In thinking about conflicts of interest, the Committee is urged to support the WSG values outlined in the WSG DEI Roadmap.

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Work in close coordination with Advisory Committee members and supported by WSG staff, develop meeting agendas; preside at Committee meetings; develop, sign and transmit any Committee correspondence; and approve membership appointments. Develop meeting notes that summarize, in brief, Committee meeting discussions, presentations, and endorsements and distribute these notes to all Committee members within two weeks following each meeting.

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Make an annual “State of the Program” presentation to the Committee, to be given at the Fall Committee meeting.

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(Discussion question for Advisory Committee Members: Should we have an Advisory Committee member that serves as a Co-Chair and works with the WSG Director on some of these tasks?)

Changes to this charter can be made via the following process: •

Committee discussion and consensus agreement on proposed charter change at a Committee meeting.

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Formal charter change proposal communicated to the Committee no less than 30 days before a Committee meeting followed by consensus agreement.

Effective Date:

Discussion Guidelines We want to create an atmosphere for respectful, open and honest exchange at Washington Sea Grant. Proposed guidelines

When Responding/Reacting

• Assume positive intent.

• Listen (try to understand the impact)

• Our primary commitment is to learn from each other. We value active listening and multi-directional learning. We acknowledge differences amongst us in backgrounds, skills, interests, and values. We realize that it is these very differences that will increase our awareness and understanding through this process.

• Set your intentions aside

• We will not demean, devalue, or “put down” people for their experiences, lack of experiences, or difference in interpretation of those experiences.

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Do not tone police.Set your intentions aside

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When you start to feel defensive, stop and ask yourself why.

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Ask yourself: Am I trying to be right, or am I trying to do better?

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Do not tone police.

• We each strive to do the best we can, and we will trust that people are always doing the best they can. We will also be aware that even our best intentions may have negative impacts and we will all make mistakes. Taking responsibility for our actions and listening to others is the best way to continue learning. • Challenge the idea and not the person. If we wish to challenge something that has been said, we will challenge the idea or the practice referred to, not the individual sharing this idea or practice. • Speak your discomfort. If something is bothering you, please share this with the group. Often our emotional reactions to this process offer the most valuable learning opportunities. • Step Up, Step Back. Be mindful of taking up much more space than others. On the same note, empower yourself to speak up when others are dominating the conversation. • •

• When you start to feel defensive, stop and ask yourself why. • Ask yourself: Am I trying to be right, or am I trying to do better?

Washington Sea Grant W

ashington State is a coastal society, with almost 70 percent of its seven million residents living within its 15 coastal counties. The Pacific Northwest’s vibrant and diverse marine ecosystems and resources have been foundational to human sustenance, livelihood and culture since people have been here, and remain so today. For example, the state’s maritime sector—including commercial fishing and shellfish aquaculture —is an economic engine that directly employs nearly 69,500 people and directly and indirectly contributes $30 billion in economic activity. This means that the challenges that affect Washington’s shores and waters affect the entire state. From sea level rise to ocean acidification and habitat degradation, these challenges are many. Washington Sea Grant (WSG) helps to address these challenges so that the state’s coastal residents can continue to thrive. Based at the University of Washington’s College of the Environment, WSG is part of a national network of 33 Sea Grant institutions located in U.S. coastal and Great Lakes states and territories. The National Sea Grant College Program is administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and funded through federal–university partnerships.

Clockwise: Lime Kiln Lighthouse on San Juan Island; digging for razor clams; a shellfish grower harvests oysters; the Elwha River

WSG funds important marine research and works with communities, managers, businesses and the public to strengthen understanding and sustainable use of the region’s ocean and coastal resources. WSG-supported researchers are at the scientific forefront of vital topics—from the impacts of stormwater on salmon to how communities could be affected by tsunamis. Such research remains an academic enterprise if its findings are not communicated for use by stakeholders such as marine industry, natural resource managers and the public. WSG’s wide-ranging outreach services work to bridge this knowledge gap, develop practical tools for management and guide equitable access throughout Washington’s diverse communities and economies to our shared marine resources and opportunities. WSG’s educational programs help ensure that Washington’s legacy of important marine work will continue through the next generation.

How We Work WSG organizes its activities around three core functions: research, outreach and education. WSG’s communications work is woven through each of these areas as well. The integration of these functions is key to carrying out WSG’s mission. ◆◆

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Outreach experts provide technical assistance and connect marine and coastal constituents to the best scientific information available. WSG specialists work in a broad range of topic areas, including aquaculture, fisheries, water quality, habitat restoration, coastal development, marine operational safety, oil spill prevention, and hazard resilience.

Education Research sponsored Communications by WSG focuses on Management ◆◆ Education activities engage learners of all ages to enhance issues and opportunities 7% 11% understanding and stewardship of marine resources and faced by ocean Outreach provide professional development opportunities that nurture users and 9% ocean-related careers. WSG supports informal educational managers in 30% programs for K–12 students and presents undergraduate and Washington and graduate students, as well as recent graduates, with fellowship the Pacific Northwest. Research programs that expand horizons and enhance future careers. In a highly competitive selection process, top 43% Communications is important to each of the three core functional priority goes to projects areas described above in order to maintain the program’s comthat build regional scientific mitment to being a public resource for unbiased, science-based capacity and provide knowledge WSG funding by core function information. Using a variety of platforms, such as websites, for use in the marine and coastal social media and publications, WSG works to translate technical environment. From understanding how ocean change will and scientific findings into useful information for a broad set of affect vulnerable species to developing new ventures within constituents. the aquaculture industry, WSG supports a mix of basic and applied research.

Clockwise: The San Juan Islands; WSG Crab Team in the field; three species of albatross; a school of salmon

Our Priorities Through national and local strategic planning processes, WSG identified four critical program areas. These program areas respond to issues of major importance to WSG constituents and partners, including NOAA, the National Sea Grant Office, research scientists and WSG stakeholders and partners throughout the Pacific Northwest. ◆◆

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Healthy Coastal Ecosystems Washington is located in one of the world’s most productive marine regions, home to iconic species such as southern resident killer whales and Chinook salmon. However, these ecosystems face numerous obstacles, including warming waters, pollution, a history of overharvesting commercially valuable species, and lost or degraded habitat. WSG seeks to understand ocean environments and stressors and to advance ecosystem-based approaches to manage, protect and restore natural resources. Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture From tribal fishermen to commercial oyster farmers, seafood harvesting is a vital part of Pacific Northwest culture and commerce. However, local seafood industries are

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Washington Sea Grant experts provide scientific and technical assistance to resolve complex marine issues with focus on win-win solutions. By leveraging support, WSG brings academic, government, tribal, industry, and citizen scientists together to conserve and support coastal ecosystems.

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Northwest Yachting Magazine

confronted with difficult issues such as diminishing stocks, complex regulations and the inherent dangers of commercial fishing. WSG facilitates sustainable use of living marine resources through science-based management and environmentally and economically responsible approaches. ◆◆

Resilient Communities and Economies Washington’s coastal communities must be prepared for a wide range of risks that threaten lives and livelihoods, including coastal development, oil spills, flooding, landslides and tsunamis. WSG builds capacity for coastal communities to become economically vibrant, environmentally healthy, and resilient to hazards and climate change.

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Ocean Literacy and Workforce Development Despite strong physical and cultural ties to the coast, most Washington residents know little about the sea and its vulnerabilities. Ocean literacy is critical for citizens to understand their own impacts, for the passage of policies that promote healthy oceans, and for supporting Washington’s ocean economy, which relies on a well-trained and wellinformed workforce. WSG educates students of all ages and strengthens the maritime sector.

Left: A marine sunset at Fishermen’s terminal in Seattle; Right: Students learning in the field

Cross-cutting Principles Vital Partnerships

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion

Partnerships are key to everything WSG does. WSG cultivates partnerships by integrating the expertise and capabilities of partners from federal, tribal, state and local agencies from academia, nongovernmental organizations and industry.

WSG seeks and welcomes diverse perspectives and strives to provide leadership, equitable access and opportunities for the diverse communities and cultures found throughout Washington.

WSG partners include: ◆◆

State agencies such as Washington State Parks, which WSG works with to manage and conduct the Pumpout Washington campaign to encourage boaters to pump, not dump, their sewage.

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Tribes such as the Squaxin Island Tribe, whom WSG teamed up with to conduct social science research that explores the risks of ocean acidification to the Tribe’s health and wellbeing.

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Marine industry organizations such as the Northwest Marine Trade Association, which WSG works with to provide marina and boat dealers data on in-state boat sales.

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Volunteers such as the ones who participate in WSG’s SoundToxins program and Crab Team. SoundToxins is relied upon by public health and fisheries managers to provide warnings of harmful algal blooms. Crab Team is an early detection and monitoring program to understand the spread of invasive European green crab and how local ecosystems could be affected.

W SG LEAD ER SHI P Russell Callender, Director wrc4@uw.edu Paul Dye, Assistant Director for Outreach pbdye16@uw.edu Kate Litle, Assistant Director for Programs kalitle@uw.edu MaryAnn Wagner, Assistant Director for Communications maryannb@uw.edu Katy Curtis, Administrator katy123@uw.edu

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I’ve been partnering with Washington Sea Grant for over eight years, working directly with almost 1,000 independent fishermen families from coastal communities around the state, from Whatcom to Pacific counties. Through this work, Washington Sea Grant helps to ensure economic viability and cultural dynamism in some of Washington’s most underserved communities.

”

Peter Phillips, Owner and Publisher, Fishermen’s News

www.wsg.washington.edu 206.543.6600

College of the Environment University of Washington 3716 Brooklyn Avenue NE Seattle, WA 98105-6716 seagrant@uw.edu wsg.washington.edu 206.543.6600

Students in a WSG sea safety class practice using survival suits

WSG-PM 19-04; 2/19

Washington Sea Grant By the Numbers* One of 34 Sea Grant programs across the nation funded through NOAA, Washington Sea Grant helps people and marine life thrive by providing research, technical expertise and education supporting the responsible use and conservation of ocean and coastal ecosystems.

Nearly $55 million in economic benefits and services More than 430 jobs created or sustained More than 480,000 coastal residents, boaters, fishermen, shellfish growers, small business owners, natural resource managers, coastal planners and K–12 students reached More than 80,000 volunteer hours valued at

$2.6 million

194 undergraduate and graduate students and fellows supported

157 communities implemented sustainable development practices and policies

“Thank you again for providing us the basis for current and future waterfront planning for coastal resiliency, this has helped set us on a trajectory as a city taking the topic (of sea level rise) seriously.”

Marty Stump, Deputy Director, Planning & Development, Metro Parks Tacoma, Tacoma, Washington

Washington Sea Grant research and outreach milestones PROTECTING LIVES AND PROPERTY ♦

15 lives saved attributed to lessons learned through

RESPONDING TO ENVIRONMENTAL CHALLENGES ♦

A Sea Level Rise Report shared localized sea level rise projections for 171 locations in Washington. In workshops around Puget Sound, over 70 percent of attendees reported using the projections in planning and policymaking

♦

Over 40 million gallons of sewage diverted to shoreside pumpout stations by boaters

Safety at Sea training workshops ♦

$1.7 million saved annually in reduced gear losses and boat pairs thanks to WSG-facilitated voluntary towboat lanes

♦

746 fishermen trained in marine safety, rescue, first aid, weather and marine technology

SUPPORTING SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE ♦

More than 170,000 albatrosses and other seabirds saved since streamer lines were adopted in Alaska’s $300 million longline fisheries

♦

Washington’s shellfish industry leads the U.S. in annual farmed bivalve sales of $150 million, which directly benefits from WSG research and technical assistance. When 95 percent of shellfish died on some farms, SoundToxins data identified shellfish-killing algal species concurrent with the mortalities, leading to further investigation of these species as a possible cause

♦

Over 125 guests, including representatives from 13 Pacific Northwest tribal nations, gathered in Oahu in 2020 for a cross-Pacific regional collaborative effort led by WSG to advance sustainable Indigenous Aquaculture practices, including traditional fish ponds and clam gardens

BUILDING COASTAL BUSINESSES AND SUSTAINING JOBS ♦

More than $5.3 million in funding secured with WSG assistance for pumpout services and marina operations and maintenance

♦

Sablefish aquaculture research produced over 8,000 market-size fish weighing more than 40,000 pounds and valued at $150,000 as an initial step to introducing sablefish aquaculture into the $17 million international sablefish export market

EDUCATING FUTURE OCEAN LEADERS ♦

More than 22,000 K–12 students engaged in beach walks, school events, festivals and informal education programs

♦

194 university students and fellows supported through research grants and five fellowship programs

*Numbers are for 2017–2020 unless otherwise specified

FOR MORE INFORMATION Washington Sea Grant College of the Environment University of Washington 3716 Brooklyn Ave. N.E Seattle, WA 98105-6716 206.543.6600 seagrant@uw.edu wsg.washington.edu WSG-AS 21-03

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Director’s Note Transition to more inperson work. Page 2

Logging Change Reconstructing historical fish populations. Page 2

50 Years of WSG Reflections from longtime staff. Page 6

Seafarer Collective Diversifying the maritime workforce. Page 8

Oyster Cams Using GoPros to track life beneath the surface. Page 10

SOWING (CLAM) SEED FOR THE INDIGENOUS AQUACULTURE LEADERS OF TOMORROW How the Cross-Pacific Regional Collaborative Hub for Indigenous Aquaculture fosters student participation, research and communications

n an early morning at Kapapapuhi Point Park, one of the few public access points to Pu‘uloa (Pearl Harbor) in O‘ahu, Amanda Millin stands knee deep in mud with chainsaw in hand, preparing to remove an invasive mangrove tree with her crew. This is a typical day for Millin since she began working as food sustainability project manager for the Mālama Pu‘uloa project, which includes uncovering loko i‘a (traditional Hawaiian fishponds), watershed management, water and soil quality improvement, and planting native plants. How she landed in this new role can be traced directly to when, as a student, she was invited to attend the first summit gathering of the Cross-Pacific Regional Collaborative Hub for Indigenous Aquaculture held on O‘ahu, February 2020.

The Collaborative, coordinated by Washington Sea Grant (WSG), is catalyzing a network of stewards, knowledge holders, researchers and students working to advance sustainable Indigenous aquaculture practices and enhance seafood production in the Pacific region. Sea Grant programs in Hawai‘i, Alaska and Washington have nurtured partnerships to build this regional network. Fostering leadership among young scholars — by providing training, topical coursework, fellowships, and opportunities to network with Indigenous groups — is one of the Collaborative’s key goals. Indigenous Aquaculture • continued on page 4 Above: participant of the CrossPacific Regional Collaborative Hub’s first gathering in O‘ahu performs a ceremony prior to hands-on work at the He’eia fishpond. Left: Lummi students carrying a canoe. Photo: courtesy of Marco Hatch

hew, what a

LOGGING CHANGE IN PUGET SOUND:

ride this has been! We at

Washington Sea Grant (WSG) have been doing our best to stay productive and to continue being a useful resource to the people of Washington. Over the last few months we have been transitioning to more in-person work. Even as we navigate our continued health and safety precautions, it has been a joy to once again see old coworkers and meet newer ones for the first time. Looking back over the past couple of years, I was super impressed by how quickly we moved to a virtual work environment when the pandemic started. I have also been impressed by how the entire WSG team found creative ways to continue our mission despite the challenges. Some of the WSG team and their cadre of Crab Team and SoundToxins volunteers have been safely doing in-person work for basically the entire pandemic — my hat is off to them! We also figured out ways to continue supporting the shellfish industry, help communities with food security challenges, and work with partners to help shellfish growers and fishermen find alternative markets. Staff who were planning events came up with innovative substitutes to holding them in-person, from the activities delivered to the inboxes of NOAA Science Camp participants to our interactive virtual 50th anniversary celebration. One of the brighter sides of the pandemic is that we grew stronger as a team. I was taken by how WSG staff found the mental and physical energy to support each other when they were struggling. The team also figured out ways to build relationships and trust with several new staff members that we hired during the pandemic. The level of passion and commitment of the entire organization in continuing to serve Washington in these uncertain times was inspiring. We never really left — but it’s good to be back!

W. Russell Callender, Washington Sea Grant Director

Washington Sea Grant

Researchers used UW vessel logbooks to reconstruct historical groundfish populations

o understand how Puget Sound has changed, we first must understand how it used to be. Unlike most major estuaries in the U.S. — and despite the abundance of world-class oceanographic institutions in the area — long-term monitoring of Puget Sound fish populations did not exist until 1990. Filling in this missing information is essential to establishing a baseline that would provide context for the current status of the marine ecosystem and could guide policymakers in setting more realistic ecosystem-based management recovery targets. Researchers from the University of Washington School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences, UW Puget Sound Institute, NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center and Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife have discovered an unconventional way to help fill in these gaps in data: using old vessel logbooks. The crews of the University of Washington’s then School of Fisheries’ research vessels R/V Oncorhynchus (1947 to 1955) and R/V Commando (1955 to 1980), both of which were skippered by Tom Oswold, took notes on all of the fish tows conducted under their watch. With funding from Washington Sea Grant, the researchers combed through more than 1,000 of these logbook entries to analyze the information regarding the groundfish species caught in each tow, including when and where the fish were caught. Then, the researchers analyzed historical logbook data from 1948 to 1977 and contemporary monitoring data to reveal longer-term trends in the local groundfish populations. The research was published in Marine Ecology Progress Series. Although there were changes throughout the periods analyzed, the researchers did not find that groundfish populations today in Puget Sound look fundamentally different from the historical populations. “We see the same types of fluctuations in the historical data as in the contemporary data,” says Tim Essington, professor at the School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences and the study’s lead author. “This suggests that boom and bust populations are natural, and speaks to the importance of having a long time view to establishing a baseline.” However, some trends did stand out, Essington explained. For example, Pacific cod used to be very common but is rare today, and the abundance of Pacific spiny dogfish has decreased. The fact that the researchers were able to fill in any of the historical gaps was really a matter of luck: the right people had maintained the research vessels at the right time. “They were remarkable, the records,” Essington says. “They not only noted the species and size, but also detailed descriptions of the locations. It was amazing what we could reconstruct.” Bob Hitz was a graduate student at the School of Fisheries from 1957 to 1960, during which he ventured out on the Commando along with Oswold and his advisor, Allan DeLacy, to collect data for his research on Puget Sound rockfish. He remembers once being chastised for filling out the logbook incorrectly.

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“I had misspelled one of the scientific names — that was the only time I remember that DeLacy got mad at me,” Hitz says. “He said that the logbooks had to be correct.” This level of precision made Essington’s work possible decades later. For Hitz, the logbooks also became a rich repository of memories. “When I was going through the logs of the Commando, I found an entry that I had written on May 3, 1960,” he wrote in a 2015 blog post. “It was for trip #6017 and it brought back a wave of memories, since that was my first encounter with the open waters of the Pacific Ocean. At the time I was being considered for a job with the Exploratory group which worked the outside waters from Mexico to the Bering Sea. The first thing that came to my mind was, would I become seasick once I was outside? If so, would three years of graduate school be wasted? There was no class about seasickness given at the [School of Fisheries], but there was talk.” Although the researchers analyzed logbooks up until 1977, Essington explained that they became considerably less useful after 1973. As Hitz recalls, this was around the time the school began to place more emphasis on chartering the Commando for outside research, rather than using it for students’ education and research. “I assume the logbooks became less important when the boat was being chartered,” Hitz says. Essington described the project methods as “half detective work and half computer work.” The detective work involved the researchers carefully perusing the old logbooks while wearing N-95 masks to protect themselves from the mildew and dust (prior to COVID-19). The computer work involved analyzing how the catch rates of 15 groundfish species differed between the historical and contemporary datasets, to understand how the general groundfish populations differed between the two periods.

The years between the two datasets — the bulk of the 1970s and 80s — also happened to coincide with extensive environmental change in Puget Sound, including the implementation of regulations to address pollution and protect endangered species. A few changes particularly impacted groundfish: For example, the 1974 Boldt decision resulted in increased non-tribal recreational groundfish fishing. Subsequently, the introduction of bag limits, marine protected areas and speciestake prohibitions in the late 1980s and early 1990s reduced the intensity of recreational groundfish fishing. in June 2020, groundfish were added as a food web indicator species for the Puget Sound Partnership’s Puget Sound Vital Signs, which has guided policy since 2010. This research could help shed light on how to evaluate this vital sign, the authors say.

A page from one of the logbooks on the R/V Commando. Photo: Bob Hitz

For Hitz, the logbooks also became a rich repository of memories.

“It might be better to think about baselines in the dynamic sense,” Essington says. “To focus on acceptable ranges of fluctuation, rather than a precise number.”

Given that the details within the logbooks petered out, and then stopped altogether once the Commando was retired, the researchers were forced to leave out an important period in their analysis. “There was a 17-year gap between the captain’s books and current monitoring, and no amount of scrappiness could fill this in,” Essington says.

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Indigenous Aquaculture • continued from page 1

Millin was working on her Masters of Advanced Studies in Marine Biodiversity and Conservation at Scripps Institution of Oceanography when she was invited to help plan and participate in the Collaborative’s first gathering. At the time, she was unsure how an Indigenous aquaculture gathering with over 125 participants representing dozens of Indigenous groups from across the Pacific would work. But within the first day, she saw similarities among their aquaculture systems and how intertwined each one is within their unique places, ecosystems and cultures. The gathering inspired Millin to change the direction of her capstone project to Indigenous aquaculture and, ultimately, altered the course of her career. Millin’s story is just one of many instances in which students at various career stages have engaged in place-based learning through the Collaborative. These experiences have included: site visits and hands-on work restoring ancient clam gardens and fishponds; producing videos; publishing papers; and learning about place-based research. Each experience provides early career STEM leaders with fresh perspectives on marine science, restoration and Indigenous knowledge — and how they might approach educating their communities for the next generation. Read on to learn about a few more highlights of how working with students have been central to the Collaborative so far, and what is yet to come.

Engaging Indigenous Scholars The first summit gathering was held at the Kāko‘o ‘Ōiwi farm and He’eia fishpond on O‘ahu and organized by the Hui Mālama Loko I‘a network and Kua ‘aina Ulu ‘Auamo. Funding came in part from NOAA Sea Grant through the Hawai‘i, Alaska and Washington Sea Grant programs, which also participated in the gathering. The gathering served as an epicenter for sharing knowledge and was ideal for informal workshops, conversations over meals, and hands-on efforts, such as rebuilding a 120-foot kuapā (seawall) at He’eia fishpond with bare hands and teamwork. Four students from the Northwest Indian College also attended: Alisha Jefferson (Lummi), Roberta Hall (Lummi), Tamara Tso (Dine’) and Layla Wilbur-Westerdorf (Swinomish). Alisha was able to witness traditional Hawaiian aquaculture systems first-hand. Reflecting on how the experience could help guide projects back home, she observed: “Hawaiian traditions of sharing, community and a strong relationship to the land ties it all together. Their community is really immersed in it. We are beginning to start our clam garden, so seeing this is encouraging.” The students gained other insights from the gathering in O‘ahu. “Today we helped rebuild a seawall,” Wilbur-Westerdorf said. “There are rocks in that wall that I touched. This is extremely empowering. Here you get to be with people doing empowering things.” Tso noted that the food shared at the gathering had been harvested locally by the very people who cooked it. Layla carried this thread further: “Our culture starts with our food. If we lose the harvesting of clams, we lose our culture. It felt like a celebration [at the gathering]. I’ve heard this before, that this was the norm, much like our potlatches. And it feels right, it feels like home here.” Hall added, “This is the direction we students would like to see our own community go.” The Collaborative also cultivates opportunities for community-to-community learning that crosses international boundaries. For example, Northwest Indian College students met with Coast Salish Indigenous groups such as the WSÁNEĆ and Hul’qumi’num who are restoring their clam gardens in what is today Canada, in partnership with Parks Canada. Through this connection, the Swinomish Indian Tribal Community coordinated an exploratory trip to the clam gardens, where the students gained firsthand experience practicing ancient mariculture techniques.

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Supporting Student Research Sonni Tadlock is a graduate of the UW School of Public Health and an alumna of the Northwest Indian College. With a fellowship from WSG, Sonni’s master’s thesis focused on the planning for the Swinomish clam garden. She developed a sociocultural framework for restoring ancient mariculture, basing her framework on observations of the relationships with the WSÁNEĆ and Hul’qumi’num Nations. Her story is one of the many examples of how students have contributed original research to the Indigenous Aquaculture Collaborative project. Another example is the work of Sonia Ibarra, who recently earned her doctoral degree from the University of Alaska Fairbanks (UAF). Ibarra’s thesis focused on Indigenous communities in Southeast Alaska — in particular, she studied the impacts of sea otters on customary shellfish resources and the importance of Indigenous governance for productive clam beds. She reoriented the standard Western approach to science by adapting her project to reflect the community’s values, weaving traditional knowledge with Western science and prioritizing the needs of the community over other goals. Ibarra has contributed to the Collaborative by sharing her findings in a seminar and continues as a member. This fall, she begins her career as program coordinator for the Tamamta Program at UAF. Octavio Cruz is a recent Western Washington University graduate that began his journey studying clam garden restoration with Professor Marco

Washington Sea Grant

Hatch. Cruz was among the students at the gathering, where he lifted boulders while helping to restore the fishpond. Today, his career is underway as a marine data researcher at Pauquachin First Nation. He is leading the marine data analysis on the Saanich Peninsula, near Victoria, BC and working with native communities to apply both scientific and cultural tools to manage or restore traditional food systems, as well as conducting marine monitoring around the Gulf Islands. Of the Collaborative he says, “so many meaningful connections were made or strengthened through it.” In fact, Octavio has now brought the Pauquachin First Nation into the Collaborative.

Cultivating Community Outreach and Communications Rosie Alegado, director for the Center of Excellence in Integrated Knowledge Systems with Hawai‘i Sea Grant, mentored “community-embedded research” to a cohort of undergraduate students in the Our Project in Hawai‘i’s (OPIHI) program. Alegado emphasizes to students the importance of collaborating with community when undertaking any research — and that collaboration should begin from the project’s inception. Working with Rosie and OPIHI staff, a recent group learned hands-on skills in the lab and in the field with traditional fishpond practitioners. They learned to dissect fish, collect samples, and even learned to throw a fish net. Rosie says, “By immersing themselves for a full year, the students prepare for future success in the sciences.”

Left page and above: Working on the fishpond at the Cross-Pacific Regional Collaborative Hub’s first gathering in O‘ahu. Below: A clam garden in British Columbia.

Indigenous Aquaculture • continued on back page

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LOOKING BACK ON 50 YEA STAFF REFLECT ON THEIR In honor of the program’s golden anniversary, we asked four current and former staff to reflect on what they have accomplished

By Grace Freeman, WSG Science Communications Fellow

ased in Seattle and housed within the University of Washington’s College of the Environment, Washington Sea Grant (WSG) celebrated 50 years in 2021. The world has changed immensely since its inception, and WSG has continued to adapt. Even with these changes, a few key tenants of Sea Grant’s mission remain: WSG strives to impact and is continuously influenced by the marine ecosystem, industry, policy, and perhaps most importantly, the community it serves. We asked four current and former staff — Jeff Adams, Teri King, Bob Goodwin and Penny Dalton — to reflect on their time here and how their work contributed to some of the key pieces of the organization’s mission. Here’s what they had to say.

Supporting Healthy Ecosystems The Salish Sea ecosystem has changed in myriad ways in the last halfcentury. One of these changes comes in the form of a new invasive species: European green crabs. These unwelcome visitors were first spotted in Washington’s inland waters in 2016 and spawned the creation of a new project called the WSG Crab Team. When Jeff Adams, a marine ecologist with WSG, helped usher Crab Team off the ground, he and the rest of the team were hoping the project would fail. No one wanted to find invasive European Green Crabs on Washington’s coast: “Had we not had the success we hoped not to have,” he says, “[the project] wouldn’t be what it is today.” Despite the unfortunate circumstances that led to its creation, Crab Team serves as a model program for others: it partners with the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife and many community members, scientists, policymakers, and researchers to manage Washington’s ecosystem holistically. Tapping into these networks and communities allowed for the creation of a nimble project that has grown in a new direction every year. “Just when you think it might settle into a pattern, it takes another leap forward,” Adams says. Washington Sea Grant

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Supporting Vibrant Marine Industries As the climate and environment change, so do the industries that depend on them. In the case of the boating industry, WSG’s adaptations are illustrated through the work of Bob Goodwin, a coastal resource specialist who held the position from 1975 until his retirement in 2004. As part of his work, Goodwin discovered a critical lack of knowledge regarding marina and moorage data in Washington. “We literally didn’t know how many boats there were in Washington,” he says. This inspired Goodwin to search through public records regarding retail boat sales in the state to compile the data so sorely missing from the collective knowledge. Goodwin’s work has been extremely useful for marinas, developers, and those interested in promoting coastal resilience across Washington’s communities.

Supporting Seafood and Aquaculture Beyond marinas and the boating industry, WSG has had a mutually impactful and beneficial connection with shellfish and aquaculture industries across the state. The annual Conference for Shellfish Growers, organized in part by Teri King, WSG aquaculture and marine water quality specialist at WSG, exemplifies this work. Typically held in-person over the course of a weekend, the event brings together shellfish growers from all over the state. “All are welcome,” King says, and despite being competitors in the industry, they come together that weekend to “swap information, experiences, and stories.” The collaboration helps large and small growers alike and offers an opportunity for WSG to facilitate conversation and glean important feedback directly from growers in Washington’s dynamic and highly valuable seafood industry. Winter 2021-22

ARS: LONGTIME WSG R WORK Supporting the Next Generation WSG’s work has widereaching effects on research, policy, and the training of further marine science leaders. Penny Dalton, former WSG director, is a model of these impacts. When she was placed on Capitol Hill for her year as a National Sea Grant Knauss Fellow, Dalton became a biologist in a sea of lawyers. This position, however, served to deepen her interest in marine issues and expanded her awareness of what marine policy can do. After completing the one-year Knauss fellowship, Dalton’s path included several marine policy positions before ultimately bringing her back to where she started: at Sea Grant. This time, however, she was hired as WSG’s director, a position she held from 2005 until her retirement in 2018. In this role, Dalton not only worked to approach problems holistically and pull industry, community, and researchers together, she strived to do so while also engaging the help of students and fellows. “I’m a huge fan of all the fellowship programs!” she says. It is clear that the fellowships provide a unique symbiotic relationship between WSG and the students it hires: Dalton listed name after name of fellows who went on to permanent jobs at Sea Grant. “[Sea Grant] fellowships are about building relationships and policies backed by good science,” Dalton says. Dalton’s own career path made it clear that these relationships are mutually beneficial.

Supporting Community When he’s not conducting surveys with Crab Team, Adams can be found facilitating beach walks and other outreach events. A selfproclaimed “naturalist at heart,” Adams finds great satisfaction in “bringing science out to the communities where it can have an impact.” In fact, he is always seeking more opportunities for outreach and community education and believes that these projects truly exemplify the important work WSG carries out. One such project, which Adams helps run, is the Kitsap Beach Naturalist program. To date, hundreds of people have moved Washington Sea Grant

through the program, which holds outdoor workshops and beach walks to educate curious minds about the coastal habitat. When reflecting on the program, one woman stands out in Adams’ mind: She attended a workshop and was so inspired by the lessons on lichens and mosses that she spent the following months learning everything she could on the topic. “She was so inspired that she even leads her own workshops now,” Adams says. “It’s an environmental educator’s dream!” And just as communities are impacted by WSG’s work, he points out, “it’s important to remember that the inspiration goes both ways.”

As Washington’s industries, communities and ecosystems continue to evolve, so too will WSG.

Many WSG projects rely heavily on community involvement. For example, at State of the Oyster collection events, overseen by Teri King, homeowners with tidal properties bring samples of the shellfish growing on their beaches to be tested for bacteria and algae that could potentially cause harm to humans and animals. The program creates a “partnership with homeowners,” King says, since everyone involved “works hand-in-hand to solve whatever problem arises.” Through the program, King and her beach-owning partners have discovered and worked to remediate problems with failing septic systems and animal waste. The tests and their results, which are paid for by the homeowners, foster a mutually beneficial relationship in which neighborhoods express vested interest in helping each other care for their environment. It’s this community buy-in that makes the State of the Oyster Study so unique and earns a spot as one of King’s favorite aspects of working at WSG.

The Next 50 Years As Washington’s industries, communities, and ecosystems continue to evolve, so too will WSG. For instance, the in-person outreach that was paused due to the pandemic will continue to resume, with new dimensions possible in a more Zoom-savvy world. WSG’s work to reach more communities and organizations also dovetails with its mission of enhancing diversity, equity and inclusion, which has become increasingly central to WSG’s work. In the next half-century, Washington’s environment, policy, and society will continue to change, and WSG will evolve right along with it — all while maintaining the character and mission it embraced 50 years ago. Sea Star

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A MARINER’S The Seafarer Collective provides accessible educational programs for aspiring mariners to sustain and diversify the maritime workforce

By Kathleen McKeegan, WSG Science Communications Fellow

or Captain Halee Grimes, all it took was one look at an old wooden boat while she was in college. Since then, she has sailed the seas on several differently-rigged tall ships, like the kind you may associate with a certain Disney movie starring a bumbling but loveable antihero played by Johnny Depp. In fact, once Grimes landed in Grays Harbor, Washington, she quickly rose through the ranks from chief mate to captain of the Lady Washington, a ship that appeared in that very movie as the HMS Interceptor.

However, Captain Grimes, like many mariners, faced several roadblocks on her path to building a career in the maritime industry. One of the major barriers facing new mariners is the cost and accessibility of classes required to get crucial United States Coast Guard (USCG) certifications and licenses. For example, the classes, trainings and paperwork fees required to receive an Able Seaman Credential, one of the beginner-level licenses in the maritime industry, cost approximately $3,000 out-of-pocket — and that’s disregarding the time required to complete the certification. “In the maritime industry, if you’re not working, you’re not getting paid,” explained Grimes. “The cost for classes is tough, but you also have to take time off of work to do them.” This means that many people who may be interested in a maritime career are essentially priced out of it. A local program called The Seafarer Collective (TSC) aims to change this by making the industry easier to access. TSC is operated through the non-profit maritime organization Grays Harbor Historical Seaport (GHHS) and provides maritime learning platforms, career mentorship, USCG licensing support and crew volunteer opportunities to people from underrepresented populations who are interested in a career at sea. With the help of funding from the Magic Cabinet Foundation and Washington Sea Grant (WSG), TSC was able to begin operations in 2018 with a mission to change the face of the maritime industry. The idea of TSC began after a few key discoveries. First, the Washington maritime industry is growing 6.4 percent annually, and yet the industry is struggling to recruit new workers. Second, the industry is very homogenous and male-dominated, with only two percent of the global maritime workforce identifying as female. According to the City of Seattle Office of Economic Development, over 90 percent of the Washington maritime industry is white male. Last, almost half of experienced tall ship sailors report that they are unable to afford the professional licensing that can propel them into higherpaying positions. Brandi Bednarik, the executive director of GHHS, noticed similar issues amongst her program and crew on the Lady Washington. “One of our biggest problems was a crew shortage,” Brandi said. “We had to figure out how to be sustainable. That’s where The Seafarer Collective was born.” She and her colleagues at GHHS realized the need for new, accessible pathways into the maritime field in order to sustain and diversify the workforce. Originally called Sea School Northwest and later coined The Seafarer Collective, the program offers a variety of outreach and educational offerings that

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LIFE FOR ME include self-paced online courses, community industry panels, vessel open houses, mariner mentorships, volunteer crew placement, and USCG endorsement and licensing support. With the funds from WSG, TSC was able to offer scholarships, grants, and free community events to support equal access to the maritime industry. In fact, Captain Halee Grimes was one of the scholarship recipients through TSC. “Halee’s success is one of my favorite stories,” Brandi said with a smile. “She had such quick upward mobility and grew into this really solid leader and captain. A lot of organizations don’t get to see their direct impact, and it’s pretty special.” In order to make the program easily accessible, TSC offers three self-paced, online courses that are designed to increase knowledge and understanding of the maritime industry. The Entry-Level Merchant Mariner course includes both an online portion and an in-person crew position aboard a GHHS vessel. The Able Bodied Seaman course is a USCG-approved online course that provides the training needed to receive an Able Seaman certification. The Recreational Marlinspike course allows any interested mariner a chance to learn the basics of tall ship sailing.

“This is a place where anyone can be and feel safe and supported.” – Captain Halee Grimes

Unfortunately, the COVID-19 pandemic caused TSC to reduce operations for about a year. In 2020, only weekend sails were offered during the summer, and there was a significant reduction in crew and staff members. Currently, they are operating in a limited capacity, with only a few students in the EntryLevel Merchant Mariner course. TSC hopes to get everything back up and running in 2022, COVIDdependent. “The stress of COVID impacted the people who worked here, and financially the first year was brutal,” Brandi explained. “But we’ve learned a lot, and we will come out stronger.”

With the funds from the WSG Program Development Award, TSC reached over 140,200 people through outreach and worked with over 70 students and grant awardees. Graduates saw up to a 320 percent increase in earned income after being hired with their USCG credential obtained while participating in TSC. Furthermore, the goal of TSC is to provide equal opportunity and a safe place for people to come and learn in the field. Today, 40 percent of TSC students identify as female or non-binary, and a large majority of the Lady Washington’s crew identify as queer. As Captain Grimes explained, “This is a place where anyone can be and feel safe and supported.” WSG supports programs like TSC that aim to sustain and diversify the maritime workforce in order to ensure the future workforce is diverse and skilled in disciplines critical to coastal and ocean economies and ecosystem health. While TSC faced many unexpected challenges in its first few years, namely the global pandemic, it was able to push through and utilize the funding and support from WSG to implement a permanent and impactful program. “Without the funders, this program would not have been a thing,” Brandi explained. “The Seafarer Collective was just a dream, and we were so excited and humbled to receive the funding to pilot something like this, something that has a direct impact on people’s lives.” To learn more about TSC, visit their website at https://www.theseafarercollective.org.

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FIELD NOTES C

ongratulations to Maile Sullivan, WSG education specialist, for receiving the 2021 Johnette D. Bosarge Memorial Award at the National Marine Educators Association (NMEA) Conference. This award honors service and dedication to NMEA and loyalty, efficiency and enthusiasm for marine and aquatic education. Maile has shown leadership by developing and coordinating lasting education programs — in particular, Orca Bowl and NOAA Science Camp —that have given students K-12 access to marine science knowledge throughout Washington state.

FER E N

enna began her career in fisheries as an undergraduate with the UW School of Aquatic and Fishery Sciences and earned her master’s degree in aquatic ecology from Utah State University studying aquatic invasive species management. Most recently, she worked with the agriculture industry in central Oregon developing and implementing sustainable water conservation practices. Jenna has always held fisheries close to her heart. She even joined the commercial fleet in the summer of 2021 as a deckhand in the Bristol Bay sockeye salmon fishery!

ndrea immigrated to Seattle from Brazil, where she worked as an assistant to foreign correspondents covering the news throughout South America. Most recently, she spent 18 years working for Health Alliance International (HAI), an NGO within the UW Department of Global Health. Andrea is bilingual in English and Portuguese and is proficient in Spanish. She loves the outdoors and has two rescue dogs. When she’s not working, she loves to be in the garden and grow all kinds of edible and beautiful things.

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warm welcome to two new WSG staff: fisheries specialist Jenna Keeton (above left) and executive assistant Andrea Chateaubriand (above right)!

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he Quaternary Research Center (QRC) appointed WSG tsunami and coastal resilience specialist Carrie Garrison-Laney as a new member. Founded in 1969, the QRC is a hub of interdisciplinary research that attracts UW faculty, students, associates and visiting scientists who study a range of topics—including tectonics, climate, ecosystems and human adaptations to environmental impacts over the Quaternary (the geologic period that spans the past 2.6 million years). QRC is the oldest interdisciplinary center at UW and one of the oldest Quaternary centers in the country.

e are thrilled to announce the 2021–2022 class of fellows. Recent UW graduate Alanna Greene was selected as a finalist for the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship, where she will spend a year working in a federal government office in Washington, D.C. Recent UW graduates Allison Lu, Corrine Noufi, Katie Byrnes, Katie Shelledy and Natalie Lowell were selected for the WSG Hershman Fellowship, which places early-career marine scholars in coastal host offices throughout Washington state. This year’s host offices are the Northwest Seaport Alliance, Puget Sound Partnership, Port of Seattle, Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, and the Makah Tribe. Grant Adams, a doctoral student at the UW School of Aquatic and Fisheries Science was awarded a National Marine Fisheries Service-Sea Grant Population and Ecosystem Dynamics Fellowship, through which he will study the performance of multispecies harvest control rules.

LOOKING U ENVIRONM By Hannah Jeffries, WSG Sciences Communications Fellow

Researchers use Go-Pro cameras to document life beneath the surface on shellfish farms

eri King, WSG aquaculture and water quality specialist, and Nancy Nguyen, former WSG research analyst along with partners from NOAA National Centers for Coastal Ocean Science, NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center, Northwest Indian College and AquaTechnics Inc. have sleuthed out the culprit to the shellfish mortality events that occurred in the summers of 2018 and 2019: high concentrations of yessotoxins, which are produced by blooms of certain phytoplankton. The researchers’ findings were published in the open-access journal Harmful Algae this past spring. Since then, WSG and partners were awarded NOAA funding to continue this work. The researchers’ goal is to develop and optimize a monitoring program for yessotoxins and the algae that produce them.

OAA Sea Grant awarded WSG, along with California and Oregon Sea Grants, funding for a three-year project to address the economic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on the West Coast seafood industry. Led by Sean Macduff and MaryAnn Wagner, the WSG director for community engagement and director for communications, the project seeks to enhance seafood availability along the West Coast by developing marketing resources and infrastructure and conducting associated trainings for West Coast Seafood providers and handlers, with the goal of strengthening the overall stability of the seafood industry.

SG is part of the new Cascadia Coastlines and Peoples Hazards Research Hub, or Cascadia CoPes Hub, which received funding from the National Science Foundation to increase coastal resiliency among Pacific Northwest communities. The hub will engage communities, train a new generation of coastal hazards scientists, and co-produce research to increase the capacity of communities to adapt and prepare for earthquakes, coastal erosion, regional flooding and sea level rise. Carrie Garrison-Laney and Ian Miller, tsunami and coastal hazards specialists at WSG, will serve as coastal community leads.

Washington Sea Grant

Sea Star

Autumn 2019

UNDERWATER TO UNCOVER THE MARINE MENT OF SHELLFISH AQUACULTURE

hellfish growers spend countless hours on the tideflats each year to produce sustainable seafood for everyone to enjoy. All of this time out on the tideflats gives growers an extensive understanding of the environment around their farms, including the other organisms that live there. But their eyes can only take in what goes on above the water—and many have often wondered what goes on underneath the surface. This inspired one grower to try to put waterproof cameras on their farm. After the grower approached NOAA about the idea, an exciting new project was brought to life.

ing at high tide and capture videos of the species that interact with the shellfish farms. “Documenting with GoPros will help other people understand how diverse and how dynamic our beaches are,” said Shina Wysocki, owner of Chelsea Farms. More than 400 hours of video was collected, reviewed and analyzed to quantify fish and crab use on the sites. “With GoPro cameras and the new technology, this has opened a door to allow us to collect data that we wouldn’t have been able to collect even a couple of years ago,” Beth Sanderson, a research scientist with NOAA Fisheries, explained.

Through a Washington Sea Grant-funded project, researchers from The Nature Conservancy and NOAA partnered with shellfish growers to study the ecological role of the shellfish aquaculture habitat compared to the natural habitat. Researchers used waterproof GoPro cameras to study the presence of species on shellfish farms vs. natural habitats at high tide. This project is an important step in understanding the impacts and benefits of shellfish farms on the ecosystem within Puget Sound. The waters of Puget Sound are home to a large diversity of marine life, with each region supporting varying degrees of diversity. Because of this, shellfish farms in one area of the Sound may have different species than farms in other regions.

One of the biggest challenges the researchers faced was getting footage with enough visibility in the water. “Our Puget Sound waters can be full of plankton and sediment that can sometimes make it hard to get good footage on the cameras,” Bogeberg said. “However, when you get the right tide, sunlight, and clear waters, the footage is pretty incredible!”

Due to their initiative and interest in better understanding aquaculture, shellfish growers are natural partners for working on these types of scientific questions — and so the research team made it a priority to engage with growers from the beginning. “We held small workshops at shellfish conferences to gauge interest from other growers,” Molly Bogeberg, the project lead from the Nature Conservancy, said. “From there, more growers joined the study.” The growers who participated were instrumental in helping the project move forward, because they guided the researchers around their farms, helped to determine the best tides for the study to take place, and helped with deploying and retrieving the cameras.

The results showed that the fish and crab species interaction with the shellfish aquaculture farms varied across three study regions in Puget Sound (North Sound, South Sound, and Hood Canal). Hood Canal did not show any changes in diversity with the presence of the aquaculture, while there was an increase in diversity in the North Sound sites, and a decrease in diversity in the south Sound sites. However, more studies will need to be done to better understand the interactions between fish and crab species and shellfish farms. Bogeberg said that, throughout the project, “it was really neat to see how the whole process works from raising seed in hatcheries to working midnight low tides in the winter to harvest. The tidelands are full of activity with harvesters working through the night to bring shellfish to our tables.” Now, with the ability to look below the water, it will be possible to look towards the future of shellfish farming in Washington with greater focus.

Many farmers already have a deep sense of connection with the environment around them. “This is my quiet place. I come out here, and I can work, and I can think about our ancestors,” Marlin Holden, a shellfish grower from the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe, said. Collaborating on this project gave them the opportunity to dig even deeper. “We have a good sense of what’s happening out there at low tide,” said Lissa Monberg of the Hamma Hamma Oyster Company. Some growers dive to learn more about their farms at high tide, but there is still a lot of information they do not know about their farms when tides are high. “It’s really awesome to have those cameras out there so that we can get a better sense of how these animals are using the gear at high tide,” Monberg said. This study occurred in three different regions around Puget Sound, where the GoPro cameras were deployed. They targeted shellfish beds in three different types of growing areas, as well as in unfarmed habitats. Once in place, the cameras begin recordWashington Sea Grant

Sea Star

Photos courtesy of The Nature Conservancy. Winter 2021-22

Washington Sea Grant College of the Environment University of Washington Box 355060 3716 Brooklyn Avenue NE Seattle, WA 98105-6716

seagrant@uw.edu wsg.uw.edu Twitter: @WaSeaGrant Facebook.com/WaSeaGrant Instagram: @WaSeaGrant Editor, Samantha Larson; Designer, Robyn Ricks; Assistant Director for Communications, MaryAnn Wagner; Technical Advisor, Karen MorrillMcClure. © Washington Sea Grant; all photos WSG except as noted. ©2021 WSG-MR 21-04

Indigenous Aquaculture • continued from page 5

Many innovations from the past provide viable and timely solutions for challenges in shellfish and fishing food resources.

Often, communicating about science is just as important as the research itself. Professor Anne Salomon’s class of graduate students from Simon Frazer University took this to heart. Many innovations from the past provide viable and timely solutions for challenges in shellfish and fishing food resources; with this in mind, the students created a story map of ancestral mariculture innovations, evaluating the commonalities and differences between systems around the Pacific Rim. The students came to the gathering in Oah‘u to experience an ancestral fishpond first-hand. The experience grounded them, providing inspiration and direct hands-on knowledge that shaped the story map. As Salomon says, “The gathering propelled the work forward so that it became not only a scholarly endeavor but an artistic one, grounded in a community of practice, that also documents the role of ceremony in building community cohesion and social-ecological resilience.” Ultimately, the map will be a key element of the Collaborative website and a living document that will evolve, catalyzing further research in ancestral mariculture around the Pacific and offering innovations for the future.

will contribute to social media, produce videos and write stories about our Collaborative partners.

More Opportunities to Come Looking ahead, Melissa Poe, WSG social scientist and project lead for the Collaborative, sees even more educational opportunities evolving for students. Alaska Sea Grant has plans to launch a one-year fellowship sponsored by the Collaborative, which will provide new career skills to a recently graduated masters or doctoral student. Activities will include working towards biocultural restoration goals of a host tribe, as well as supporting a comprehensive review of Pacific region systems. The Tamamta Program another graduate fellowship program at University of Alaska funded by the National Science Foundation, bridges Indigenous and western sciences to transform graduate education and research in fisheries and marine sciences. The merging of these two programs has great potential for becoming an ongoing Indigenous aquaculture fellowship in future years.

WSG is also mentoring students through fellowships and student assistantships where they help with coordination and planning for the Collaborative. This includes a communications fellow, who

“We celebrate the learning outcomes and opportunities of all the various students from around the Pacific who are participating in the Collaborative,” Poe says. “We’re excited to shine light on this facet of our collaborative story!”

Washington Sea Grant

Sea Star

Winter 2021-22

Washington Sea Grant 2018 – 2024

Strategic Plan

February 1, 2018 – January 31, 2024

Program Setting Coastal Washington is a study in contrasts — geographic, ecological, social and cultural. Shorelines vary from Puget Sound’s protected deep-water fjords and inlets to the Pacific coast’s mixture of islands, estuaries, rocky cliffs and headlands, and cobble and boulder fields and beaches.

Coastal Washington • Approximately seventy percent of 7.3 million residents live in 15 coastal counties • Four of the five largest estuaries on the West Coast • Home to 30 marine mammal species • Half of 34 salmon and steelhead populations are endangered or threatened • Twenty-nine federally recognized Indian tribes • Sixty percent of tidelands and thirty percent of shorelands are privately owned • Leading U.S. producer of farmed bivalve shellfish • Homeport for largest U.S. fishing fleet

CONTENTS Program Setting.............................................................................................2 About Washington Sea Grant.........................................................................4 2018 – 2024 Strategic Plan...........................................................................6 Critical Program Areas............................................................................8 Healthy Coastal Ecosystems.............................................................8 Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture...........................................9 Resilient Communities and Economies...........................................10 Ocean Literacy and Workforce Development..................................11

Washington Sea Grant

Strategic Plan 2018-2024

mall fishing towns, tribal lands and misty rain forests distinguish Washington’s 590 miles of PACIFIC COAST. It is a region of low population densities, small ports, natural resource-based economies and multigenerational fishing families, and it has limited access to goods, services and infrastructure. Marine waters support shipping operations, commercial and recreational fisheries for both shellfishes and finfishes, and wildlife viewing and other tourist opportunities. Pacific coastal and Columbia River tribes, which rely on traditional and evolving uses of these resources, play a leading role in their management. The Olympic Peninsula and adjacent marine areas lie largely under federal protection through the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, Olympic National Park and the Olympic National Forest. By contrast, the PUGET SOUND BASIN, with 2,500 miles of shoreline, is home to nearly five million people, more than two-thirds of the state’s population, and economic growth is projected to drive it as high as 6.1 million by 2025. The Sound region contains four of the state’s six largest cities, and together the ports of Seattle and Tacoma compose the thirdlargest U.S. container port. Major international corporations like Amazon, Costco, Microsoft and Starbucks are based along Puget Sound, together with large manufacturing facilities and proliferating technology startups. Growth poses significant challenges to water quality, natural habitats and biological diversity.

With such a disparity in habitat, population density and resources, the Pacific coast and Puget Sound Basin have distinctive and sometimes unique needs that must be addressed in Washington Sea Grant (WSG) strategic planning. At the same time, Washington is united by a unique heritage and legal framework that is key to determining coastal community needs and priorities. Twenty-four of its 29 federally recognized Indian tribes and two intertribal commissions serve and support co-management of coastal and marine resources. In addition to playing an important cultural role, tribes conduct research, regulate fisheries and work government-to-government with state and federal agencies. Further complicating marine resource management in Washington are state laws passed in the 1890s that have allowed the sale of 60 percent of all public tidelands to private owners. This has encouraged shellfish culture but created unresolved land-use conflicts and issues of public access to shorelines and tidelands. Such complexity calls for a comprehensive, ecosystem-based management approach that integrates ecological, social, economic and institutional perspectives and recognizes their strong interdependencies. Since its inception, WSG has strategically invested in research, outreach, education, communications and partnerships to address unique regional challenges and opportunities.

Pacific Coast

Puget Sound Basin

• About 590 miles of shoreline

• Nearly 2,500 miles of shoreline

• Two large shallow coastal estuaries and the Columbia River

• Estuary draining more than 10,000 streams and rivers

• Five Pacific coastal counties with a total population of 198,000

• 12 coastal counties are home to nearly five million, two-thirds of state total

• Four Pacific coast and four Columbia River treaty tribe co-managers

• 16 treaty tribes co-manage marine resources

• Natural resource-based economies supporting shipping, fisheries and tourism

• Major corporate headquarters, manufacturing facilities, technology startups

• Small ports and fishing towns with multigenerational fishing families and

• Four of the state’s six largest cities and the third-largest U.S. container port

limited access to goods, services and infrastructure • Federally protected land and water — Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary, Olympic National Park and the Olympic National Forest

Washington Sea Grant

Strategic Plan 2018-2024

• Population growth posing significant challenges to water quality, natural habitats, biological diversity

About Washington Sea Grant For more than 45 years, WSG has served the Pacific Northwest and the nation by funding high quality marine research and working with communities, managers, businesses, educators and the public to advance regional understanding and sustainable use of ocean and coastal resources.

ased at the University of Washington (UW), WSG is part of a national network of 33 Sea Grant colleges and institutions located in U.S. coastal and Great Lakes states and territories. The National Sea Grant College Program is administered by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and funded through federal-university partnerships. WSG’s location at the UW provides access to one of the nation’s largest research universities and a leading recipient of federal science support. As one of 13 core units within the UW College of the Environment, WSG draws on the college’s academic strengths in fisheries, marine science, engineering and policy. WSG also works with many other colleges and departments in the UW system, as well as other academic and research institutions throughout the Pacific Northwest, to support both faculty and students. Working with a broad range of organizations focused on use and conservation of the marine environment and its resources, WSG supports the needs of an even larger set of stakeholders. Among WSG’s primary partners are institutions of higher learning, NOAA and other federal and state agencies, local and tribal governments, nongovernmental organizations, K-12 educators and students, industries and businesses, news media and, most importantly, the public.

At all levels, WSG relies on an engaged and active advisory committee that provides ideas, perspective, feedback and direction on the implementation of WSG’s mission. The committee’s membership represents program partners and stakeholders and is listed on the wsg website https://wsg. washington.edu/about-wsg/advisory-committee/

WSG addresses local, regional, national and international environmental needs • Each year, thousands of boaters, volunteers, shellfish gatherers and residents of all ages learn about water quality, seafood safety, environmental stewardship and marine and coastal ecosystems through WSG outreach. • WSG leads a diverse partnership to improve sea level rise estimates and assist Island County, the City of Tacoma, and salmon restoration projects plan for its potential impacts. • As part of the interagency State Ocean Caucus, Washington Coastal Marine Advisory Council, and Puget Sound boards and planning committees, WSG is shaping marine resource management discussions, such as Washington’s marine spatial plan, in state agencies and stakeholder groups. • Jointly-funded liaisons with NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory and the Northwest Fisheries Science Center facilitate public understanding of ocean acidification and tsunami hazards and develop tools for incorporating social wellbeing into marine ecosystem decisions. • Working with West Coast Sea Grant programs, WSG has built its capacity to address aquatic invasive species, and is now enlisting volunteer monitors to detect and prevent the spread of European green crabs in Puget Sound. • For more than two decades, WSG has led collaborative research and outreach, preventing thousands of seabirds from drowning in the fishing gear of fleets ranging from the Southern Hemisphere to the Bering Sea.

COMMUNICATIONS 8%

RESEARCH 46%

WSG organizes its activities around four core functions: research, outreach, education and communications. The OUTREACH 27% integration of these four core functions is key to carrying out WSG’s mission. RESEARCH sponsored by WSG combines scientific excellence and a focus on issues and opportunities faced by ocean users and managers in Washington and the Pacific Northwest. In a highly competitive selection process, top priority goes to projects that build regional scientific capacity and provide knowledge for use in the marine and coastal environment. From uncovering ocean acidification’s effects on mussel threads and salmon olfactory function to investigating the recovery of coastal transportation systems after a tsunami, WSG supports a mix of basic and applied research. In addition, each WSG research project must include an outreach plan for making the results available to broader audiences who can use them. In 2016, the WSG research portfolio included 34 ongoing projects supporting more than 100 investigators, 66 institutions and about 60 graduate and undergraduate students. OUTREACH experts provide technical assistance and connect marine and coastal constituents to the best scientific information available. WSG specialists work in a broad range of topic areas, including aquaculture, fisheries, water quality, habitat restoration, citizen science, aquatic invasive species, community sustainability, coastal development and management, marine operational safety and technology, oil spill prevention and hazard resilience.

MANAGEMENT 9%

EDUCATION 10%

2016-2017 WSG Funding by Core Function By engaging learners of all ages, WSG’s EDUCATION activities enhance the public’s understanding and stewardship of marine resources and provide professional development opportunities that nurture and encourage ocean-related careers. WSG supports informal educational programs for K-12 students, including an annual science camp and a statewide ocean-sciences tournament for high school students. WSG also presents undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral students with opportunities to compete for 2016–2017 WASHINGTON SEA GRANT FUNDING BY many different fellowship programs that expand horizons CORE FUNCTION and enhance future careers. In addition, WSG research projects explore workforce development and provide training for undergraduate, graduate and postdoctoral investigators. Maintaining the program’s commitment to providing unbiased, science-based information, WSG COMMUNICATIONS keeps the public up to date on current research and technology and supports marine user needs for the latest news on relevant issues. The team maintains the WSG website and social media channels, produces publications and materials supporting the range of WSG activities, and proactively responds to media inquiries about Sea Grant outreach and research. Using a variety of communications platforms, WSG works to translate technical and scientific findings into useful information for a broad set of constituents.

2018 – 2024 Strategic Plan The 2018-2024 WSG Strategic Plan represents a balanced and realistic approach to investing in research, outreach, education, communications and partnerships. It builds on existing capabilities to address unique challenges and opportunities at the university, community, state, regional and national levels. Through the strategic planning processes at the national and state level, four critical program areas were identified for WSG for 2018-2024. These critical program areas respond to issues of major importance to WSG constituents and partners, including NOAA, the National Sea Grant Office, research scientists and WSG stakeholders throughout the Pacific Northwest. They also reflect ongoing WSG programs and the expertise of WSG specialists and are directly aligned with focus areas identified in the NOAA National Sea Grant College Program 2018–2021 Strategic Plan. n developing this strategic plan, WSG relied heavily on information provided by its staff, advisory committee, researchers and constituents. More than 450 respondents to an online survey provided feedback. The advisory committee, staff and researchers met over a six-month period to review the planning process and recommend program priorities and implementation strategies.

Values

Vision

WSG celebrates the diversity of people and the environment and the complex interactions between them.

Washington Sea Grant (WSG) envisions healthy, productive and resilient coastal and marine ecosystems that sustain Washington’s rich cultural and maritime heritage, vibrant coastal communities, clean waters and beaches, prosperous fisheries and aquaculture, diverse wildlife and an engaged public.

To accomplish its mission and achieve its vision, WSG adheres to a set of core values focused on excellence, equity, innovation and societal impact. It seeks to forge tools, foster insights, build capacity and maintain relationships for sustainable management, enjoyment and use of Washington’s marine resources.

Facilitating practical and collaborative solutions to today’s ocean and coastal issues, WSG serves as an unbiased broker of scientific and place-based information and real-world expertise that honors the history, people and places of Washington.

Mission The WSG mission is to help people and marine life thrive by supplying research, technical expertise and educational activities that support the responsible use and conservation of ocean and coastal ecosystems.

Cross-cutting principles WSG endorses and is committed to pursuing activities that advance the two cross-cutting principles identified in the National Sea Grant Program 2018–2021 Strategic Plan: • Cultivate partnerships by integrating the expertise and capabilities of partners from the international, federal, tribal, and state communities and from academia, nongovernmental organizations and industry. • Enhance diversity and inclusion by seeking and welcoming diverse perspectives in order to enhance cultural understanding and enable the network to pursue its vision and mission effectively and efficiently. PARTNERSHIPS Partnerships are a cornerstone of the Sea Grant model. WSG cultivates partnerships by valuing and engaging the priorities, expertise, capabilities, and participation of diverse partners. WSG collaborates with international, federal, tribal, state and local governments; local communities; businesses; people from academia; K-12 schools and nongovernmental organizations on a wide variety of marine-related research, engagement and education projects.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION To achieve organizational excellence, pursue its vision, and adhere to its mission, WSG maintains a commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion by pursuing diverse perspectives, and enhancing cultural understanding. WSG works to create equitable access to resources and opportunities for Washington’s diverse communities and seeks to incorporate their voices and priorities. WSG’s values are informed by environmental justice and are based in a culture of inclusion, respect, long-term engagement and accountability. WSG’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion shapes the organization and its investments, practices and social interactions. Specifically, WSG strives to: • create a welcoming environment, so that each person feels accepted, valued and safe; • build community and learn from each other, honoring differences in background, experience, skills, interests and values; • ensure the right of all people to live and work in a clean environment; • address root causes of unequal exposure to environmental hazards, and eliminate disparities in access to natural resources, opportunities and decision-making processes; and • nurture an atmosphere that encourages open, honest and respectful exchanges.

Critical Program Areas Healthy Coastal Ecosystems

ashington is located in one of the world’s most productive marine regions. Its bountiful resources support tribal and commercial fisheries, sportfishing and recreational boating, tourism and wildlife viewing, and maritime transportation. Coastal estuaries and Puget Sound support rich eelgrass beds and mudflats, providing valuable nursery grounds for fish and shellfish. Despite these riches, Washington faces numerous obstacles to maintaining and restoring healthy coastal ecosystems. Heavy industries have spilled creosote, lead, PCBs and other toxins. Logging, farming and urban growth have damaged sensitive watersheds, smothering salmon redds and oyster beds in runoff sediment. Hydroelectric dams choked off salmon runs so vast they once seemed indestructible. The Salish Sea’s iconic resident killer whales, which depend on declining salmon and are burdened with some of the highest PCB levels recorded in any animal, are listed as endangered. The native Olympia oyster, an early economic mainstay, has been severely depleted by overharvesting, degraded water quality, and the invasion of non-native species. These ecological changes are occurring in the context of complex, interrelated environmental changes and stressors. The Washington coast is especially vulnerable to ocean acidification, in large part due to strong seasonal upwelling that brings acidic waters onto the continental shelf. Such changes in ocean chemistry could interfere with shell development in marine organisms, disrupting shellfish aquaculture and food web dynamics affecting many species. Both harmful algal blooms and hypoxic events continue to cause mortality in local species and damage the state’s fishing and aquaculture industries. Aquatic invasive species also pose a serious biological threat to coastal ecosystems.

Meanwhile, as more individuals make coastal Washington home, they make changes — removing trees, building homes and businesses, paving roads and parking lots, clearing out and filling in streams, and using concrete and rocks to harden shorelines. Past development activities have significantly altered the natural structure, functions, processes and aesthetics of Washington’s shorelines. Loss of habitat is a major contributor to species decline, and salmon recovery is a primary driver of habitat management decisions in Washington. Public interest in and support for habitat protection have grown, but new approaches are needed, including the protection of intact shorelines, the enhancement and rehabilitation of already modified habitats, and the development of strategies to inform local restoration projects. There is growing recognition of the need for ecosystembased management that is place-based, that explicitly accounts for the interconnectedness within and among systems, and which integrates ecological, social, economic and institutional perspectives. But our limited knowledge of ecosystem structure and function, together with our limited capacity to understand and prioritize threats and grasp their social impacts, hampers our ability to effectively manage our environment.

Goals Goal 1: Ocean and coastal resources are managed by applying sound science, local and traditional knowledge, and ecosystem-based approaches.

Goal 2: Ocean and coastal habitats, ecosystems and living marine resources are protected, enhanced and restored.

Outcomes • Improved understanding of ocean and coastal ecosystems, habitats and living marine resources. • Enhanced information and capacity to address social, economic and cultural considerations in ecosystem-based management. • Information and approaches to address environmental stressors like ocean acidification, harmful algal blooms, hypoxia and aquatic invasive species. • Improved understanding and technologies to effectively conserve protected species and rebuild depleted marine populations. • Effective approaches and technologies to protect, enhance and restore ecosystem function and services.

Washington Sea Grant

Strategic Plan 2018-2024

Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture

eafood harvesting is a vital part of Pacific Northwest culture and commerce. From tribal fishermen exercising their treaty rights to oyster farmers in South Puget Sound, Washington’s people live lives intertwined with its living marine resources. In 2007 NOAA tallied 40 communities in the state that were significantly engaged in or dependent upon commercial fishing, finding some like Westport, Bellingham and Neah Bay to be highly dependent. The fishing communities identified by NOAA ranged from urban centers like Seattle to towns with fewer than 500 people, and more than half had under 5,000 residents. From an economic perspective, Washington’s living marine resources sector — commercial and recreational fishing, aquaculture, and seafood processing and sales — leads the nation with total annual revenues of more than $8 billion, providing more than 15,000 jobs and over $1 billion in wages. This distinction is due in large part to the state’s role as homeport to the North Pacific fishing fleet, the largest fishing enterprise in the nation. Washington’s waters also support a vigorous aquaculture industry, producing more farmed clams, oysters and mussels than any other state. The rankings reflect diverse coastal marine habitats and this diversity also has supported a longstanding tradition of recreational and subsistence harvest. In 2015 residents and visitors purchased 192,000 shellfish harvesting licenses and 322,000 combined shellfish and fishing licenses, injecting more than $12 million into state coffers. Despite their value, the state’s fishing and aquaculture industries face many challenges. In recent years, some fisheries have undergone severe conservation restrictions, including closures of ocean salmon fisheries. In January 2017, NOAA declared disasters in six Washington fisheries, including coastal salmon and Dungeness crab fisheries and several tribal salmon fisheries in Puget Sound. While coastal stocks of canary rockfish and petrale sole have rebounded, a few groundfish populations in the Pacific fishery have yet to be rebuilt.

The aquaculture industry also faces challenges from environmental stresses such as ocean acidification and harmful algal blooms. Some regional shellfish hatcheries experienced significant losses and have altered management practices to compensate for changing environmental conditions. For both healthy and at-risk populations, improved understanding of population dynamics and environmental factors enhances the ability to sustainably manage living marine resources. Meanwhile, the fishing and aquaculture industries face an economically competitive environment. The share of seafood consumed in the United States that is imported has climbed steadily, from 56 percent by volume in 1990 to 96 percent in 2013. In Washington, commercial fishermen seek marketing strategies and product niches that can sustain their industries. Shellfish growers face use conflicts, environmental concerns, shoreline development issues and a shortage of data on economic benefits and trade-offs. Commercial fishing, especially in tribal fisheries, has become much safer in recent years, thanks in part to WSG’s training and outreach efforts. But it can and should be safer yet. Many deaths in commercial fishing are preventable. Relevant, targeted and accessible training can also make fishing operations more efficient and profitable. Finally, there is a need to maintain the safety and quality of seafood products, which requires research, technical assistance and public outreach. Consumer demand is strong for safe, high-quality seafood from sustainable sources, and filling that demand can advance both human health and commercial profitability.

Goals Goal 3: Aquaculture operations and shellfish harvests are environmentally sustainable, economically prosperous and produce safe seafood.

Goal 4: Fisheries are safe, responsibly managed and economically and culturally vibrant.

Outcomes • Improved scientific and technical support for marine aquaculture operations to address coastal development, environmental impacts, natural resource conservation and vulnerability to environmental changes. • Information, tools and expertise that support sustainable aquaculture operations and shellfish harvest. • Improved understanding of environmental factors that affect fisheries and fishery resources. • Tools and approaches to improve fisheries management, productivity and ecological sustainability. • Training, expertise and information that support maritime worker safety, product quality, and vibrant and resilient fisheries. • Approaches to ensure the safety and quality of wild-harvested and cultured seafood products.

Washington Sea Grant

Strategic Plan 2018-2024

Resilient Communities and Economies

etween 1980 and 2015, Washington’s population grew by more than three million people, to over seven million. State forecasters expect it to reach nearly nine million by 2040. Nearly seven out of ten residents live in the state’s 15 coastal counties, the vast majority in the large Puget Sound urban centers. The Puget Sound region has the highest per capita boat usage in the country, and Washington’s recreational boat sales totaled $228 million in 2015. At the same time, increasing population and regional economic trends have put pressure on many traditional maritime sectors, creating conflict with waterfront development for other purposes. In addition, some smaller coastal communities are losing resource-based employment and seeking ways to generate new economic activity.

The mountainous coastal topography and location on the windward coast of the Pacific Ocean combine to give the Pacific Northwest the nation’s stormiest coastal waters outside Alaska.

Despite their geographic, economic and cultural differences, the Puget Sound region and Washington’s Pacific coast must balance the traditional, sustainable uses of marine resources with emerging demands. For example, Washington tribes view the failure to adequately consider salmon recovery in coastal decision-making as an abrogation of their treaty rights. Existing and potential new ocean uses such as wave and wind energy require adequate information to address anticipated impacts for evaluation and incorporation into the state’s upcoming marine spatial plan.

Goal 5: Coastal communities and maritime sectors pursue development and planning that improve environmental, economic, social and cultural well-being.

In addition to changing the economic landscape, the rapid growth and development of coastal communities has added stress to local coastal ecosystems. Washington has lost an estimated 70 percent of its estuarine wetlands. More than 600 miles of Puget Sound shoreline — 26 percent of the total — are armored, and another mile gets encased each year. The extent of impervious surface in the Puget Sound Basin grew by nearly 10,000 acres from 2006 to 2011. These surfaces shed more than 370 billion gallons of stormwater runoff each year. More than 60 percent of water pollution comes from stormwater and other dispersed sources. Not surprisingly, water quality has suffered. About onethird of Washington’s waters are too contaminated to meet state water quality standards. Planners need accurate information to make science-based decisions and preserve the services provided by coastal ecosystems and watersheds. Communities need sustainable, low-impact alternatives when considering development approaches. And residents need best practices for stewardship of local water resources.

Meanwhile, changing climatic conditions pose a growing threat to the region’s coastlines and communities. The 2015 report on Climate Change in Puget Sound from UW’s Climate Impacts Group catalogs a sobering list of impacts that climate change is expected to visit on Washington, including warmer temperatures, higher precipitation extremes, decreased snowpack, shifts in seasonal stream flows, lower summer hydropower production, higher risk from forest fires and increased coastal erosion. Washington State is coming to terms with coastal hazards, climate change and associated community vulnerability. The need for credible information and strategies for more effectively adapting and responding to climate-driven changes and hazards is obvious and immediate.

Goals

Goal 6: Communities prepare, respond and adapt to coastal hazards and climate change. Goal 7: Coastal water resources sustain human and ecosystem health.

Outcomes • Activities to support community development and resilience acknowledge and protect Washington’s unique tribal cultures and regional maritime heritage. • Information and approaches from natural and social science research improve coastal management and encourage sustainable development practices. • Research, partnerships, technical assistance, and training programs and tools to support state and local economic development and planning needs. • Engagement of managers and stakeholders facilitates and balances multiple demands for ocean and coastal resources while preserving existing sustainable uses. • Improved understanding of coastal hazards and climate change and their implications for coastal communities, marine businesses and ecosystems. • Enhanced partnerships, technical assistance and information to assess vulnerabilities and improve capacity for responding and adapting to coastal hazards and climate change. • Approaches to address toxic, nutrient and pathogen contaminants and the impact of human activities on water quality and quantity. • Coastal residents, vessel operators and businesses use best practices to reduce pollution and protect marine water quality.

Coastal Washington is also susceptible to a wide range of natural hazards, ranging from relatively frequent threats such as flooding, landslides and erosion to rare but potentially catastrophic events such as earthquakes and tsunamis. Washington Sea Grant

Strategic Plan 2018-2024

Ocean Literacy and Workforce Development

cean-related education is essential to build scientific literacy and help learners of all ages appreciate the importance of ocean and coastal resources and ecosystems.

Despite strong physical and cultural ties to the coast, most Washington residents know very little about the sea and its vulnerabilities. In 2014 an extensive national survey found that people were inspired by the ocean but largely unaware of issues that affected its health or linkages with climate and other environmental changes. The survey suggested informed individuals were more likely to support policies promoting healthy oceans, and that public understanding was critical to conservation and sustainable use. High-level government commissions and task forces since 2004 have called for strengthening ocean literacy through formal and informal education about the ocean and coasts. They define an oceanliterate person as one who understands ocean science, can communicate about the ocean, and is able to make informed decisions regarding the ocean and its resources. Washington’s ocean economy relies on a well-trained workforce capable of dealing with the complexity and diversity of its marine sector. In 2012 maritime industries injected $15 billion in revenues and nearly $15 billion in indirect and induced output into Washington’s economy, and supported more than 57,000 direct and 90,000 indirect jobs. Sustaining and replenishing this workforce is essential to the wider economy. Nationally the ocean sector supports one in six American jobs

and 20 percent of all economic activity. But these industries face a looming workforce crisis. Washington’s maritime workforce is older than the national average, and more workers now retire or quit the sector than enter it. NOAA has projected a shortage of 180 qualified professionals in fish stock assessment alone by 2018. These recruitment shortfalls reflect limited scholastic opportunities in marine sciences and the underrepresentation of ocean content in state education standards. Many students, teachers and guidance counselors are unaware of the rewarding careers and exciting challenges the sea offers. In addition to education and training for undergraduate and graduate students, opportunity exists to engage students and parents earlier in the education process. According to a 2011 study, more than 75 percent of college students majoring in science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) decided to pursue their majors by the time they were in high school; 21 percent nurtured STEM interests from middle school or earlier.

Goals Goal 8: An ocean literate public that is informed by lifelong formal and informal opportunities that reflect the range of diversity of our communities.

Goal 9: The future workforce is diverse and skilled in disciplines critical to coastal and ocean economies and ecosystem health.

Outcomes • Science-based traditional and new media, educational opportunities for students and outreach events promote ocean literacy for learners of all ages. • Rigorous citizen science and stewardship programs improve ocean literacy, promote sustainable ocean and coastal use, and contribute to regional science and management needs. • Programs for K-16 youth, including those in tribal and underrepresented communities, that enhance ocean literacy and provide a pipeline to marinerelated careers. • Increased awareness, learning opportunities and career pathways encourage employment and promote diversity in maritime sectors. • Diverse fellowships, classes and other professional development opportunities for college students and recent graduates build a skilled workforce.

This is a publication of the University of Washington pursuant to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Award. The views expressed herein are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of NOAA or any of its sub-agencies. Projects and programs described in this publication receive funding from a variety of organizations, including NOAA and other federal agencies, the State of Washington, the University of Washington, private foundations and other sources.

Washington Sea Grant University of Washington 3716 Brooklyn Avenue NE Seattle, WA 98105-6716 206.543.6600 seagrant@uw.edu wsg.washington.edu

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 10-year Roadmap

Director’s Introduction

am pleased to present the Washington Sea Grant Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 10-year Roadmap. Washington Sea Grant (WSG) maintains a commitment to diversity, equity and

inclusion (DEI) by pursuing diverse perspectives and enhancing cultural understanding. WSG’s mission is to help people and marine life thrive by providing research, technical expertise and educational activities that support the responsible use and conservation of ocean and coastal ecosystems. We seek to forge tools, foster insights, build capacity and maintain relationships for sustainable management, enjoyment, and use of Washington’s marine resources. WSG endorses and is committed to pursuing activities that advance diversity, equity and inclusion across our core functions of research, outreach, education and communications.

To fulfill this commitment to DEI, WSG works to cre-

leadership team throughout the process. In addition

ate equitable access to resources and opportunities

to developing the Roadmap, the Workgroup continues

for Washington’s diverse communities and seeks to

to facilitate and sponsor a number of staff trainings,

incorporate their voices and priorities. Our values are

resources, and programmatic support related to DEI,

informed by environmental justice and are based in a

and contributes to creating a culture of inclusion at

culture of inclusion, respect, long-term engagement,

WSG.

and accountability. Our commitment to DEI shapes the entire organization and its investments, practices and social interactions, and is guided by this 10-year Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Roadmap that outlines goals, strategies and outcomes for what we aim to achieve over the next 10 years.

The Roadmap contains thirteen goals addressing the work and people who make up WSG. The strategies are designed to achieve outcomes consistent with each goal. Eight outcomes have been identified as shortterm priorities. These include, in part: ◆

The WSG leadership team and staff provided valuable insight and guidance on this document, which was formally adopted on April 14, 2020. WSG maintains

core value and philosophy ◆

University of Washington and the National Sea Grant DEI network, who helped to guide us in this effort. We

WSG has regularly-collected metrics for evaluating progress toward DEI goals

this as a living document to be continually reviewed and updated. We are grateful for our colleagues at the

WSG’s mission and strategic plan reflect DEI as a

◆

WSG staff, fellows, students, advisory committee members and program participants (current and future) feel that WSG is a space where they belong

adapted content from both the University of Wash-

WSG is thrilled to be on a path toward building and

ington Diversity Blueprint and the National Sea Grant

sustaining a culture where WSG staff, partners and

DEI Vision in developing our Roadmap, in order to be

Washington’s coastal communities are able to bring

responsive to and consistent with the institutions in

their full selves to every WSG endeavor. We aim for

which we work.

everyone to feel that they belong within our organiza-

WSG acknowledges the WSG DEI Workgroup and Roadmap subgroup for their invaluable roles devel-

tion and programs. Sincerely,

oping this document. The WSG DEI Workgroup first initiated a visioning process in June 2018 with the question: In ten years, what does DEI look like at WSG? Participants in the initial Workgroup included nearly half of our staff, and were fully supported by the WSG

Russell Callender, WSG Director

WASHINGTON SEA GRANT DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION • 10-YEAR ROADMAP

Contents WSG Staff and Organizational Processes......................................................................... 1 Goal 1

WSG commits to DEI in carrying out its vision and values as a practice in organizational excellence. ........................................................................................................................................1

Goal 2

WSG is welcoming and inclusive..................................................................................................................................1

Goal 3

WSG attracts, retains and advances a diverse workforce and leadership....................................................2

Goal 4

WSG maintains accountability and transparency in its sustained focus on DEI.......................................2

Goal 5

WSG supports training and professional development on various aspects of DEI...................................3

WSG Outreach Programs ..................................................................................................4 Goal 6

WSG provides programming that facilitates sound, science-based decision-making that supports equal access to relevant scientific information. .......................................................................4

Goal 7

WSG provides programming that facilitates sound, place-based decision-making based on relevant traditional and local knowledge..............................................................................................4

WSG Research.....................................................................................................................5 Goal 8

WSG staff leads research and scholarship that addresses topics of value to diverse communities and integrates multiple ways of knowing. ...................................................................5

Goal 9

WSG competitive research and program development projects address topics of value to diverse communities, integrate multiple ways of knowing, and are inclusive of diverse and UU awardees.......................................................................................................5

WSG Education, Fellowships and Workforce Development..........................................6 Goal 10

WSG trains and educates an environmentally literate and informed public that is inclusive and reflective of diverse populations........................................................................................6

Goal 11

WSG prepares the next generation of decision-makers and environmental GOAL professionals that is reflective of diverse populations through its professional development and fellowship programs. ..................................................................................................................6

Goal 12

WSG prepares a marine workforce that is inclusive and reflective of diverse populations. .................7

WSG Communications ......................................................................................................8 Goal 13

WSG communications creates and supports cross-cultural and equitable access and understanding of information pertaining to the marine environment................................................8

WASHINGTON SEA GRANT DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION • 10-YEAR ROADMAP

Terms and Definitions

Roadmap Format

Diversity: Demographic representation and appre-

The Roadmap is formatted in three main constructs.

ciation of individual, social, economic, and cultural

First, we have identified thirteen goals for WSG to

differences. WSG embraces individuals of all ages,

advance in our DEI efforts within the next ten years

races, ethnicities, national origins, gender identities,

(see table, following page). Second, we have estab-

sexual orientations, abilities, cultures, religions,

lished a set of strategies that align with working

citizenship statuses, marital statuses, education lev-

toward each goal. Finally, we developed a set of out-

els, job classifications, veteran status, income, and

comes based on what we would expect to see when

socioeconomic statuses.

we achieve our goal through the outlined strategies.

Equity: A state, quality, or ideal of being fair and just. WSG provides all individuals and communities with the opportunity to participate in and have access to WSG programs, and to be heard in decision-making processes. WSG is committed to fair and just opportunities for all persons. WSG works to challenge and respond to bias, harassment and discrimination. Inclusion: A state, quality, or ideal of being a part of a group or structure where the inherent worth and dignity of all people are recognized and respected.

We have also identified whether we would expect to accomplish an outcome in the short, mid, or longterm. The goals, strategies and outcomes are arranged in sections that reflect the work areas of WSG: staff and organizational processes; outreach programs; research; education, fellowships, and workforce development; and communications. Washington Sea Grant recognizes the critical work of the WSG Diversity, Equity and Inclusion 10-year Roadmap authors:

WSG is committed to building inclusive programs

Melissa Watkinson

Melissa Poe

that serve people with unique backgrounds, needs,

Karen Morrill-McClure

Kate Litle

perspectives, and ways of knowing. WSG cultivates

Nicole Faghin

a sense of belonging among all staff, partners, and communities served.

As well as the remaining WSG DEI workgroup members for their input and review: Jeff Adams, Jackson

Underserved/Underrepresented: Underserved com-

Blalock, Russell Callender, Meg Chadsey, Katy Curtis,

munities and individuals are those that have expe-

Emily Grason, Eileen Herman, Samantha Larson, Amy

rienced low levels of access to WSG programming,

Linhart, Nancy Nguyen, Deborah Purce, Alex Stote and

while underrepresented communities and individu-

Maile Sullivan.

als refer to persons for whom representation in WSG programs is smaller than that of the general population. This includes people of color, immigrants and refugees, Indigenous peoples, people with disabilities, people within the LGBTQ+ community, and low-income people.

Thank you to the remaining WSG leadership and staff for participating in the strategy development and review of the Roadmap, to the WSG communications team for helping to make the Roadmap accessible and available for all audiences, and Robyn Ricks for designing the Roadmap icons.

List of Acronyms DEI – Diversity, equity and inclusion TLK – Traditional and local knowledge WA – Washington State WSG – Washington Sea Grant UU – Underserved/underrepresented UW – University of Washington The DEI Workgroup is comprised of more than half of WSG staff, including those pictured here. Clockwise: Melissa Watkinson, Russell Callender, Maile Sullivan, Melissa Poe, Karen Morrill-McClure, Meg Chadsey, Deborah Purce, Kate Litle

WASHINGTON SEA GRANT DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION • 10-YEAR ROADMAP

WSG Staff and Organizational Processes

SG works within an ocean and coastal environment that strongly influences the state’s economy, culture, and residents. WSG works actively with communities, managers,

and businesses to strengthen understanding and encourage sustainable use of the region’s resources. WSG’s commitment to DEI includes transforming the internal culture and practices across the organization to better conduct our work across Washington communities.

WSG commits to DEI in carrying out its vision and values as a practice in organizational excellence. Strategies: ◆

GOAL

Outcomes: ◆

core value and philosophy (short-term). ◆

committed to the implementation of the DEI 10-year

ues statement, and ensures that these values are ities. ◆

and leadership. ◆

WSG creates, adopts and implements a 10-year Roadmap.

◆

and advisory committee members. WSG leadership supports and encourages engagement in activities to meaningfully discuss DEI topics. ◆

◆

WSG staff, fellows, students and advisory committee members learn and apply effective practices for engaging diverse populations (mid-term).

◆

WSG staff implement best practices of DEI (midterm).

◆

WSG is recognized locally and nationally as a leader in creating equitable access to resources and opportuni-

WSG invests in and expands DEI-related activities and resources available to staff, fellows, students

◆

Roadmap (short-term).

WSG develops and sustains a DEI workgroup that invites and includes participation from WSG staff

WSG has a core group of staff, including participation from the leadership team, who are

WSG creates a robust and visible DEI vision and valintegrated across organizational programs and activ-

WSG’s mission and strategic plan reflects DEI as a

ties across WA’s diverse communities (long-term). ◆

WSG is a leading organization on environmental justice and DEI-related projects in marine and maritime issues, and a trusted partner for community-based organizations (long-term).

WSG DEI workgroup creates and maintains a DEI best practices guide for staff, develops a process to share feedback, and WSG leadership encourages staff to adopt those DEI best practices.

Above: SSEC Committee - The Advisory Committee members of the Salish Sea Equity and Justice Symposium. Right: SSEC Keystone - Keystone Speaker, Hannah Wilson, at the Salish Sea Equity and Justice Symposium, November 2019.

WASHINGTON SEA GRANT DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION • 10-YEAR ROADMAP

WSG is welcoming and inclusive. Strategies: ◆

WSG staff engages in best practices

2 GOAL

of active listening and engagement, and adopts

WSG attracts, retains and advances a diverse workforce and leadership. Strategies: ◆

inclusive and respectful DEI terms and guidelines. ◆

◆

WSG develops community guidelines to outline best

◆

strategies to recruit and retain employees from UU

our DEI values and commitments.

communities.

WSG shares community guidelines with partners

◆

promoting and advancing WSG staff. ◆

staff contact materials such as email signature lines,

work. ◆

mission critical functions and maintain healthy

Land acknowledgement framework and, when

workloads. ◆

microaggressions.

WSG DEI workgroup researches and implements diverse welcoming practices and seek solutions to barriers for broader participation. WSG leadership recognizes the importance of taking time for reflection on our individual work and its

◆

WSG prioritizes venues that are accessible, safe and inclusive of all peoples.

Outcomes: ◆

term). ◆

WSG hiring managers are connected to and able to reach networks and institutions that serve UU communities (short-term).

WSG staff, fellows, students, advisory committee members, and program participants (current and

◆

Recruitment strategies, including within job announcements and communication products, raise

future) feel that WSG is a space where they belong

awareness of WSG employment opportunities to UU

(short-term).

communities (mid-term).

WSG staff build intentional relationships with Indigenous communities and recognize traditional

◆

Communities and individuals who have not previously engaged with WSG feel welcome and included (long-term). WSG staff have the tools to make their work more inclusive and welcoming through an equity lens

Other institutions look to WSG as a model for DEI hiring and as a safe and inclusive workplace culture

knowledge systems (mid-term).

◆

WSG generates an understanding of techniques to attract a more diverse pool of applicants (short-

Outcomes:

◆

WSG recruits advisory committee members from UU communities.

alignment with WSG DEI values.

◆

WSG identifies and communicates procedures for reporting incidences of bias, harassment, and

and waterways.

◆

WSG has adequate staff capacity to carry out

WSG DEI workgroup creates a culturally respectful

acknowledging the Indigenous stewards of the land

◆

WSG cultivates an inclusive workplace climate where all staff are able to bring their whole selves to

appropriate, WSG staff begin meetings by

◆

WSG develops clear and transparent procedures for

WSG leadership encourages staff to add pronouns to name tags, website profiles and business cards.

◆

WSG develops hiring guidelines with specific

practices for inclusive engagement and that reflect

inclusive engagement.

◆

WSG leadership utilizes UW’s Staff Diversity Hiring Toolkit in all new hire opportunities.

and encourages them to adopt best practices for ◆

3 GOAL

(long-term). ◆

WSG staff and leadership demographics reflect the diverse communities of WA (long-term).

◆

WSG advisory committee demographics reflect the diverse communities of WA (long-term)

(long-term).

WASHINGTON SEA GRANT DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION • 10-YEAR ROADMAP

WSG maintains accountability and transparency in its sustained focus on DEI. Strategies: ◆

4 GOAL

WSG supervisors encourage staff to pursue

WSG supports regular training and professional development on various aspects of DEI. Strategies: ◆

and participate in DEI activities, including implementation of DEI guidelines and best

◆

to supporting accessible remote participation.

WSG evaluates and assesses progress towards

◆

meeting DEI Roadmap Goals, advancing equity and reducing inequalities.

◆

WSG DEI workgroup co-chairs create and constituents to provide feedback of WSG’s DEI efforts, and serve as point of contacts to facilitate

for mediation and restorative conflict resolution. ◆

◆

WSG makes its DEI guidelines, strategies and resources available to external partners.

◆

committee members and other close partners. Outcomes: ◆

(short-term). ◆

programs (mid-term). ◆

demonstrate increased DEI awareness (shortterm). ◆

WSG staff who are involved in DEI initiatives receive recognition for their commitment to DEI during their performance review and promotion

WSG staff thrive as a diverse, equitable, and inclusive community through shared language and

WSG has increased capacity to engage in DEI activities and promote DEI best practices across

WSG staff and leadership are aware of DEI professional development opportunities and

WSG regularly collects metrics to evaluate individual and collective progress toward DEI goals

WSG extends DEI training and professional development opportunities to fellows, advisory

Outcomes: ◆

WSG hosts a dedicated physical and digital library of DEI tools, webinars and resources.

National Sea Grant network and UW College of the Environment DEI efforts.

WSG staff develop skills to give and receive feedback on difficult DEI topics, and improve tools

organizational response efforts. WSG identifies at least one staff to participate in

WSG dedicates time at staff meetings for progress toward DEI Roadmap goals.

promote a process for internal and external WSG

◆

WSG provides training and professional development opportunities to all staff, and commits

work plans.

◆

Staff are encouraged to spend at least 30 minutes per week on self-led DEI learning.

practices, and include DEI action strategies in their ◆

5 GOAL

understanding of one another (mid-term). ◆

WSG staff, fellows and advisory committee members have the capacity and skills to effectively serve and engage with diverse communities (long-term).

processes (mid-term). ◆

WSG has tools and information to support continuous improvement and progress toward DEI goals (mid-term).

◆

WSG cultivates and builds on relationships with networks and organizations that represent UU communities (long-term).

SSEC Panel - panelists speaking at the Salish Sea Equity and Justice Symposium in November 2019.

WASHINGTON SEA GRANT DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION • 10-YEAR ROADMAP

WSG Outreach Programs

SG provides scientific and technical information for use by coastal and marine communities. Our outreach programs connect Washington residents to research,

information, and practical tools for sustainably using, managing, and enjoying our ocean and coastal resources.

WSG provides programming that facilitates sound, science-based decision-making that supports equal access to relevant scientific information.

6 GOAL

◆

WA’s diverse communities look to WSG as an organization that reflects their voices and priorities (long-term).

◆

WSG programs are aligned with the needs and wants of diverse communities across WA (longterm).

Strategies: ◆

WSG outreach staff participates in a WSG-led assessment of the demographics of communities who are currently served and identifies gaps in delivering extension and outreach services to

WSG provides programming that facilitates sound, place-based decision-making based on relevant traditional and local knowledge.

a broad range of people, and specifically in UU ◆

communities.

Strategies:

WSG increases partnerships and programming with

◆

tribal nations. ◆

outreach products.

WSG staff develops partnerships with marine ◆

the diversity of WA communities, including UU communities.

◆

WSG develops a standard process for evaluating could be incorporated into the program. WSG outreach programs incorporate appropriate language and content that is accessible to diverse WSG outreach staff dedicate focused time for training and discussion on DEI topics related to

exchange across TLK and Western sciences. Outcomes: ◆

WSG staff participate in one new event per year to engage with UU communities.

information (long-term). ◆

WSG programs provide opportunities for WA communities to increase cross-cultural understanding (long-term).

◆

A broader diversity of community members has appropriate access to TLK (long term).

Outcomes: ◆

WSG programs provide opportunities for WA communities to appropriately access TLK

their program areas. ◆

WSG staff partner with organizations that understand and share in cross-cultural knowledge

audiences. ◆

WSG staff actively seek opportunities that combine Western science and other knowledge systems.

WSG programs to identify how DEI principles are or ◆

WSG staff develops and uses a method for appropriately including TLK in WSG programs and

science and marine policy organizations that reflect

◆

7 GOAL

A broader diversity of communities and individuals have access to relevant scientific information (midterm).

◆

UU communities have equitable access and opportunities to WSG programs (long-term).

WASHINGTON SEA GRANT DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION • 10-YEAR ROADMAP

WSG Research

SG engages in two types of research. WSG staff often participate in research programs that are led by WSG researchers or partnering organizations, typically by providing

scientific or technical knowledge or expertise. WSG also funds research that is led by external researchers and partner organizations through a bi-annual request for proposals.

WSG leads research and scholarship that addresses topics of value to diverse communities and includes interdisciplinary scientific approaches and multiple ways of knowing.

8 GOAL

Strategies: ◆

◆

addresses environmental justice and DEI-related issues. ◆

diversity among applicants and communities served.

and microaggressions. ◆

particular emphasis on UU individuals and early

UU communities.

career scientists.

WSG staff seek opportunities to conduct research

Outcomes:

that more broadly reflects community-identified

◆

including those that have been UU in prior research portfolios, are aware of and apply for WSG research

intentionally addresses environmental justice and

opportunities (short-term). ◆

Outcomes:

environment (mid-term).

Diverse stakeholders are engaged in WSG internal ◆

WSG research and program development funding is inclusive of diverse and UU awardees. Strategies:

WSG-funded researchers include members from UU communities (mid-term).

Diverse communities’ needs and priorities are addressed in WSG internal research (long-term).

◆

WSG-funded research is responsive to diverse community needs, particularly as they relate to the

research (long-term). ◆

Diverse institutions, researchers and students,

WSG encourages that internal research DEI-related issues.

◆

WSG seeks out diverse and inclusive reviewers with

values of a broad range of people, and specifically

priorities and values. ◆

WSG provides training for staff and reviewers on issues relevant to inclusivity, including implicit bias

WSG staff participates in a WSG-led assessment of the WSG internal research portfolio to identify gaps

◆

WSG Request for Proposals and Program Development grant opportunities encourage

◆

in topics and methods that reflect priorities and

WSG encourages funded research that intentionally

◆

WSG-funded research has increased participation of diverse institutions, researchers and students (long-term).

GOAL

◆

WSG-funded investigators conduct research on topics that address diverse communities’ needs and priorities (long-term).

WSG staff participates in a WSG-led assessment of the demographic characteristics of people and institutions who have applied for funding or who have been funded, and identifies actions to broaden the range of people engaged and funded.

◆

WSG Request for Proposals and Program Development grant opportunities encourage research that more broadly reflects communityidentified priorities and values.

2019 WSG Staff

WASHINGTON SEA GRANT DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION • 10-YEAR ROADMAP

WSG Education, Fellowships and Workforce Development

SG provides training and education programs for all ages, including K-12. WSG funds and coordinates fellowships for undergraduate and graduate students, recent graduates,

and early career scientists. WSG funds and coordinates marine workforce development programs to enhance the future employment opportunities in maritime industry and labor.

WSG trains and educates an environmentally literate and informed public that is inclusive and reflective of diverse populations.

10 GOAL

WSG professional development and fellowship programs prepare the next generation of decisionmakers and environmental professionals that is reflective of diverse populations.

11 GOAL

Strategies: ◆

◆

WSG staff participates in a WSG-led assessment

Strategies:

to identify the beneficiaries and locations of WSG

◆

education programs and identifies gaps in reaching

to identify the beneficiaries and locations of WSG

UU participants.

professional development and fellowship programs,

WSG staff expand education and training programs

funding strategies and resources, and identifies gaps in reaching UU participants.

to be more inclusive and representative of UU populations, including tribal communities. ◆

WSG education and training programs are promoted and offered in locations of UU populations.

◆

WSG staff participates in a WSG-led assessment

WSG incorporates DEI best practices in all education and training programs.

◆

WSG staff assists in recruiting and placing recent graduates and early career professionals from UU communities into internships, fellowships, and jobs in marine science and marine policy that are inclusive and equitable.

Outcomes: ◆

WSG education programs and materials include content that is representative of a broader and more inclusive population (midterm).

◆

WSG education programs and materials are accessed by a broader and more diverse population (long-term).

NOAA WSG Science Camp

WASHINGTON SEA GRANT DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION • 10-YEAR ROADMAP

WSG prepares a marine workforce that is inclusive and reflective of diverse populations. Strategies: ◆

12 GOAL

WSG staff participate in a WSG-led assessment of the demographic characteristics of people currently served, and identifies and addresses existing gaps in training provided to UU workers in the marine workforce.

◆

WSG training is intentionally promoted and offered to UU workers.

◆

of UU workers.

WSG creates a marine policy fellowship program that recruits, retains, and engages recent graduates

◆

WSG staff provides mentorship and access to career

WSG collaborates with and supports efforts by marine industry, maritime labor organizations, and

and early career scientists from UU communities. ◆

WSG funds and supports marine workforce development programs that advance the inclusion

2015-16 WSG Marc Hershman Marine Policy Fellows

tribal partners to diversify the marine workforce.

development resources and alumni services to

Outcomes:

undergraduates, recent graduates, fellows, and

◆

UU communities have access to and participate in

early career professionals from UU communities.

WSG-sponsored workforce development activities

WSG staff provide resources and training to

(mid-term).

workforce partners and fellowship hosts to prepare them to better support and mentor early career

◆

The marine workforce reflects a broader and more diverse population (long-term).

professionals from UU communities. Outcomes: ◆

A broader and more diverse population benefit from WSG professional development and fellowship programs (mid-term).

◆

Early career marine science and policy professionals are more diverse (long-term).

2019 WSG Staff

WASHINGTON SEA GRANT DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION • 10-YEAR ROADMAP

WSG Communications

SG Communications supports the Sea Grant mission by creating and disseminating information on marine research, outreach and education programs and contributing

valuable communications skills. Communications products include, but are not limited to, public relations, print and digital newsletters, fact sheets, whitepapers, websites, blog sites, social media, radio, branded signage, and video. The WSG Communications team aims to use an equity lens throughout the production of WSG communications, giving intentional consideration to the inclusion and representation of diverse backgrounds in visual and written communications.

WSG Communications create and support cross-cultural, equitable and accessible information pertaining to the marine environment.

13 GOAL

◆

WSG communications staff create a process for gathering staff feedback on WSG products and communications to better reflect our DEI values, including periodic review sessions and welcoming input into the internal communications design process.

Strategies: ◆

◆

other languages.

WSG communications staff participate in a WSGled assessment of the demographics currently

◆

served and WSG communications products. ◆

WSG communications staff conduct audience

Outcomes:

research of UU audiences, and other communities

◆

products, such as the website and Sea Star newsletter.

two Sea Star articles per year (mid-term). ◆

WSG communications staff designs and maintains a website accessible to all audiences.

A broader and more diverse audience is aware of WSG’s portfolio of work (mid-term).

◆

WSG staff ensure future digital communications are

WSG communication products are culturally respectful and responsive, and are made available to

accessible, and will create a plan to examine past digital content for accessibility.

WA’s diverse communities and perspectives engaged in WSG’s programs are featured in at least

communications needs for WSG content and

◆

WSG communications recruit and feature content from diverse perspectives.

not currently being reached, to identify their

◆

WSG creates a plan to provide outreach materials in

a diverse audience (long-term). ◆

WSG websites and digital communications are accessible to people with differing abilities (long-term).

For more information, please visit the WSG Diversity, Equity and Inclusion website https://wsg.washington.edu/about-wsg/ For questions or comments related to WSG’s progress toward our DEI commitments, please contact Russell Callendar, WSG Director, at email WRC4@uw.edu Additional Resources University of Washington Diversity Blueprint https://www.washington.edu /diversity/diversity-blueprint/ National Sea Grant Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Community of Practice seagrant.noaa.gov/insideseagrant/Implementation/Network-Visioning /DiversityInclusion 8

Washington Sea Grant College of the Environment University of Washington Box 355060 3716 Brooklyn Avenue NE Seattle, WA 98105-6716

WASHINGTON SEA GRANT DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION • 10-YEAR ROADMAP

Washington Sea Grant Briefing Book National Site Visit November 5–7, 2019

Contents University of Washington 3716 Brooklyn Avenue NE Seattle, WA 98105-6716 seagrant@uw.edu wsg.uw.edu

I. Program Overview...........................................................................................................................1 II. Program Management and Organization........................................................................................2 Leadership and Organization .........................................................................................................2 Advisory Committee........................................................................................................................3 Program Setting and Support.........................................................................................................3 Recruiting Talent Through Competitive Proposals .........................................................................5 III. Stakeholder Engagement................................................................................................................7 Working with Partners and Stakeholders........................................................................................7 Key Partnership and Stakeholder Organizations.............................................................................9 IV. Sea Grant Network and NOAA Collaborations.............................................................................10 Joint and Regional Sea Grant Projects ........................................................................................10 NOAA Partnerships.......................................................................................................................10 Success in Sea Grant National Competitions...............................................................................10 V. Performance..................................................................................................................................11 Leadership.....................................................................................................................................11 Productivity....................................................................................................................................12 Healthy Coastal Ecosystems ...................................................................................................13 Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture....................................................................................15 Resilient Communities and Economies ...................................................................................18 Ocean Literacy and Workforce Development...........................................................................21 Program Changes Resulting from the 2015 Review.....................................................................24

I. Program Overview

n 1971, the University of Washington (UW) became one of the first four institutions nationwide to be designated as a Sea Grant College. Today, Washington Sea Grant (WSG) continues to serve a variety of communities that live and depend on the state’s uniquely diverse and productive ocean and coasts. These coastal areas strongly influence the state’s demographics, culture and economy. After all, almost 80 percent of Washington’s seven million residents live within its 15 coastal counties, and the population of its most urbanized portion — the Puget Sound Basin — is projected to grow from about 4.8 million today to more than 5.7 million in 2030. While this rapid growth in urban areas poses inevitable environmental challenges, other coastal communities in the state have very different needs. Washington’s Pacific coast is sparsely populated, characterized by small fishing towns, wilderness areas and tribal lands. These tribes — as well as the other tribes within the state — are deeply tied to the marine environment. In fact, the 29 federally-recognized Native American tribes and two intertribal commissions within Washington co-manage the state’s coastal marine resources. WSG serves Washington, the Pacific Northwest and the nation by funding marine research and working with communities, managers, businesses and the public to strengthen understanding and sustainable use of the region’s unique

ocean and coastal resources. WSG-supported researchers are at the scientific forefront on topics of vital regional concern, from salmon genetics and climate impacts on fish populations to the effects of ocean acidification on cultured oysters. WSG research is also working to develop better ecosystem models for shellfish aquaculture impacts, predict harmful algal blooms, prepare communities for tsunamis and track the response of blockaded fish runs to the largest dam removals in U.S. history. But such research remains an academic enterprise if its findings are not communicated for use by the ocean research community, marine industry, natural resource managers and the public. WSG’s wide-ranging outreach services work to bridge the knowledge gap, developing practical tools for managing and sustainably using ocean and coastal resources. WSG outreach staff have supported numerous projects that have been put to practical use, from translating boating fleet and sales data to help inform marina planning decisions, to research that identified ways to successfully avoid seabird bycatch in longline fisheries. WSG’s services reach Washingtonians of every age and outlook, from middle and high school students and families with young children to recreational boaters, marina operators, shellfish growers and harvesters, commercial fishermen (both tribal and nontribal), builders and homeowners, seafood and boat vendors, resource managers, and local, state, federal and tribal officials.

II. Program Management and Organization LEADERSHIP AND ORGANIZATION

aintaining a high-quality, multifaceted program such as WSG requires flexible and efficient leadership, coordination and management. WSG’s leadership establishes and implements operations frameworks, oversees the allocation of resources, and provides quality control and accountability. The team identifies emerging issues and opportunities to strategically invest Sea Grant staff time and fiscal resources and fosters relationships, including those within the university and with other educational institutions; tribal, local, state and federal agencies; business and industry; other marine-oriented organizations; and the public. WSG leadership is committed to supplying the administrative, technical and financial tools to staff, students and investigators that are needed to ensure the best use of their capabilities. These objectives have provided the foundation for WSG’s success and will continue to ensure that the program will thrive and provide positive impact at university, state, regional and national levels for decades to come. At the same time, since 2014 WSG’s leadership and overall organization have undergone some significant changes. WSG celebrated the work of staff who moved on to their next chapter and welcomed new faces — including a new director — who have brought fresh energy and ideas. Some positions were redefined to better suit the program’s needs. We believe all of these changes have made WSG a stronger, more effective program. Building on the foundation of an organizational assessment that WSG conducted in partnership with the UW Organizational Efficiency Initiative (OEI) in 2012 and 2013, WSG continued to refine program structure and process to improve efficiency and effectiveness. For example, WSG organized outreach staff into program teams of about five to eight members, with a designated team lead, that met once a month to increase cross-program communications. The team leads met with WSG leadership monthly, as well, providing a conduit to increase communication between staff and leadership. The program team structure was evaluated in 2017, and teams were relaunched in 2018 to include all non-leadership team staff. New team leads were also selected. In response to the OEI assessment, WSG hired Brian Kirk in 2014 for a newly created Associate Director position, a role that combined the responsibility of looking inward across the organization to ensure smooth overall operations with the oversight of WSG’s advisory services. Ultimately, this proved to be too wide a scope for one single position. Kirk moved on to another opportunity, and WSG seized the opportunity to hire Paul Dye in 2016 as the Assistant Director for Outreach, a role that focuses on WSG’s outreach team, with the rest of the previous associate director’s responsibilities spread out amongst the entire leadership team. Dye came to WSG with Washington Sea Grant

Briefing Book

a deep knowledge of the organization as he previously served on its advisory committee and has been a great asset to the organization as a member of the leadership team. Other changes in leadership and organization also occurred. Administrator Gwyn Hinton retired in 2017, and after an open, competitive hiring process, Katy Curtis was hired to fill the role. In response to the increasing complexity of federal, state and university grants and contracts, the administrative team was enhanced by hiring Trinh Vo in 2016 as the Grant and Fiscal Officer. Notably, Penny Dalton, WSG’s Director of 12 years, retired in 2018. Assistant Director for Programs Kate Litle served as Interim Director while Lisa Graumlich, Dean of the UW College of the Environment, assembled a nine-member search committee to identify a leader who would enhance and further WSG’s reputation and position as a national and international collaborator in learning, research and outreach. Throughout the search, the committee actively sought and considered input from all WSG constituents, including staff, government, industry and NGO partners. By the end of the evaluation process, Russell Callender clearly emerged as the best candidate. Today, a five-member leadership team guides WSG, meeting weekly to discuss program needs and maintain integrated management across program components. The team brings together a wide range of expertise. Responsibilities and backgrounds are summarized below: ◆

Director Russell Callender is responsible for overall leadership and direction, management and administration of WSG; collaboration and integration at the university, state, regional and national levels; and final oversight of all staff. Previously, Callender built a career providing executive leadership to complex scientific and operational organizations, supervising up to 1,700 people across the globe. Most recently, he was Assistant Administrator for NOAA’s National Ocean Service, where he transformed the organization by unifying the senior executive leadership team, streamlining program execution, and developing and communicating new program priorities to staff and stakeholders. He has a doctoral degree in geology from Texas A&M University and a master’s and bachelor’s degree in geology from Stephen F. Austin State University.

◆

Assistant Director for Outreach Paul Dye guides WSG’s outreach program by supervising and mentoring our outreach specialists and liaising with outreach partners. He also discerns emerging areas for improvement in existing programs and determines the appropriate approach to ensure results. Dye has more than 30 years of experience in the conservation field, spanning protection and restoration of bottomland hardwood forests, subtropical coral reefs, and marine habitats of the Pacific Northwest. Previously, he worked for The Nature Conservancy’s Seattle office as

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Director of Marine Conservation for Washington. Dye has a bachelor’s degree in biology from Gustavus Adolphus College and a master’s degree in biology from Northern Illinois University. ◆

Assistant Director for Programs Kate Litle is responsible for program planning and reporting. She oversees WSG competitive processes, including research and program development grants, and coordinates integration of WSG program components. Litle joined the leadership team in 2015, following six years at WSG as a citizen science specialist working to connect volunteer efforts with regional research, monitoring and management needs. Before joining WSG in 2009, she managed a number of UW research programs, including the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST). Litle holds a bachelor’s degree in biology and environmental policy from Colby College and a master’s degree in marine affairs from the UW.

◆

Assistant Director for Communications MaryAnn Wagner is responsible for WSG’s diverse communications program, conducting planning and implementation of all communications activities and supervising an expert team. Activities may range from website development and publication production to media relations and marketing in support of outreach and research projects. Wagner joined WSG in late 2014, after more than 15 years as Communications Director for a variety of non-profit education organizations, including Seattle’s classical KING FM public radio station, the UW’s Burke Museum, the Frye Art Museum and the Museum of History and Industry. Wagner is a UW graduate with a degree in journalism and communications and a certificate in technical editing.

◆

Administrator Katy Curtis provides leadership and management for all business and operational activities, including human resources, grant administration, fiscal compliance and control, and facilities. She prepares budgets and financial analyses, tracks spending and expenditures, verifies and documents cost share, and makes sure that WSG staff have what they need to do their jobs. Curtis joined WSG in 2017 after five years working for the City of Seattle and nine years working with the UW. She has a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Seattle University and a master’s degree in public administration from the UW.

ADVISORY COMMITTEE

SG’s advisory committee brings together leaders from diverse program areas, state geographies and sectors who can provide a variety of perspectives to guide program direction, priorities and resources investments. WSG leadership especially seeks the advisory committee’s insight during key planning periods. For example, the advisory committee met multiple times during the process of developing the 2014-2018 and 2018-2022 strategic plans, providing Washington Sea Grant

Briefing Book

valuable input as they reflected on feedback received from hundreds of stakeholders via an online survey. While the committee strives to meet twice a year, during the Director transition period, engagement with the board declined. WSG’s new Director is working to reconstitute a new advisory committee and is developing an advisory committee charter that outlines committee involvement, structure, process and engagement to increase effectiveness.

PROGRAM SETTING AND SUPPORT

eadquartered at the UW in Seattle, WSG is now one of 16 core units within the UW College of the Environment (CoEnv). This home base provides access to one of the nation’s leading research universities and particularly enables the program to draw upon the college’s academic strengths in fisheries, marine science, engineering and policy. WSG’s Director reports to the CoEnv Dean and has university-wide responsibility for marine research and outreach (Figure 1). The Director is part of CoEnv’s Executive Committee, participating in monthly meetings with the other department chairs that foster opportunities for collaboration across the college. WSG also engages other state educational institutions with compatible research and education missions and has been successful over the past few years in engaging researchers and students from a wider diversity of institutions across the state. Since 2014, research and fellowship programs have supported scientists and students at UW; UW Bothell; Western Washington University; Washington State University Pullman, Vancouver and Puyallup campuses; Evergreen State College; and Seattle Central College. In addition, advisory services staff regularly consult and share offices and teaching responsibilities with colleagues at Grays Harbor and Peninsula Colleges, WSU Jefferson Extension, WSU Kitsap Extension and the Puget Sound Institute at the Center for Urban Waters at UW Tacoma.

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ANA MARI CAUCE UW President

MARK RICHARDS UW Provost

LISA GRAUMLICH

Dean UW College of the Environment

RUSSELL CALLENDER*

WSG ADVISORY COMMITTEE

Director

KATY CURTIS*

PAUL DYE*

Administrator

Assistant Director for Outreach

EILEEN HERMAN*

Administrative Assistant

KATE LITLE*

MARYANN WAGNER*

Assistant Director for Programs

Assistant Director for Communications

DEBORAH PURCE*

SAMANTHA LARSON*

MAILE SULLIVAN*

Web Information Specialist • 0.7 FTE

Science Writer • 0.6 FTE

Fellowships and Research Specialist • 0.8 FTE

TRINH VO*

Grant and Fiscal Officer

KAREN MORRILL-MCCLURE*

Marine Education Specialist • 0.7 FTE

FIONA LEE*

ROBYN RICKS*

Program Specialist

Creative Director

COASTAL COMMUNITIES

ECOSYSTEMS

Team Lead: Kevin Decker

Team Lead: Aaron Barnett

SUE BLAKE

JEFF ADAMS

Water Resource Educator

Marine Ecologist

KEVIN DECKER

AARON BARNETT

Marine Outreach Specialist

NICOLE FAGHIN*

Team Lead: Teri King

TERI KING

Aquaculture/Water Quality Specialist

SARAH FISKEN

Boating Program Specialist

Marine Operations Specialist • 0.8 FTE

MEG CHADSEY*

BRENT VADOPALAS

Coastal Management Specialist

Ocean Acidification Specialist**0.7 FTE

CARRIE GARRISON-LANEY*

EMILY GRASON*

IAN MILLER

MELISSA POE*

Coastal Hazards Specialist **

FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE

Aquaculture Specialist

Marine Ecologist

Coastal Hazards Specialist

Social Scientist***

*Seattle office UW Administration

BRIDGET TROSIN

Coastal Policy Specialist

Administration Communications Education

MELISSA WATKINSON Social Scientist

Leadership Team Outreach

JACKSON BLALOCK

Community Engagement Specialist

**PMEL Liaison ***NWFSC Liaison FIGURE 1. WSG ORGANIZATIONAL CHART

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Over the years, UW has remained a supportive home and strong advocate for WSG. UW has committed matching funds to help WSG meet the federal requirement over the next four years. In addition, for all parts of WSG’s 2014–2018 and 2018– 2022 omnibus proposals, except on-campus research, a 26 percent off-campus indirect rate has been applied, permitting waived indirect costs generated by the arrangement to be counted as cost share. The CoEnv also continues to contribute to the general operating budget. This shared contribution of resources has worked well in maintaining stable university support. In order to maintain a vibrant and responsive program in an era of relatively flat federal and university resources, WSG has more actively pursued opportunities to diversify and increase funding from other sources (Figure 2). Since 2014, WSG has successfully garnered more than one million dollars per year from other federal, state and local sources. This additional funding from federal competitions, state agencies, tribes, local governments and NGOs has supported a variety of program activities ranging from fellowships and marine spatial planning to improved boater use of vessel pumpout facilities. WSG experienced a boost in its overall budget in 2014, when the Puget Sound Partnership, a state agency charged with restoration of the Sound, agreed to fund just 8000

RECRUITING TALENT THROUGH COMPETITIVE PROPOSALS WSG sets priorities for research and other program activities through a strategic planning process that relies heavily on input from staff, the advisory committee and constituents. The program priorities established in the 2014–2018 and 2018– 2022 strategic plans were developed through staff interviews with key constituents, meetings with the research community and the advisory committee, and hundreds of responses to an online survey. This information was then sorted and structured to align with and contribute to the National Sea Grant College Program’s strategic plan. WSG’s resulting strategic plans are organized into four interrelated critical program areas that guide the competitive research process: Healthy Coastal Ecosystems, Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, Resilient Communities and Economies, and Ocean Literacy and Workforce Development (see page 12 for more information on the WSG program areas and goals). WSG request for proposals (RFPs) also encourage investigators to align proposals with research priorities identified by state, regional, tribal and national organizations such as the Puget Sound Partnership Biennial Science Work Plan, Washington State Blue Ribbon Panel on Ocean Acidification, and the NOAA Next Generation Strategic Plan. In some years, the RFP has provided direction to increase program investments in specific program areas. In 2015, for example, WSG invited proposals to support the Washington maritime workforce initiative, calling for pilot projects that define career pathways, develop curricula and programs, and use innovative approaches for recruitment and training (read more about these programs on page 23).

7000 6000 5000 Dollars (Thousands)

over a third of five research projects. While this diversified approach has resulted in relatively stable program funding of approximately $7 million each year, including cost share, it requires increased effort to manage a more complex portfolio and continue to be successful in securing additional funds on an annual basis.

4000 3000 2000 1000 0

2014

2015

2016

2017

Research Cost Share

Other (NGO, Tribal, Local Govt.)

Other Federal

State Agency

SG Nat’l Comps and Fellowships

State

NSGO

In 2013, in addition to WSG’s biennial RFP, the four West Coast Sea Grant programs conducted a joint regional competition for social science projects involving at least two state programs. Each of the programs committed a small portion of their state funding and divided up the administrative responsibilities for the grant review process. While the regional scope, limited funding and interstate participation requirements were challenging and complicated for investigators, the competition did increase Sea Grant visibility within the social science community and provided support for some really excellent projects.

FIGURE 2. SOURCES OF WSG FUNDING Washington Sea Grant

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In its review process, WSG applies five criteria to evaluate projects at the preliminary and full-proposal stages. These criteria are: project contribution, technical and scientific merit, quality of engagement plan, qualifications of applicants and project costs. Competitive projects are selected using a multi-step application and review process: 1. The RFP is widely distributed within the state. WSG convenes a review panel to evaluate preliminary proposals and recommend the most promising projects for development of a full proposal.

Program development projects are funded to allow relatively rapid response to unique issues and opportunities as they arise. Such projects have relatively modest budgets, and although they are not competitively awarded, they are fully reviewed before being funded. WSG funded eight program development projects between 2014–2017, totaling more than $100,000. Examples include: ◆

A Washington State University Department of Anthropology doctoral student project comparing the genetic structures of current salmon populations with upper Columbia basin Chinook salmon from 7,000 years ago, using ancient DNA from museum specimens. Project results confirmed that genetic diversity is lower in contemporary samples than in ancient counterparts.

◆

Support for quadrennial zooplankton surveys in estuaries from Washington to Northern California, extending a dataset begun in 1992 to monitor the presence and spread of invasive zooplankton species. The recent surveys discovered one new invasive species in California, and the full dataset will be used to develop a predictive model of when and where to find invasive copepods in Pacific Northwest estuaries.

◆

Development of a new online submission form and data visualization map for Otter Spotter, a Woodland Park Zoo citizen science program, to promote reporting of river otter sightings in Washington. The project also included the creation of a high-quality identification guide that helps users distinguish river otters from other local semi-aquatic animals.

2. At least three external reviewers provide written evaluations for each submitted and complete full proposal, and investigators are given the opportunity to respond to reviewer comments. 3. WSG convenes a technical review panel covering, to the extent possible, the range of disciplines suggested in the full proposals. Panel members are provided with copies of the proposal, external reviews and investigator responses to those reviews. The panel discusses each proposal and develops funding recommendations. 4. Blinded summaries of proposals that are recommended for funding are then provided to members of the advisory committee who assess projects based on their regional importance. 5. WSG reviews the available information and makes final decisions on projects for inclusion in the omnibus grant funding cycle. Selected proposals may be returned to applicants for revisions prior to submission to the National Sea Grant Office. Competitive research program statistics are included in Table 1.

TABLE 1. COMPETITIVE RESEARCH RESULTS — PROJECTS, INSTITUTIONS AND INVESTIGATORS

2013

2015

2017

Preliminary Preposals - Number of preliminary preposals

- Number of institutions (for PIs and Co-PIs)

Full Proposals - Number of full proposals

- Number of institutions (for PIs and Co-PIs)

115 (275)

87 (253)

90 (279)

- Number of reviews received (number of reviewers contacted)

New and Continuing Projects and Recruitment of PIs - New projects

- Continuing projects

- Number of PIs and Co-PIs funded

- Number of new PIs and Co-PIs funded

- Number of institutions (for PIs and Co-PIs)

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III. Stakeholder Engagement WORKING WITH PARTNERS AND STAKEHOLDERS

STRENGTHENING STATE AGENCY PARTNERSHIPS ◆

As part of the state agency team tasked with developing the marine spatial plan for Washington’s Pacific coast, WSG has organized workshops, given presentations and engaged hundreds of elected officials, fishermen, coastal residents, industry personnel and scientists in contributing to the plan.

◆

WSG works with Washington State Parks to manage and conduct the Pumpout Washington campaign to encourage boaters to pumpout their sewage and improve pumpout infrastructure across the state. The annual amount of sewage diverted from Washington waters has more than doubled since the program’s inception.

◆

Partnering with the Washington State Department of Ecology, WSG has developed a statewide Coastal Hazards Resilience Network to connect researchers, agencies, planners and communities to improve planning for coastal hazards. Building on the success of the Network, WSG and Ecology successfully secured nearly $800,000 in NOAA funding to increase the state’s capacity to prepare for natural hazard events along the coast and shorelines.

SG’s impact extends well beyond the ivory tower. The program’s research and advisory services support a breadth of communities that work and play in Washington’s coastal environments, including commercial fishermen, recreational boaters, citizen scientists and students. Each year WSG holds numerous workshops, classes and activities that train thousands of local residents in becoming Puget Sound stewards through practices like sustainable landscaping and properly disposing of boater sewage. Tens of thousands of people attend annual events like OysterFest, Whatcom Water Weeks and the Kitsap Water Festival, which help to foster connections to Washington’s maritime history and marine ecosystems. This reputation of effectively connecting with communities and stakeholders has been a primary contributor to WSG’s success in forging new partnerships and continuing to expand its programs throughout the state and region. Building on both seasoned and new partnerships, WSG is able to increase the number of stakeholders it can engage and more effectively address community interests. In recent years, WSG has particularly focused on strengthening its partnerships with tribes and agencies. It has also expanded stakeholder engagement through citizen science programs and maintained its responsiveness to industry needs while continuing to prioritize students and training the next generation of marine science and policy professionals. WSG has over 700 partners, including federal, tribal, state and local agencies; businesses and industry groups; academic institutions; NGOs; international organizations; and other Sea Grant programs (Figure 3). A list of key partners and stakeholders is included on page 9. The Productivity section (see page 12) provides a holistic picture of WSG’s stakeholder engagement and key partnerships. Some of the highlights are described in the right column:

PARTNERING WITH TRIBES ◆

WSG has provided training and technical assistance for aquaculture, fishing and seafood processing and marketing for the Lummi, Nisqually, Quileute, Quinault and other tribes, enhancing the value of their seafood products.

◆

Annually since 2014, the Makah Tribe has hosted a Washington Sea Grant Hershman Fellow. The tribe has hired many of these fellows, increasing the tribe’s capacity in marine policy.

◆

WSG partnered with the Squaxin Island Tribe to conduct social science research to explore the risks of ocean acidification to the tribe’s health and well-being. Based on the success of that project, WSG and partners were recently awarded $700,000 by the NOAA Ocean Acidification Program to assess social and ecological vulnerabilities of the Olympic Coast to ocean acidification. The new project includes partners from the Hoh, Makah and Quileute tribes and the Quinault Indian Nation. Sea Grant Aquaculture Initiative funding is supporting a research partnership with the NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center and the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe to develop strategies for farming sablefish on a commercial scale. u

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ENGAGING VOLUNT EERS THROUGH CITIZEN SCIENCE ◆

In response to a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife mandate to monitor for European green crabs along inland Washington shorelines, WSG’s Crab Team was launched in 2015. The program uses citizen science to achieve a much greater scale of monitoring than would otherwise be possible and was successful in detecting the invasion of green crabs into Puget Sound in 2016.

◆

SoundToxins, a volunteer monitoring program initiated by NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center, is co-directed by WSG. State public health and fisheries managers rely on SoundToxins to provide warnings of harmful algal blooms.

◆

WSG worked with the Woodland Park Zoo to develop a marine mammal identification guide for the Otter Spotter citizen science initiative, which helps researchers track restoration in the Lower Duwamish Waterway.

TRAINING THE NEXT GENERATION OF MARINE PROFESSIONALS ◆

WSG partners with UW CoEnv and the Seattle Aquarium to offer Orca Bowl, in which more than 100 high school students converge to put their marine science knowledge to the test.

◆

The Washington Sea Grant Hershman Fellowship places graduate students and recent graduates in state and other partner agencies, including The Makah Tribe, The Nature Conservancy, Olympic National Marine Sanctuary, and Washington State Departments of Ecology and Health.

◆

WSG specialists serve as mentors for undergraduate capstone students from the UW Program on the Environment and other undergraduate internship programs. Capstone and intern opportunities provide undergraduate students with experiences in research and outreach programs.

RESPONDING TO MARINE AND COASTAL INDUSTRY NEEDS ◆

◆

WSG partners with the Washington State Department of Licensing and Northwest Marine Trade Association to provide quarterly and yearly data on in-state boat sales that are unbiased and accessible to the public. These data are used by marinas and boat dealers for planning. For more than 20 years, WSG’s Coast Guard-certified safety training courses have helped Washington fishermen reduce risks by teaching emergency preparedness, fire response, coldwater rescue, first aid, and other safety measures. The courses have been credited with saving lives in multiple fishing vessel accidents. WSG-brokered marine transportation charts make West Coast sea lanes safe and more efficient, reducing conflicts and saving crab fishermen and towboat companies about $2 million each year.

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KEY PARTNERSHIP AND STAKEHOLDER ORGANIZATIONS ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS • Centers for Ocean Science Education Excellence: COSEE-Ocean Learning Communities • Climate Impacts Group • Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean • Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS) • Seattle Maritime Academy, Seattle Central College • The Evergreen State College • University of Washington, Tacoma • Washington Community Colleges: Everett, Grays Harbor, Peninsula, South Seattle • Washington High Schools • Washington State University and WSU Extension • Western Washington University

INTERNATIONAL • • • • • •

Agreement on the Conservation of Albatrosses and Petrels Fisheries and Oceans Canada Japan Tuna Fisheries Cooperative Association Korea Maritime Institute Parks Canada South African Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, Marine and Coastal Management, Pelagic and High Sea Fishery Management Division • Stewardship Centre of British Columbia

FEDERAL AGENCIES • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Alaska Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries Environmental Protection Agency Federal Emergency Management Agency NOAA Ocean Acidification Program Northwest Fisheries Science Center, NOAA Fisheries Northwest Regional Office, NOAA Fisheries Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory Padilla Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary U.S. Department of Agriculture and Western Regional Aquaculture Center U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service U.S. Geological Survey

TRIBES AND INTERTRIBAL COMMISSIONS • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Cle Elum Supplementation and Research Facility, Yakima Tribes Columbia River Intertribal Fish Commission Haida First Nation Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe Lower Elwha Klallam Tribe Lummi Nation Makah Nation Nisqually Tribe Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission Quinault Indian Nation Squaxin Island Tribe Suquamish Tribe Swinomish Tribe Tulalip Tribes

SEA GRANT PROGRAMS • • • • • • • • •

Alaska California Hawaii Maine Michigan Mississippi-Alabama Oregon University of Southern California Virginia

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NONGOVERNMENTAL CONSERVATION AND E DUCATION ORGANIZATIONS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Bainbridge Island Land Trust Clean Marina Partnership Consortium for Ocean Leadership Feiro Marine Life Center Long Live the Kings Northwest Aquatic and Marine Educators Association Northwest Maritime Center Northwest Straits Foundation Pacific Shellfish Institute Port Townsend Marine Science Center Puget Sound Restoration Fund Puget Soundkeeper Alliance Seattle Aquarium The David and Lucille Packard Foundation The Nature Conservancy, Washington Program Vashon Nature Center Woodland Park Zoo

LOCAL AND STATE GOVERNMENTS • Cities of Bellingham, Tacoma, Ocean Shores and other coastal cities • Clallam, Grays Harbor, Jefferson, Kitsap, Mason, Pacific, San Juan, and Snohomish counties and other WA coastal counties • Coastal Marine Resource Committees • Marine Resource Advisory Council • Northwest Straits Commission and County Marine Resources Committees • Numerous ports • Puget Sound Partnership • Washington Coast Marine Advisory Council • Washington State Departments of Commerce, Ecology, Health, Fish and Wildlife, Licensing, Natural Resources, Parks and Recreation, and Transportation • Washington State Governor’s Office • Washington State Legislature • Washington State Ocean Caucus

BUSINESS AND INDUSTRY GROUPS • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

At-Sea Processors Association Baywater Shellfish Company Chelsea Farms Coastal Geologic Services Coast Seafoods Company Columbia River Crab Fishermen’s Association Englund Marine Fishing Vessel Owner’s Association Gig Harbor Boat Shop Hama Hama Oyster Company Lark Restaurant Northwest Marine Trade Association Numerous marinas Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association Pacific Fishery Management Council Penn Cove Shellfish Philips Publishing Taylor Shellfish Terry and Sons Mobile Marine Pumpout Environmental Services Washington Trollers Association West Coast Longline and Trawl Fisheries Willapa Bay Oyster Growers Association

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IV. Sea Grant Network and NOAA Collaborations JOINT AND REGIONAL SEA GRANT PROJECTS

NOAA PARTNERSHIPS

SG frequently collaborates with other Sea Grant programs, especially within the greater Pacific Northwest. In 2015, WSG outreach staff partnered with Oregon Sea Grant as part of the Fishermen Led Injury Prevention Program (FLIPP) to interview hundreds of Dungeness crab fishermen — one of the highest-risk occupations in the United States — to understand common causes of injuries and test ideas to prevent these injuries. WSG also partnered with Oregon Sea Grant in a collaborative project with the West Coast sablefish industry on methods to reduce seabird bycatch in longline fisheries. The two programs additionally worked together to update K-12 curriculum on marine renewable energy and built and distributed 90 wave energy converter kits to classrooms in 2017.

The Seattle region has the highest concentration of NOAA programs and employees outside of its headquarters in Silver Spring, Maryland, offering rich collaborative opportunities. Examples of specific partnerships include: ◆

WSG partners with the national office and local NOAA centers to maintain liaison positions who act as bridges between researchers, stakeholders and decision makers. Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory sponsors a liaison position that is split between two WSG staff — one focused on ocean acidification and the other on tsunamis. WSG and the Northwest Fisheries Science Center maintain a liaison position to build social science capacity in regional marine resource management.

WSG regularly partners with Alaska Sea Grant as well. WSG’s ocean acidification specialist presented at two symposiums organized by Alaska Sea Grant in 2016. The two programs also partnered to publish a new edition of the Fishermen’s Direct Marketing Manual in early 2018, a reference book for commercial fishermen who wish to bypass processes and wholesalers.

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With a grant from NOAA’s Office for Coastal Management, WSG leads the Washington Coastal Resilience Project (WCRP), a consortium of agencies, academic partners and nonprofit organizations that is improving risk communication and capacity for resilience-related actions.

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The Northwest Fisheries Science Center and WSG co-direct SoundToxins, a volunteer monitoring program that provides warnings of harmful algal blooms to proactively minimize human health risks and reduce economic losses.

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The Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary joined as a host office in the Washington Sea Grant Hershman Fellowship Program in 2018.

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WSG-funded research with NOAA partners included a study on the effects of ocean acidification on two ecologically and economically important species of local fishes: coho salmon and sablefish.

WSG participated in two projects as a result of the 2013 West Coast Sea Grant programs joint regional research proposal competition for social science projects. One project, a partnership with University of Southern California Sea Grant, investigated the net economic and environmental impacts of marinas in Southern California and Washington. The other project identified the factors that lead to successful volunteer recruitment and retention for citizen science initiatives, using the Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) as a case study. TABLE 2. SUCCESS IN NATIONAL COMPETITIONS

2014

2015

2016

2017

Knauss Fellows

NMFS-SG Fellows

Aquaculture Research

Aquaculture Extension

Aquaculture Workshops

SUCCESS IN SEA GRANT NATIONAL COMPETITIONS WSG has a record of success in national Sea Grant competitions (Table 2). Since the inception of the Knauss Fellowship, WSG has successfully nominated 92 fellows — among the highest of any program in the Sea Grant network. WSG has also successfully nominated 29 NMFS-Sea Grant Joint Fellows to date. Other national competitions play an important role in specific WSG program areas. For example, Washington’s role as the nation’s top shellfish producer drives strong interest from academic scientists and industry experts in the national Sea Grant aquaculture competitions. From 2014–2017, WSG received 11 national aquaculture awards — eight research awards, one extension and outreach award, and two workshops awards. This has included work that supports Washington’s existing sustainable aquaculture operations, as well as research on new aquaculture endeavors such as farming rock scallops and sablefish.

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V. Performance LEADERSHIP

ver the past 48 years, leadership has been a strength of WSG’s program, where constituents have come to expect the organization’s staff to be familiar with ongoing and emerging marine resource and management issues and to work toward solutions to scientific and resource problems. WSG rises to the occasion, continuing to solidify its place as an intellectual and practical leader in marine science, engineering, education and advisory services in the region. Journalists frequently seek out WSG’s expertise and publish articles that reference and recognize the program’s work—including 184 articles in 2017 alone. Featured topics have included everything from the WSG Crab Team to research on the impacts of ocean acidification on salmon and the recovery of the Elwha River ecosystem after the dams were removed. WSG staff have also been recognized through highly esteemed awards. For example, in 2015, Ed Melvin, WSG marine fisheries scientist, was part of a team awarded with the Presidential Migratory Bird Federal Stewardship for seabird conservation work; SoundToxins was recently awarded a NOAA Technology Transfer award; and Maile Sullivan, WSG education specialist, was recently awarded as Northwest Aquatic and Marine Educators’ 2018 Outstanding Informal Educator of the Year. WSG staff take on leadership roles by serving on multiple boards and committees in a broad range of community and government organizations.

LEADERSHIP BY STAFF ON BOARDS AND COMMITTEES Jeff Adams, Marine Ecologist Harbor WildWatch Science Advisory Committee; National Sea Grant Community Science Visioning Network; Vashon Nature Center, Founding Board; West Sound Watersheds Council; Western Regional Panel on Aquatic Nuisance Species Aaron Barnett, Boating Program Specialist Clean Marina Steering Committee; Maritime Academy Advisory Committee, Port Townsend School District; Pacific Oil Spill Education Team; Washington Department of Ecology, No Discharge Zone Advisory Committee Sue Blake, Water Resource Educator Bellingham Technical-SEA Advisory Committee, Bellingham Technical College; Bellingham SeaFeast Board of Directors; Combined Review Team Salmon Recovery; Lake Whatcom Education Team; Whatcom Marine Resources Committee; Whatcom Water Week; Whatcom Watershed Information Network Steering Committee; Speakers Series Chair, Whatcom Watershed Information Network

Meg Chadsey, Ocean Acidification Specialist and PMEL Liaison NOAA SOARCE Webinar Planning Committee; SeaDoc Society Science Advisory Board; Washington Marine Resources Advisory Council Workgroups: Reduce Carbon Emissions, Local Land-Based Contributions, Adaptation and Remediation, and Education and Outreach Kevin Decker, Coastal Economist Grays Harbor County Marine Resource Committee; Harbor Young Professionals and Entrepreneurs Board; National Sea Grant Coastal Tourism Visioning Network; Pacific County Marine Resource Committee; State Ocean Caucus Paul Dye, Assistant Director for Outreach National Sea Grant Integrated Fisheries, Aquaculture and Seafood Visioning Network; Northwest Association of Networked Ocean Observing Systems (NANOOS) Governance Board, Executive Committee; Pacific Fishery Management Council, Ecosystem Advisory Subpanel Nicole Faghin, Coastal Management Specialist Coastal Training Program Advisory Committee; Green Shores for Homes BC Advisory Committee; National Sea Grant Community Response to Flooding Visioning Network; National Sea Grant Legal Network; Chair, National Working Waterfront Network; Shoreline and Coastal Planners Group; UW Urban Planning Professionals Council; Washington State Chapter American Planning Association Sarah Fisken, Marine Operations Specialist Jefferson County Marine Resources Committee; Program Advisory Committee for the Northwest School of Wooden Boatbuilding; Risk Information System for Commercial Fishing Advisory Board (OSU/PNASH) Carrie Garrison-Laney, Coastal Hazards Specialist and PMEL Liaison National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program, Mapping and Modeling subcommittee Teri King, Aquaculture and Marine Water Quality Specialist Steering Committee Chair, California Current Ocean Acidification Network; Cranberry Lake Research and Education Board; Delta Kappa Gamma, Iota Chapter Board; Ex-officio Member Hood Canal Coordinating Council; Lower Hood Canal Watershed Coalition; Marine Education Science Society Board; Oakland Bay Clean Water District; Treasurer, Pacific Rim Shellfish Sanitation Association Board; Puget Sound Partnership Ecosystem Coordination Board; Shellfish Strategic Initiative Advisory Team; Washington Shellfish Initiative Core Group; Washington State Department of Health Recreational Shellfish Program Advisory Committee; Washington State Department of Health Vibrio Committee

Russell Callender, Director UW College of the Environment Executive Committee; WA Coastal Marine Advisory Council (Gubernatorial appointment) Washington Sea Grant

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Kate Litle, Assistant Director for Programs Coastal Observation and Seabird Survey Team (COASST) Advisory Board; Vice-chair, Puget Sound Ecosystem Monitoring Program Steering Committee; Sea Grant Research Coordinators Network; Co-chair, WSG Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Workgroup Ian Miller, Coastal Hazards Specialist Feiro Marine Life Center Development Committee; SEARCH, Land Ice Action Team; National Sea Grant Weather and Climate Resilience Visioning Network; North Pacific Coast Marine Resources Committee Melissa Poe, Social Scientist and NWFSC Liason National Sea Grant Visioning Network for Traditional and Local Knowledge; Co-chair, Human Dimensions Working Group, NOAA National Integrated Ecosystem Assessment; Puget Sound Partnership Social Science Advisory Committee; Advisor, State of Alaska Salmon and People Well-Being; UW College of the Environment Diversity Committee; Human Dimensions Advisor, West Hawaii Integrated Ecosystem Assessment

PRODUCTIVITY Through the national and local strategic planning processes described on page 5, four interrelated themes emerged as critical program areas in the 2014–2018 strategic plan. In each of the four areas, WSG identified broad goals that speak to long-term national priorities to which WSG’s efforts contribute: ◆

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Maile Sullivan, Education Specialist Regional Coordinator, National Ocean Sciences Bowl; National Sea Grant Environmental Literacy Visioning Network; WA Co-chair, Northwest Aquatic and Marine Educators Board of Directors; UW College of the Environment Diversity Committee; UW Youth Summer Programs Steering Committee Brent Vadopalas, Aquaculture Specialist Western Regional Aquaculture Technical Committee, Research Subcommittee; National Shellfisheries Association — Pacific Coast Section, Membership Committee

Healthy Coastal Ecosystems: Understanding ocean and coastal environments and stressors and advancing ecosystem-based approaches to manage, protect and restore natural resources.

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MaryAnn Wagner, Assistant Director for Communications National Sea Grant Aquaculture Communications Visioning Network; Sea Grant Communicators Network; UW Marketing Roundtable; UW Professional Staff Organization

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Goal 3: Aquaculture operations and shellfish harvests are safe and environmentally sustainable and support economically prosperous businesses. Goal 4: Fisheries are safe, responsibly managed, and economically and culturally vibrant. Goal 5: Seafood consumers understand the health benefits, safety and environmental sustainability of their seafood choices.

Resilient Communities and Economies: Building capacity for coastal communities that are economically vibrant, environmentally healthy, and resilient to hazards and climate change. ●

Melissa Watkinson, Social Scientist City of Seattle Environmental Justice Committee; National Sea Grant Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Visioning Network; Salish Sea Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Community of Practice; Social Science for the Salish Sea Advisory Committee; Co-chair, WSG Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Workgroup

Goal 2: Ocean and coastal habitats are protected, enhanced and restored.

Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture: Facilitating sustainable use of living marine resources through sciencebased management and environmentally and economically responsible approaches. ●

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Goal 1: Ocean and coastal resources are managed using ecosystem-based approaches.

Goal 6: Coastal communities and economies are vibrant and resilient. Goal 7: Coastal communities engage in comprehensive planning and sustainable development. Goal 8: Coastal water resources sustain human and ecosystem health. Goal 9: Communities prepare, respond and adapt to coastal hazards and climate change.

Ocean Literacy and Workforce Development: Educating students of all ages and strengthening the maritime workforce. ● ●

Goal 10: The public is ocean literate. Goal 11: The future workforce is skilled in disciplines critical to coastal and ocean economies and ecosystem health.

The following pages discuss some of WSG’s major impacts and accomplishments in each of these program areas.

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HEALTHY COASTAL ECOSYSTEMS Why it matters: Washington is located in one of the world’s most productive marine regions, home to iconic species such as giant Pacific octopus, southern resident killer whales and Chinook salmon. The state is replete with resources that support tribal and commercial fisheries, sportfishing and recreational boating, tourism and wildlife viewing, and marine transportation. Despite these riches, Washington faces numerous obstacles to maintaining and restoring our healthy coastal ecosystems. Industries have spilled creosote, lead, PCBs and other toxins into the water. Logging, farming and urban growth have damaged sensitive watersheds. Ocean acidification threatens shellfish and other marine organisms, as well as the people who depend on them. Public support for habitat protection and restoration has grown, but new approaches are needed. WSG works to understand what is at stake in our marine ecosystems. To repair what has been lost and preserve what we still have, WSG assesses practical solutions and provides management tools.

GOAL 1: OCEAN AND COASTAL RESOURCES ARE MAN AGED USING ECOSYSTEM-BASED APPROAC H ES There is growing recognition of the need for ecosystem-based management (EBM) strategies that are place-based, explicitly account for the interconnectedness within and among systems, and integrate ecological, social, economic and institutional perspectives. Effective EBM stands on a foundation of solid science: Understanding, monitoring and predicting stressors to marine species and ecosystems is imperative to being able to address them. WSG has significantly contributed to this body of knowledge by funding research on the environmental threats that continue to make headlines in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. For example, WSG funded research on the toxicity of harmful algal blooms (HABs), yielding results that could improve management of HAB outbreaks and potentially reduce risks to seafood businesses, sensitive ecosystems, and human health (243791).

In 2013, fatal lesions appeared suddenly and mysteriously in great numbers of sea stars on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula — a phenomenon that came to be recognized as sea star wasting disease, which caused die-offs throughout the nearshore waters from Mexico to Alaska. WSG quickly responded to this emerging critical threat with program development funding and worked with Oregon and California Sea Grant to document and investigate this mysterious animal disease (20805). Much of WSG’s research centers on the restoration of culturally and economically important Pacific Northwest species whose populations were once abundant but depleted through overharvest and pollution — most notably, Chinook salmon (27147) and Olympia oysters (24364). WSG research sheds light on how ecosystems and species could be affected by future conditions as well, such as modeling the spread of invasive zooplankton (27134) and understanding how future ocean acidification could harm salmon (27141). WSG has been on the cutting edge of investigating the impacts of ocean acidification in Washington since former Governor Christine Gregoire highlighted the importance of the issue by establishing the Washington State Blue Ribbon Panel on Ocean Acidification in 2012. The ocean acidification liaison between WSG and NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) has propelled WSG as an important partner in regional and national communication and policy efforts. The liaison disseminates information to thousands of people in government agencies, academic institutions, tribes and marine industries (20582; 22348). Working directly with PMEL and as a participant on Washington Marine Resource Advisory Council subcommittees and NOAA’s West Coast Ocean Acidification Roundtable, the liaison developed products and recommendations addressing ocean acidification concerns. In 2015, the liaison was instrumental in obtaining a $1.5 million grant from the Paul Allen Family Foundation to pilot a novel ocean acidification mitigation strategy in Puget Sound using kelp.

_______________________ 1. Numbers correspond to impact and accomplishment numbers in the PIER report.

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This bridging of scientific, decision making and stakeholder communities is one of the greatest strengths of WSG’s outreach team. Knowledge of the natural world is only part of the equation; understanding how people perceive, use and interact with that world is equally important. WSG funds social science research that can help orient policymakers toward the wants and needs of the communities that they represent, such as a survey on public perceptions of marine protected areas (24381). Through the liaison position with the Northwest Fisheries Science Center, WSG staff have been at the forefront of research to better understand the human dimensions of coasts and oceans (27181). For example, WSG staff led interviews with Haida herring knowledge-holders about why herring is important to their community and how they have been impacted by changes to the herring population and fishery (25333). WSG staff also worked with the Squaxin Island Tribe — a community that heavily depends on resources that are threatened by shifting coastal ecosystems — to explore the risks of ocean acidification to the tribe’s health and well-being (22379). WSG is conscious of creating pathways for social science research to actually be applied by marine resource managers and policymakers. In partnership with NOAA Fisheries as well as university partners and students, WSG convened a highlevel working group with 16 interdisciplinary environmental social scientists. While originally conceived as a pilot project in 2010, this work far exceeded expectations, defining four social indicators that can be used in integrated ecosystem assessments to gauge how ecosystem management affects human lives. These indicators will help resource managers overcome bias toward easily quantifiable natural science concepts that may hinder progress toward EBM goals (22378). An article in Science was the first of several peer-reviewed papers published on this work, and the well-being indicators are already being used in integrated marine management, marine spatial planning and resilience assessments in the Pacific Northwest and beyond. WSG also recognizes that some EBM strategies find their success at the grassroots. With funding from WSG, the Otter Spotter program has enhanced its ability to collect citizen science data that could help guide wildlife management strategies (24493). In 2014, the West Coast Sea Grant programs developed an aquatic invasive species classroom toolkit, enabling 125 fourth graders in Kitsap County to become invasive species experts (20646). Overall, volunteers in WSG programs contributed nearly 65,000 hours between 2014–2017, which is valued at almost $2 million.

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WSG CR A B TEA M In 2012, invasive European green crabs were documented on the Canadian side of the Salish Sea (of which Puget Sound is a part). In response, in 2015 Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) issued a mandate to monitor for green crabs along Washington shorelines. While not initially included in the program plan in 2014, WSG exceeded expectations and was exceptional in rising to the green crab challenge by creating the WSG Crab Team. The first known green crab in Washington’s inland waters was found by Crab Team volunteers in August 2016, further indicating the importance of Crab Team monitoring and invasion prevention efforts. Since the program was founded, Crab Team volunteers have soaked traps for more than 58,500 hours. By using citizen science, WSG’s Crab Team achieves a much greater scale of monitoring than would otherwise be possible — volunteers and partners have conducted more than 760 surveys since 2015 (27172).

G OA L 2: O C EAN AN D C O ASTAL H AB I TATS AR E PR O TEC TED , EN H AN C ED AN D R ESTO R ED As Washington’s coastal population continues to grow, the landscape changes. From hardened shorelines to dammed rivers, many of these changes degrade coastal habitat and make it harder for native species to survive. WSG has led the nation in research that helps to elucidate how urban development impacts local species and ecosystems, and developes practical solutions to help remediate those impacts and monitors restoration efforts. WSG-funded research on textured relief panels designed to improve habitat for migrating salmon and other sea life was included in Seattle’s 7,000 footlong seawall, a $400 million dollar project. WSG supported the first comprehensive analysis on the impacts of shoreline armoring in Puget Sound, which confirmed that hard armoring cumulatively affects the characteristics of shorelines and the diversity of life. In a subsequent study, researchers verified that habitat restoration is possible once these bulkheads are removed (27138). WSG incorporates these important research findings into programs that promote shoreline armor removal, such as Green Shores for Homes (20656) and Shore Friendly Kitsap. Through Shore Friendly Kitsap, WSG and program partners worked with more than 15 homeowners, resulting in the removal of 317 linear feet of armoring in 2017 (27191). National Site Visit

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The removal of two hydroelectric dams from the Elwha River, which supports important habitat for salmon and many other species, provided an unprecedented opportunity to study the process of watershed restoration. WSG staff and partners monitored the physical and biological effects downstream of the dam removals, confirming that chronically eroding beach can experience natural replenishment and recovery (20659). WSG also funded research on how the changes in post-dam sediment flow impacted light availability, which effects kelp at the river’s mouth (27148) and how various fish species have adapted to the Elwha’s transformation (24471). The resulting body of work provides key insights and guidance for other dam removal projects in the Pacific Northwest — such as the Klamath River Basin — and in the greater world. The results of this work have been published in several academic journals, and covered in media outlets across the country and even internationally. Other WSG-funded research focuses on the potential of new strategies to restore important species. For example, researchers identified strong relationships between the presence of sulfide concentrations and eelgrass health that are important for eelgrass restoration efforts (24491). In another study, researchers tested the effectiveness of building engineered log jams in streams, which create pools of cool water as an approach to restoring salmon habitat in the overly warm Nooksack river (27144).

SUSTAINABLE FISHERIES AND AQUACULTURE Why it matters: Seafood harvesting is a vital part of Pacific Northwest culture and commerce. From tribal fishermen exercising their treaty rights to oyster farmers in south Puget Sound, Washingtonian’s lives are intertwined with Washington’s living marine resources. However, Washington’s seafood industries face a range of issues, including diminishing fish stocks, complex regulations and the inherent dangers of commercial fishing. WSG provides an approach that integrates ecological, social, economic and institutional perspectives to help guide the cultural, environmental and financial well-being of Washington’s fisheries and aquaculture.

Shellfish growers in Washington directly benefit from WSG research and technical assistance. WSG works to understand some of the biggest threats to the shellfish industry and how local growers can overcome them. This includes funding research to address Pacific oyster mortality syndrome (27157), lines of Pacific oysters that are more resistant to ocean acidification (22248), and the effects of ocean acidification on mussel health (27135). WSG also funded research to streamline low-cost sensors to detect harmful algal blooms (20796). This technology was then piloted by SoundToxins, a WSG-coordinated program of volunteers who monitor for harmful algal blooms.

SO U ND TO XINS Over the years, SoundToxins has grown into a reliable and relevant network that consistently captures data needed for management decisions, preventing illness and even possible deaths (25345). In 2016, SoundToxins sampling identified dangerous HAB occurrences, which triggered a shellfish recall and the retrieval of four trucks loaded with possibly contaminated shellfish that were headed to the market. In another event, SoundToxins monitoring allowed Penn Cove Shellfish to quickly resume harvesting following a massive toxic event, resulting in $120,000 added income. SoundToxins is only one example of how WSG has exceeded expectations in supporting the shellfish industry in Washington, and protecting public health. SoundToxins partners with HAB monitoring networks outside of Washington, including an initiative led by the Sitka Tribe to work with Southeast Alaska Tribal Ocean Research. SoundToxins also contributes to important research — a new species of Azadinium was identified with the aid of SoundToxins’ WSG-trained volunteers.

GOAL 3: A Q UACULTURE OPERATIONS AND SHELLFI SH HARVESTS ARE SAFE, ENVIRONMENTALLY SUSTAINABLE AND SUPPORT ECONOMICALLY PROSPEROUS BUSINESSES Washington State is the largest producer of shellfish in the U.S., with more than 300 farms accounting for 25 percent of domestic production. Washington’s annual bivalve sales amount to $150 million. The Washington Shellfish Initiative, the first state effort launched under NOAA’s National Shellfish Initiative, proposed to increase harvestable acreage substantially. However, the industry faces numerous challenges: With warmer waters, ocean acidification, increasing harmful algal blooms, and community conflicts, the aquaculture industry needs current scientific information — and shellfish farmers need a conduit to access it. Washington Sea Grant

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WSG’s aquaculture extension program has supported the Washington State Shellfish Initiative since its inception in 2011. Through this program, WSG staff bring this latest research and technology directly to local shellfish farmers, providing technical advice and training that helps growers develop safe, delicious and economically viable products (25346). This includes organizing the annual Shellfish Growers Conference, as well as assisting shellfish farmers with niche market development. At the same time, WSG funds research to ensure that these products do not come at the expense of the natural world. How much shellfish aquaculture growth is too much? WSG-supported researchers have investigated tools and information for use by growers, managers and the public to guide shellfish aquaculture decisions. This research included a study of the physical, ecological, social and production factors to determine the carrying capacity of shellfish in Puget Sound (22247). In other projects, scientists modeled the relationships between organisms to predict the ecosystem impacts if geoduck aquaculture increased (22290) and modeled the potential tradeoffs between species based on different management scenarios and actions (22381). WSG-funded researchers also worked with shellfish farmers to deploy low-cost underwater video cameras to understand the ecological function of shellfish growing areas relative to mudflat and eelgrass habitats (27154). Recognizing that it is important to understand the public perspective in order for growers to be successful, WSG funded a study on public attitudes toward shellfish aquaculture, which confirmed that substantial support exists for more production (22257). In the contentious world of geoduck aquaculture production, researchers developed frameworks for managing conflicts among stakeholders (25338). WSG keeps an eye toward entirely new aquaculture endeavors as well. Through the national strategic initiative, WSGfunded researchers are assessing the genetic structure of wild purple-hinged rock scallop populations to help determine if this species is suitable for commercial aquaculture. With another national strategic initiative grant, WSG-supported researchers partnered with the NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center and the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe to develop strategies for farming sablefish on a commercial scale (27188). This pilot project produced over 8,000 marketsized fish valued at $150,000 as an initial step to introducing sablefish aquaculture into the $17 million international sablefish export market.

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G OA L 4: FI SH ER I ES AR E SAFE, R ESPO N SI B LY M A N A G E D AN D EC O N O MI C ALLY AN D C U LTU R ALLY VI B R AN T The target species of many of Washington’s culturally and economically important fisheries face a variety of challenges that diminish their populations. In January 2017, NOAA declared disasters for six Washington species, including coastal salmon and Dungeness crab. WSG funds research that equips fishery managers with knowledge to make decisions that help restore many of these species, which notably crosses over with the program’s Healthy Coastal Ecosystems goals. For example, scientists reconstructed the genetic diversity of Chinook salmon in order to establish a baseline for making future management decisions (24460) and combined traditional ecological knowledge with genetic sequencing to understand changes in the local abundance of Pacific herring (24395). In other examples, researchers completed a threeyear study that analyzed feeding, diet, growth and mortality in sub-yearling Chinook salmon (24360), and investigated the factors that threaten the survival of newly settled Manila clams — which are the most valuable clam species cultured in Washington (27140). Some fisheries harm other species through the capture of unintended targets, known as bycatch. In 2011, the Pacific Fishery Management Council implemented individual fishing quotas (IFQs) on the West Coast groundfish fishery, a management strategy that some participants think fails to address bycatch of weak and depleted stocks. In response, WSG partnered with California Sea Grant to examine IFQ impacts (22245).

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Each year, hundreds of thousands of seabirds, including many endangered albatrosses and petrels, are trapped and drowned in commercial fishing gear. WSG does important work that protects seabirds from this fate, which was recognized in 2015 with a Presidential Migratory Bird Federal Stewardship Award (27193). In the early 2000s, WSG was at the forefront of collaborative research that led to Alaska’s longline fisheries adopting streamer lines, a technology towed behind vessels to create a visual barrier that keeps seabirds away from the baited hooks below. A recently published study from WSG and partners that sifted through 23 years worth of NOAA Fisheries observer data suggests streamer lines have reduced seabird bycatch in Alaska’s longline fisheries by 77 to 90 percent. This means that WSG’s work has contributed to saving an estimated 170,000 seabirds, including almost 10,000 albatrosses. Programs that improve safety also yield economic and environmental benefits, such as WSG’s work facilitating towlane agreements between commercial crab fishermen and tugboat operators. These two groups share marine waters along the Pacific coast, which results in lost fishing gear and dangerous vessel fouling. Through these WSG-led discussions, crab fishermen and towboat operators avoided many collisions and prevented an estimated $1.7 million in losses each year (27164). Once safely back on land with their catch, WSG provides trainings and programs on business and marketing skills that are necessary for fishermen to stay afloat in the industry (22360). WSG particularly supports the tribal fishing communities that have depended on coastal resources for time immemorial, yet now face limited markets and stiff competition (20585). For example, in 2014 alone, WSG trained 45 Nisqually, Lummi and Columbia River fishermen. Nisqually tribal fishermen received critical quality control and handling instruction along with tools and equipment for upgrading the handling of their catch. By offering a higher quality product, these fishermen were able to raise the value of their catch by 50 cents per pound, together earning an additional $45,000. Overall, from 2014–2017, WSG trained about 430 commercial and tribal fishermen in fish-handling techniques, product safety and direct marketing, resulting in more than $380,000 in increased revenues.

LIFE- SAVING WO R K SH O PS Commercial fishing is dangerous. Fishermen suffer 35 times the average workforce fatality rate. Between 2014–2017, WSG trained more than 1,200 fishermen in U.S. Coast Guard-approved vessel safety courses for fishermen and commercial boaters, covering topics including CPR, patient assessment, hypothermia and near drowning (22359). The lessons learned through these workshops have been attributed to saving 15 people’s lives. This includes the lives of four people aboard a Makah fishing vessel that sank in Neah Bay one night in December 2015. The crew members had recently taken one of WSG’s sea safety courses, in which they practiced using emergency equipment and rehearsed drills.

G OA L 5: SEAFO O D C O N SU MER S U N D ER STAN D T H E HEALTH B EN EFI TS, SAFETY AN D EN VI R O N MENTA L SU STAI N AB I LI TY O F THEI R SEAFO O D C HO I C ES Successful fisheries ultimately boil down to what’s on the plate of the consumer. WSG provides seafood retail training to ensure that the local catch is properly handled all the way to the grocery store (22361) and helps the public understand what’s safe to eat. In addition to the product safety training discussed in the previous section, WSG funded research on the relative omega-3 benefit and risk of exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers from eating salmon (22249). WSG-sponsored events like Bellingham SeaFeast connect thousands of Washingtonians to the local maritime history, traditions and seafoods, including skill demonstrations such as fish-filleting and crab-cracking that give participants more confidence to put seafood items into their grocery baskets (25344).

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RESILIENT COMMUNITIES AND ECONOMIES Why it matters: Almost 70 percent of Washington’s seven million residents live in the state’s 15 coastal counties. Though these counties cover just a quarter of the state by area, they generate more than three-quarters of Washington’s economic activity and two-thirds of the jobs. Maritime industries are one of the economic engines that contribute to these figures: According to the Washington State Department of Commerce, the maritime sector directly employs nearly 69,500 people, and directly and indirectly contributes $30 billion in economic activity. Geography and demographic differences distinguish two coastal regions with very different development issues. The 500 miles of shoreline along Washington’s Pacific coast and the Strait of Juan de Fuca are characterized by small fishing towns amongst vast stretches of wilderness. Conversely, more than four and a quarter million people live along Puget Sound’s 2,500 miles of shoreline, most of them in cities including Seattle and Tacoma. While Puget Sound’s economy is booming, the urbanization of these shorelines has resulted in pollution and habitat conversion that threatens marine ecosystems and the people who depend on them. Washington also faces a wide range of natural hazards, from frequent threats of flooding, landslides and erosion to rare but potentially catastrophic earthquakes and tsunamis. The state’s steep topography and windward location give it the stormiest coastal waters in the nation, contributing to coastal erosion and flooding that endangers public safety, damages property and saps local economies. WSG’s work on resilient communities and economies helps planners and decision makers holistically understand and weigh the sometimes competing needs that arise through living and working in coastal areas.

GOAL 6: COASTAL COMMUNITIES AND ECONOMIE S AR E VIBRANT AN D RESILIENT Maritime industries are an engine of Washington’s economic prosperity and growth. As the third largest maritime employer, the fish and shellfish sector — both wild-caught and farm-raised — makes up a large part of this. Even the Alaska fishing fleet, harvesting what are widely considered the nation’s best-managed and most sustainable fisheries, is largely based in Seattle. WSG’s work toward creating and maintaining sustainable fisheries and aquaculture also helps to keep the communities and economies that depend on these resources vibrant and keep the people who do the hard work out on the water safe. From 2014–2017, WSG provided $59

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million in economic benefits and services to communities — more than double a return on the federal investment. This includes more than 625 jobs that WSG helped to create or sustain. WSG’s services bolstered coastal communities by reaching a wide variety of stakeholders, including an estimated 455,000 coastal residents, boaters, fishermen, shellfish growers, small business owners, natural resource managers, coastal planners and K–12 students over the same time period. Recreation plays an important role in Washington’s maritime sector. The Puget Sound region has the highest per capita boat usage in the country, and that usage continues to grow: In 2017, new boats worth more than $317 million were added to Washington’s recreational boating fleet for a total of 221,000 vessels valued at $2.49 billion. With an expanding industry, Washington’s boat dealers and manufacturers need timely boat sales data to adjust business plans. In response to this, WSG provides the only publicly accessible online database of monthly and quarterly boat sales (27166). As boats continue to fill local marinas, they are more likely to pollute the water — which is why WSG and University of Southern California researchers investigated environmental and economic costs and benefits associated with marina pollution prevention measures (22238). However, the economic benefits of coastal life are not evenly distributed — especially in counties whose economies have traditionally depended on natural resources. Pacific and Grays Harbor counties, along the Washington Coast, struggle with a fluctuating economy due to factors including the loss of working-age residents and a decline in higherpaying, non-service jobs. While not originally in the program plan, WSG capitalized on the strengths of the WSG coastal economist to develop new programs that provide these jurisdictions with valuable support to address these economic concerns, including economic analyses relevant to local communities and businesses (27165). For example, WSG revitalized a group in Grays Harbor County designed to connect, empower and engage small business owners and young professionals. Additionally, in 2017, the Grays Harbor Economic Development Council contracted with WSG to conduct a retail economic gap analysis that examined the state of the local economy for small businesses. The findings of the analysis confirmed a decline in traditional job opportunities and recommended developing tourism to help bolster the economy. As a result, WSG consulted with the Grays Harbor Chamber of Commerce on tools to attract new tourism focused on outdoor recreation, including opportunities for fishing, clamming and hiking.

National Site Visit

November 5 – 7, 2019

GOAL 7: CO ASTAL COMMUNITIES ENGAGE IN COMPREHEN SIV E PLANNING AND SUSTAINABLE DEVELO PMEN T The two contrasting landscapes of the Puget Sound and Pacific Coast regions demonstrate what is at stake as Washington’s coast continues to develop. Despite their geographic, economic and cultural differences, planners and developers in each region must balance the traditional, sustainable uses of marine resources with emerging demands. Marine spatial planning — defined by Washington law as “a public process of analyzing and allocating the spatial and temporal distribution of human activities in marine areas to achieve ecological, economic and social objectives” — can help decision makers find strategies for making future ocean uses more sustainable. A marine spatial plan for Washington’s Pacific coast waters was recently completed and is the responsibility of a state interagency team and Governor-appointed advisory council. WSG played a central role in this process, serving on the interagency team leading the effort, coordinating the scientific advisory group, and conducting public outreach (22385). WSG staff shared presentations with hundreds of coastal residents, including tools for tracking regional social and economic health. Communities directly benefited from WSG work as they developed their own indicators. Overall, WSG’s work from 2014–2017 led to 150 communities implementing sustainable development practices and policies.

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Much of the responsibility of coastal planning falls on cities and counties. In recent years, planners’ opportunities for professional development and sharing best practices have been casualties of diminishing budgets and increased workloads. To counter this, WSG and the Washington State Department of Ecology collaborate to foster education and communication within the planning community, primarily through a Shoreline and Coastal Planners Group (SCPG) and a NOAA-funded Coastal Training Program (22351). Hundreds of shoreline professionals have discussed current and emerging shoreline issues in SCPG meetings, covering topics from sea-level rise to soft-shore stabilization. WSG has also connected more than 500 professionals to coastal management strategies, greatly exceeding the expectations established in the original program plan.

National Site Visit

November 5 – 7, 2019

GOAL 8: CO ASTAL WATER RESOURCES SUSTAIN H U MAN AND ECOSYSTEM HEALTH About one-third of Washington’s waters are too contaminated to meet state water quality standards, and as more people continue to live, work and play in the coastal environment, the potential sources of pollution only increase. The presence of more cars in the area harms marine life, as leaked oil and heavy metals get swept into urban waterways when it rains. WSG funds research on practical solutions to help mitigate these effects, such as green stormwater infrastructure, which was shown to effectively remove contaminants (27151). Bioretention systems that filter water through soil are so effective that they can mean the difference between life and death for salmon that end up in our runoff (27182). In tests of stormwater filtration systems run by WSG-funded researchers, 100 percent of salmon deaths were prevented. These filtration systems are now in use by the road construction and landscaping industries. The actions of Washington residents directly affect the state of Puget Sound; with the right training, however, ecologically-conscious citizens can become active and effective stewards of the water they cherish. WSG holds workshops and trainings that reach thousands of community members across Puget Sound in steps they can take at home to protect the marine environment (27190). While most Washington homes are connected to public sewage lines, about 950,000 of them rely on on-site septic systems to handle their raw sewage, and the majority of these are found in the Puget Sound region. Properly maintained septic systems operate well but, when neglected, they are a threat that can cause damage to local public health and contribute considerable nutrient pollution and fecal coliform contamination to vulnerable nearby water bodies. For more than 20 years, WSG has organized “septic socials” to train homeowners on how to operate and maintain their septic systems for maximum water quality protection (22370).

P R EV EN TI N G S M A LL O I L S P I LLS A N D S EWA G E PO LLU TI O N Small spills can accumulate into big numbers: in 2017 alone, 1,331 gallons of diesel, gas, oil and hydraulic fluid were spilled into Washington waters from small boats. WSG staff work with boaters to reduce these spills of oil and sewage from recreational vessels. WSG distributes thousands of small oil spill kits across the state each year during boat shows, festivals, marinas and summer outreach campaigns conducted on the docks in the San Juan Islands and elsewhere (25324). The program also collaborates with the U.S. Coast Guard for more boots on the ground to distribute kits. In addition, WSG conducts inspections and monitoring for Clean Marina Washington, a voluntary program that certifies marinas on best management practices. In partnership with Washington State Parks, WSG helped expand the Pumpout Washington program, which educates boaters about proper sewage removal so that it doesn’t get dumped overboard (25322). By providing workshops and technical assistance, WSG helped secure a total of $5.2 million in Clean Vessel Act funding for pumpout services and marina facility improvements and maintenance from 2014– 2017 (25323). Overall, the education provided by the Pumpout Washington team has helped boaters divert a cumulative total of more than 55 million gallons of sewage to pumpout stations since WSG joined the program in 2012.

WSG’s Residential Low Impact Development (LID) program educates homeowners on one of the leading sources of pollution into Puget Sound — stormwater runoff — and encourages them to implement landscaping practices that can help to reduce it (25325). Nearly all LID program participants have reported an increase in commitment to low impact landscaping. Nine months after a class session in 2016, 70 percent of surveyed participants indicated that they used management practices covered in the LID program, including “right plant, right place” planting, water conservation, integrated pest management and the use of native plants.

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National Site Visit

November 5 – 7, 2019

GOAL 9: CO MMUNITIES PREPARE, RESPOND AN D AD APT TO COASTAL HAZARDS AND CLIMATE CHANGE WSG helps the public to prepare for natural hazards and climate change through a variety of avenues. WSG’s social science work described in the Healthy Coastal Ecosystems section fosters understanding of how communities will be affected by ecosystem change such as ocean acidification, and how they can adapt to it. WSG also manages the Coastal Hazards Resilience Network (CHRN), which connects researchers, agency experts, planners and communities with resources and information (20641). WSG’s activities have included offering a course on coastal flood risk reduction in four coastal counties, creating a new course on adapting to sea-level rise, and developing a king tides website to help the public visualize sea-level rise and provide climate change technical training for several communities, including Snohomish County for their hazard mitigation plan update. With a grant awarded by the NOAA Office for Coastal Management in 2016, WSG greatly exceeded expectations by leading a three-year effort to improve sea-level rise projections for the state and rapidly increase capacity to prepare for natural events that threaten the coast, known as the Washington Coastal Resilience Project (WCRP) (27194). WCRP yielded advanced, locally-scaled sea-level rise projections for 171 coastal sites from the present day through 2050. By incorporating land movement, the projections include estimates for how much sea-level rise will be felt at a specific location — making the report’s findings especially useful to coastal planners. The localized projections are publicly available on the CHRN website and can be easily accessed using an embedded map through which anyone can download estimates for a particular location. WCRP also worked with pilot communities to help local governments meet local needs: for example, MetroParks Tacoma used the projections to help design a waterfront park, including where to position important infrastructure that could be vulnerable to flooding. The Washington Department of Transportation also used the projections to help design portions of State Route 167. While sea-level rise is more slowly threatening the state, coastal Washington is also uniquely exposed to episodic yet severe hazards, including earthquakes and tsunamis. When the Cascadia subduction zone ruptures, extensive damage is expected throughout Western Washington. In Pacific County, community services and infrastructure would be severely limited after a major earthquake. WSG-funded researchers

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helped industries and communities in Pacific County better understand how they could be affected by developing a set of simulation tools to assess gaps in housing and transportation recovery planning (25337). The transportation model outlines potential damage to transportation infrastructure and identifies alternative travel routes following an earthquake, while the housing simulations pinpoint likely property damage, model alternative housing recovery strategies, and allow exploration of scenarios. Another research project is assessing the quality of hazard mitigation plans across the state and seeking to understand factors affecting the ability of coastal communities to implement and prepare for tsunamis and other hazards (27169). WSG staff give presentations about the implications of earthquake and tsunami threats — including buckled roads and collapsed infrastructure — to officials and the public around the state (22374). The WSG liaison with the NOAA Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory tsunami group enhances both organizations’ capacity to share this potentially life-saving information.

OCEAN LITERACY AND WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT Why it matters: Despite strong physical and cultural ties to the coast, most Washington residents know very little about the sea and its vulnerabilities. In 2014, an extensive national survey found that people were inspired by the ocean but largely unaware of issues that affected its health or linkages with climate and other environmental changes. The survey suggested informed individuals were more likely to support policies promoting healthy oceans, and that public understanding was critical to conservation and sustainable use. Ocean literacy is also critical to Washington’s ocean economy, which relies on a well-trained workforce capable of dealing with the complexity and diversity of its marine sector. Sustaining and replenishing this workforce is essential to the wider economy: Nationally, the ocean sector supports one in six American jobs and 20 percent of all economic activity, but these industries face a looming crisis. Washington’s maritime workforce is older than the national average, and more workers now retire or quit the sector than enter it. These recruitment shortfalls reflect limited scholastic opportunities and the underrepresentation of ocean content in state education standards. Many students and guidance counselors are unaware of the rewarding careers and exciting challenges the sea offers. WSG supports programs and opportunities that help to fill these important marine education needs.

National Site Visit

November 5 – 7, 2019

G OA L 11: THE FU TU R E W O R KFO R C E I S SKI LLE D I N D I SC I PLI N ES C R I TI C AL TO C O ASTAL AN D O C EA N EC O N O MI ES AN D EC O SYSTEM H EALTH WSG organizes and funds programs that facilitate the continued success of established maritime workers and the development of new workers in the state. For example, WSG holds marine technology workshops for boaters and commercial fishermen year-round at various Washington ports, covering vital topics such as corrosion control, refrigeration, diesel and outboard engine maintenance, and marine electrical wiring (27156).

GOAL 10: THE PUBLIC IS OCEAN LITERATE Ocean-related education is essential to build scientific literacy and help learners of all ages appreciate the importance of ocean and coastal resources and ecosystems. Middle school and high school curricula, in particular, offer critical opportunities to provide a life-long foundation of marine science understanding. Hands-on experiences are especially effective. WSG’s NOAA Science Camp introduces middle school students to ocean sciences and holds a two-week Junior Leadership session for high school students (22382). WSG pays particular attention to welcoming members of underrepresented communities who otherwise might not have access to such opportunities. For example, since 2015 NOAA Science Camp has welcomed 20 members of underrepresented minorities from Showalter Middle School in Tukwila, Washington, which The New York Times hailed as the nation’s most diverse school district. Staff have also made the camp more accessible, accommodating one student with cerebral palsy. In addition, WSG offers Orca Bowl, a highly esteemed and popular program in which teams of high school students put their marine knowledge to the test (read more about NOAA Science Camp and Orca Bowl in Goal 11). Overall, from 2014–2017 WSG programs reached more than 36,000 K–12 students through beach walks, school events, festivals and informal education programs. Educating the public of all ages also directly helps WSG work toward Healthy Coastal Ecosystem, Safe and Sustainable Fisheries, and Resilient Communities and Economies goals. WSG trains individuals on the simple steps they can take to keep pollution out of the water by delivering the clean water message at scores of workshops, classes and public events around Puget Sound, engaging thousands of individuals each year (22324). Working with Washington State University Extension, WSG trains and coordinates volunteers for several Kitsap County-based watershed stewardship programs including, Stream Stewards, Salmon Docents and Beach Naturalists. Armed with this knowledge, these volunteers are then able to spread that clean water message even further (25317). Washington Sea Grant

Briefing Book

Other WSG programs focus on attracting students to careers in marine science and policy. NOAA Science Camp and Orca Bowl, the regional National Ocean Sciences Bowl event in which teams of high school students put their marine knowledge to the test, have proven to help guide students into higher education and ocean-related careers (27163). As one former camper, Junior Leadership Program participant, and staff assistant — who is now pursuing a bachelor’s of science in global environmental studies — said, “Science Camp really broadened my horizons by showing me what earth, atmospheric and ocean science are all about.” Some WSG-funded research projects also bring science into classrooms, like when scientists provided teachers and students with hands-on tools, curricula and assistance to use low-cost technologies that measure toxic algae and other marine phenomena (22251). In other WSG-supported projects, students got out of the classroom: Eleven high school students in the Quinault Indian Nation participated in the development of shore-based water quality monitoring curricula to better understand physical and biological changes in their ecosystems (22283). In another example, Washington State University researchers worked with five high schools on a southwest Washington estuary, engaging next generation scientists in ecological research (27192). Each year, WSG proudly sends graduate students and recent graduates out to jumpstart their careers by using their hardearned knowledge in the real-world. WSG supports Dean John A. Knauss Marine Policy, Washington Sea Grant Hershman, NOAA Coastal Management and Sea Grant/NOAA Fisheries Graduate Fellowships in Population Dynamics and Marine Resource Economics (20644). Between 2014–2017, WSG supported 250 university students through research grants and fellowship programs. Previous WSG fellows have gone on to careers at NOAA, marine environmental groups, consulting firms, academia and state agencies. Some have even come full circle and become important members of the WSG staff.

National Site Visit

November 5 – 7, 2019

M A R I T I M E WO RKFORC E IN ITIATIVE Washington’s maritime sector contributes about $30 billion annually in economic activity. Maritime industries offer job opportunities in a range of occupations, and on average, are better paying compared to other sectors of the state’s economy. However, with only 35 percent of the maritime workforce now between the ages of 16 and 39, the future of the sector could be in jeopardy. After Governor Jay Inslee identified the need for new pipelines into careers in maritime fields as a state priority, WSG exceeded expectations by offering funding for maritime workforce project proposals for the first time in 2015. The request for proposals included a call for pilot projects to support Washington’s maritime workforce initiative in meeting one or more of the following objectives: increase awareness of maritime occupations and job opportunities; identify and communicate clear pathways to maritime occupations; develop maritime curricula and programs including teacher training; and assist the maritime industry to recruit and retain workers.

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As a result of this process, WSG supported Port Townsend’s Maritime Discovery Initiative, which brings together schools and local industries to integrate maritime skills and at-sea experience into K-12 educational curricula (24482). In its first year, 49 teachers participated in the initiative’s immersive summer workshops, during which they visited with maritime employees in their work environments, including a tour of an operating ferry and a visit to a shipyard where historic ships were being restored. In addition, 95 teachers participated in the curriculum development sessions during the school year, in which teachers developed several new place-based projects and improved more than a dozen others, which will be taught to over 1,000 students in the Port Townsend School District. WSG also supported the Experience Maritime Project (EMP), an initiative of the Seattle Maritime Academy that provides summer training to high school students, giving young people who would otherwise have difficulty accessing maritime training a route into the industry by increasing the visibility of maritime work (27171). EMP attracted 127 registrants in 2017, its first year. They were taught basic skills in ocean literacy and given hands-on boat experiences. The program also successfully partnered with organizations, including the Coastal Villages Regional Fund — a cooperative of native villages in Alaska that coordinated with the Seattle Maritime Academy to bring students from Alaska to participate in the program.

National Site Visit

November 5 – 7, 2019

VI Program Changes PROGRAM CHANGES RESULTING FROM THE 2015 REVIEW 2015 SITE REVIEW RECOMMENDATION

WASHINGTON SEA GRANT RESPONSE

WSG should explicitly track student progress across various STEM and marine career programs (e.g., camps, fellowships and curricula) to further highlight program value in the University and the state.

Although lacking funds to support a full-scale tracking system, WSG has increased efforts tracking WSG-supported students and regularly seeks opportunistic tracking of individual students. WSG moves program participants through successive, age-appropriate WSG opportunities.

2015 SITE REVIEW SUGGESTIONS

WASHINGTON SEA GRANT RESPONSE

WSG should continue working with UW leadership to identify high impact areas and provide compelling examples of the value of the Program for leadership to share with the legislature and other potential partners.

The WSG director search provided CoEnv leadership with better information on WSG impact areas. The new Director now meets regularly with the Dean, sharing WSG program impacts and is coordinating on DEI efforts and legislative requests with College leadership. The director also presented with the Climate Impacts Group on coastal resiliency to the CoEnv external advisory board.

WSG should work with UW leadership to identify areas for further strategic partnerships within the University to address emerging challenges.

WSG partnered with multiple units across the University to address challenging issues such as sea-level rise, invasion of European green crab in Puget Sound and boater sewage impacts on municipal wastewater treatment plants.

WSG may benefit from targeted investment in further formalizing its evaluation of effort.

While funding allowed limited formal evaluations, many staff took a Planning for Meaningful Evaluation training in 2015 and program evaluation is emphasized in annual work planning.

WSG should continue to seek and create opportunities for educators to share curriculum information.

WSG staff informally assessed the needs of educators and focused on their most immediate interest of accessing curated information on ocean acidification resources through an online searchable platform.

WSG may benefit from additional input by professional educators currently employed in formal and informal education in helping to translate research and advisory service results into educational practice.

Formal and informal educators have provided input on shaping website content, specifically in the “Ocean Learning” section. In addition, we work with formal and informal educators to advise on WSG education programs, such as the Whatcom Watershed Information program.

WSG might benefit from a strategic review of collaborations, focus areas, and resourcing to continue to be at the forefront of issues facing coastal Washington. ◆ It would be most helpful for WSG to think about how the location of Sea Grant staff outside the home office can be most strategically beneficial. ◆ WSG should strategically evaluate programmatic partnerships to enhance the value of all the resources brought to the table in furthering the program's mission. ◆ WSG should consider strategic opportunity/growth areas to meet needs expressed by stakeholders, such as hazards risk communication and socioeconomic data. ◆ WSG might consider opportunities to grow the program in the Resilient Communities and Economies focus area.

WSG initiated an analysis of optimum strategic placement of staff across the state. To date, WSG has strengthened staffing in the economic and social sciences. But findings indicate that further optimum staff placement will require increased staff and sustainable funding strategies. WSG is exploring shared staffing with WSU Extension and the Department of Ecology, particularly in southwest Washington. WSG has been successful in expanding program efforts in hazard risk communication — WSG and Ecology successfully secured nearly $800,000 in NOAA funding to increase the state’s capacity to update and localize sea-level rise projections for the state and better increase capacity for resilience planning along the coast and shorelines.

WSG should maximize the benefits of the two liaison positions (NWFSC and PMEL) by establishing mutual goals, and review the effectiveness of these deployments on a timeline.

Proposals for 2018 - 2021 (NWFSC) and 2018 - 2019 (PMEL) were developed jointly with NWFSC and PMEL partners to reflect mutual goals, with the intent of maximizing benefits to all organizations.

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National Site Visit

November 5 – 7, 2019

Washington Sea Grant University of Washington 3716 Brooklyn Avenue NE Seattle, WA 98105-6716 206.543.6600 seagrant@uw.edu wsg.washington.edu

Site Review Report of the Washington Sea Grant College Program November 5-7, 2019

INTRODUCTION The Site Review Team’s (SRT) visit to the Washington Sea Grant (WASG) Program took place from November 5-7, 2019. The SRT members included: Joshua Brown Chair, Federal Program Officer National Sea Grant Office Murrieta, CA Christopher Winslow Director, Ohio Sea Grant The Ohio State University Columbus, OH Kristen Koch Director, Southwest Fisheries Science Center NOAA Fisheries La Jolla, CA

Carole Engle Co-Chair, National Sea Grant Advisory Board Strasburg, VA Lynne Chronister Vice President for Research and Economic Development University of South Alabama Mobile, AL

Prior to the beginning of the Site Review Visit, and in conformance with National Sea Grant College Program guidelines, the Washington Sea Grant issued a public notice of the upcoming Site Review Visit by inviting interested parties to send written comments to the Federal Program Officer (FPO). The public notice was distributed by means of the program’s website, newsletters, and social media. The FPO received 7 letters in response to the public notice. All letters highlighted positive aspects of the program. Some raised concerns with how the program obtained stakeholder input and prioritized its funding decisions, reflecting the challenge of addressing the needs of many stakeholder groups within the state, and also the challenges of sustaining programming that is resourced through competitive processes. Some were actually referencing the National Sea Grant Aquaculture competitions, over which the program has limited influence. These concerns were thoroughly discussed with the program during the review. The Site Review Visit took place on the University of Washington, Seattle campus. During the Site Review Visit, the SRT met with university leaders, representatives of Federal, state, tribal, and local governments, industry, non-governmental organizations, researchers, teachers, volunteers, students, and program leadership and staff. The SRT also benefited from a poster session which highlighted the work of Sea Grant funded students. This report of the Site Review Visit follows the provided guidance for 2014 – 2017 Program Site Review Visits. The SRT discussed broad issues with the Program related to the Washington Sea Grant program’s: 1) Organization and Management of the Program; 2) Stakeholder Engagement; 3) Collaborative Network Activities; and 4) Performance, and how effectively the program performed in each national focus area with respect to leadership and productivity to determine progress made towards each national focus area as identified in the 2014-2017 State Program 2

Strategic Plan. Within each of these areas, each member of the SRT provided expert insights and opinions to the FPO. With this report, the FPO presents the findings of the SRT and presents suggestions and recommendations to the Program to facilitate program improvement. It does not necessarily reflect the views of any specific member of the SRT. I. ORGANIZING AND MANAGING THE PROGRAM Washington Sea Grant is embedded into the University of Washington College of the Environment (CoE). The College is comprised of a number of Schools, programs and houses resources such as the Friday Harbor Laboratory. The CoE has public and private funding in excess of $173 million annually, and is the largest academic environmental college in the country. The relationship appears to be a highly productive one with strong and consistent support from Dean Lisa Graumlich. The Director of the Washington Sea Grant (WSG) is Russell Callender who assumed the role in the fall of 2018. Since his arrival he has assessed the effectiveness of the organizational structure and the strengths of his 32 staff and leadership. Based upon this assessment, Dr. Callender established a Leadership team and has begun to reorganize supervisory responsibilities to match skills and experience as well as to better serve the WSG stakeholders. The new structure should greatly enhance the WSG ability to carry out its strategic goals and address the needs of its constituents. The new Director has rapidly gained the confidence and support from the Sea Grant staff and leadership. He has instituted regular updates for both on and off-site staff and begun a transparent and effective staff evaluation process. Findings: ● The WSG is strongly supported by the Dean of CoE and is well integrated into the academic and research activities within the College but other Colleges and leadership may not be as aware of the activities of WSG and the benefit that accrues to the University. ● The 29 federally recognized tribes in Washington provide a richness and complexity to the WSG not reflected in other Sea Grants. ● Currently, the WSG Advisory Committee does not seem to reflect the diversity of WSG constituents and does not have a Charter to frame the actions and responsibilities of its membership. ● Two thirds of the WSG budget is from relatively stable funding via the National Sea Grant Office (1/3) and matching funds from the University of Washington (1/3). ● Approximately one-third of the WSG budget is dependent upon short term program funding with some staff positions funded wholly or partly through “soft money”. ● While there have been recent changes in staff and leadership, the team currently in place has exceptional commitment to the WSG and their constituents. Many of the team members were repeatedly praised by the stakeholders who presented during the site visit. They are highly respected and appreciated. ● Intensive efforts have been made to assess the management structure, efficiency, and 3

functioning with the result of a series of changes that have addressed weaknesses and contributed to team building and strengthened morale among the leadership team and communications generally with Sea Grant staff. ● Washington Sea Grant’s competitive grants program clearly provides needed research funding. Although more funds are always better, partners expressed that the funding levels provided adequate funds to support a large portion of a graduate stipend and to design experiments that provide, at a minimum, needed preliminary data to leverage additional support. Recommendations: • The Director should review the composition of the WSG Advisory Committee and reconstitute the Committee within the next six months. The Committee should reflect the diversity of WA constituents and include key stakeholders. In addition, the Director should draft and implement a Charter to provide direction and operational framework for the Advisory Committee. Suggestions: ● WSG has strong advocates and partners in the CoE, especially Dean Graumlich. The program could find ways to leverage those relationships to enhance the program, such as: ○ Working with University and CoE Advancement staff to identify include more strategic, long-term local private sources of funds that will provide endowments or other funding that will ease the burden of extensive reliance on short term programmatic funds to maintain the research and outreach activities. ○ Exploring with UW leadership, the possibility of legislatively mandated funds that could be directed to critical and emerging issues. ○ WSG should consider working with the Dean to provide an avenue to further inform other Colleges and UW Leadership of the benefits to UW of having the WSG colocated within UW. WSG should also explore the possibility of physical co-location with key partners on the UW campus. ○ Working with the other academic programs in CoE to identify emerging threats and opportunities, and to work on more research to application projects/programs. An example of this might be further engaging with the state climatologist, to develop creative and productive partnerships. ○ WSG should consider specifically communicating to other CoE units and researchers in other related colleges the “broader impacts” role that they can play in projects funded by agencies (e.g. NSF and NIH). ● Because of the number of staff who are relatively new to WSG, the Director should consider programs to enhance their professional/career development training and learning. ● WSG has a tremendous presence within Puget Sound and at the University of Washington. That said, the program should evaluate the needs and likelihood of success to spread program, and potential staff, along the Pacific Coast. Best Practices: ● Thorough analysis of the management structure and efficiency of all phases that has resulted in greater team building and a more rational administrative structure for the program. 4

II. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT Relevance The WSG program is actively engaged with coastal and tribal communities, a variety of state and federal agencies, local governments, industries, and numerous non-profit organizations on initiatives that are especially relevant to key SG focus areas. The depth and breadth of relationships with tribal communities, civic leaders, commercial fishermen, and various non-profit organizations was abundantly evident throughout the various panels during the site review team’s visit. The rapid development and expansion of the coastal resilience program was especially remarkable with frequent reference by many panel members to the support and value of the coastal hazards specialist. WSG programs are also relevant to the University of Washington College of the Environment and were considered to be “central to the mission” of the College of the Environment through “scholarship used in service of social needs.” Strong relationships have been developed with not just the university leadership but also with faculty who viewed WSG as a vehicle for community engagement related to their expertise. Extension/Advisory Service WSG supports 19 advisory positions (at varying percentages of appointments) in the state in the following areas: Coastal Policy, Coastal Hazards, Coastal Management, Environmental Outreach, Marine Ecology, Marine Water Quality, Ocean Acidification, Aquatic Nuisance Species, Water Resources, Marine Operations, Boating, Aquaculture, Economics, and Social Science. While many of these positions are distributed across the greater Puget Sound region, several outreach specialists are located on the Pacific Coast. Education/Training Washington Sea Grant education and training programs have been developed across several levels that include university and K-12 targeted audiences. Examples include: 1) funding support for students at the undergraduate (135), MS/MA (136), and PhD (84) levels; 2) NOAA Science Camp that is jointly supported by NOAA and WSG; 3) summer camps for high school students that focus on maritime skills such as navigation, ocean inquiry, engineering, hydraulics, safety, and other topics; 4) engagement of high school students in research and monitoring activities; 5) partnership with Washington State University Extension on youth activities related to beach exploration; and 6) citizen science partnerships. Washington Sea Grant runs three Washington-specific Fellowships. The Hershman Fellowship is a one-year marine policy fellowship that places early career scientists in host agencies, nonprofits or tribes. The newly launched Keystone Fellowship provides an opportunity for a graduate or undergraduate student from non-traditional backgrounds to engage in marine science policy as well. The Science Communication Fellowships target undergraduate and graduate students (in separate calls), allowing interested students to hone their skills as writers and communicators, gaining highly sought-after science communication skills. In addition to their Washington-focused Fellowships, WSG also sponsors students to multiple national fellowship programs, including the John A. Knauss

Marine Policy Fellowship (11 in the reporting period), the NMFS-SG Fellowships (9 in the reporting period), and the OCM sponsored Coastal Zone Management Fellowship (1 in reporting period). Findings: • • • • • •

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WSG has an extensive outreach program that has established deep relationships with coastal communities and the varied and diverse stakeholders along the entire coast. WSG’s long-term outreach program on maritime safety and advisement to commercial fishermen has saved lives of commercial fishermen and has led to strong ties with commercial fishing communities along the coast. The strong ties of WSG outreach specialists with commercial fishermen has led to their participation in a variety of research projects and more rapid technology dissemination and adoption due to the deep degree of trust established with coastal communities. In addition to its quadrennial strategic planning process, the program uses informal mechanisms to identify stakeholder needs to inform program priorities within the period of the strategic plan. There are numerous active and productive research, outreach, and communications programs within WSG, but strong linkages, especially among research and outreach on projects were not always clearly evident. WSG leads an integrated, innovative pump-out program of black water from boats, uniquely combining outreach and applied research. The research effort that compared different types of treatment systems showed potential for adoption of the program that is now moving forward with plan for adoption. The project addressed a key problem of stakeholders through research and with community engagement for implementation and dissemination of information. WSG is clearly recognized within the commercial fishing community as a trusted resource. This is typified by the reliance of this group on WSG to deliver changes to state and federal regulations. Further, this community relies on WSG to as the “go-to” entity to deliver safety training and resources. The commercial fishing community clearly feels comfortable communicating their research and extension needs to WSG, facilitating the full scope of effective stakeholder engagement. The WSG is clearly viewed as a trusted partner and often plays a convening roll. WSG was referred to, on multiple occasions, as the glue of many partnerships

Recommendations: • Develop a more formal mechanism to proactively solicit targeted research and outreach needs and priority problems from key stakeholders to be addressed through RFPs and project priorities. Suggestions: • Continue to strengthen explicit linkages among research projects, extension/outreach activities, and communications programs. • To strategically address the broad workforce development needs in the State of Washington, WSG might benefit from more clearly defining what the program’s role in workforce development to craft a plan to implement workforce-development-related programs in 6

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maritime and aquaculture sectors. This could include facilitating or creating apprenticeships and/or shadowing programs. Develop an Aquaculture Literacy Program that could be incorporated into the Environmental Literacy Program.

Best Practices: • Long-term on-going maritime safety training programs, credited by commercial fishermen with saving lives and protecting families along the coast. • In the area of water quality, the work of Sue Blake, Water Resource Educator, Washington State University Extension and WSG demonstrated extensive input from a variety of stakeholders that defined: what the program should focus on, what kind of impacts they were seeking, and what types of changes were needed to accomplish those impacts, took advantage of research, and implemented a successful program. • DEI Values Statement and Diversity Plan III. COLLABORATIVE NETWORK/NOAA ACTIVITIES Collaboration Washington Sea Grant has strong and diverse networks and collaborations with NOAA and state partners in all areas of their plan. Changes in opportunities from the last review cycle have resulted in a somewhat different focus for collaborative activities. The emphasis on West Coast Sea Grant program networking has given way in the years since the dissolution of the West Coast Governors’ Alliance to less formal – although still effective - connections across states. There is a greater emphasis on using federal resources and networks to address emerging critical needs across the west coast and Alaska. Examples include a training for the safety needs of the Dungeness crab fishery across Oregon and Washington and an update of the Fisherman’s Direct Marketing Manual to serve Washington and Alaskan fishers. Relationships WSG has an extremely strong relationship with the Dean of the College of the Environment and this placement encourages and facilitates strong relationships with chairs of various departments at the University of Washington. Increased emphasis has been placed on expansion of relationships with other universities in the state. Washington Sea Grant has helped establish many formal and informal coastal resilience networks connecting research institutions and state and local governments, resulting in a state more attuned to coastal hazards and what steps it will need to take to increase its resilience in the face of sea level rise and other threats. This work has created more direct partnerships with NOAA programs, such as the Coastal Zone Management Program, a program of the Office for Coastal Management (OCM). OCM funding, both directly and through partnerships with the Washington Department of Ecology, helped catalyze the creation and growth of a coastal resilience portfolio. The resulting work has led to the creation of advisory positions dealing with these issues. In addition, WSG uses these funds to co-manage the state Coastal Hazards Resilience Network. These networks have 7

helped the program bring the range of resilience expertise in the state, including their own specialists, the Climate Impacts Group at UW, and agency specialists, to deliver relevant localscale information on sea level rise. WSG developed planning guidance and a website to walk communities through coastal hazards info. These efforts reflect a conscious investment in recent years to be more responsive to these types of needs. In addition, WSG has strengthened relationships with NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) and Pacific Marine Environment Laboratory (PMEL) over the review period. As examples with the NWFSC, the program continued to sustain and grow the SoundToxins program, a volunteer program for early warning of harmful algal blooms. There was also an excellent Liaison partnership, jointly funding a social scientist to examine social wellbeing indicators in fishing communities. The partnership with PMEL focused on ocean acidification and tsunami hazard warning. Both represent strong examples of the continuum of basic research to on-theground application. Findings: •

•

• •

As evidenced by the number of partners and the range of the various panels, WSG has strong and diverse networks and collaborations with NOAA and NOAA partners in all areas of their plan. Collaborations with NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center and Pacific Marine Environment Laboratory were fully maximized during the review period and show a commitment to the NOAA mission to assist coastal communities in becoming resilient to environmental and ecosystem changes. NOAA’s Office of Coastal Management partnership supports much of WSG’s coastal resilience efforts in working directly with homeowners up to city, state, and tribal governments across a variety of issues. This work shows WSG leverages NOAA dollars to not only work with individuals, but also their capacity to scale up to institution-level, ultimately impacting millions of peoples’ lives. WSG has apparent and strong relations with state government agencies and they take some advantage of their co-location with UW to further enhance NOAA’s mission through its academic partners. Partnerships across the West Coast Sea Grants were once stronger, particularly when the West Coast Governor’s Alliance was in full force and funding for such partnerships was more plentiful. Those relationships, while still active, seem to have gone through a period of remission and could be reinvigorated in key areas. WSG has successfully nominated more Knauss fellows than any other SG program, a success that continued during the review period. As a leading U.S. region for shellfish aquaculture, WGS prevailed in securing 11 national aquaculture awards - eight research, one extension and outreach award, and two workshop awards. WSG has done an amazing job of integrating social science into projects with Northwest Fisheries Science Center and other project partners. WSG is a respected broker of Puget Sound information among state agencies and private 8

•

sector stakeholders. The program is seen as unbiased in science and management, a valuable partner in collaboration, and able to quickly respond to stakeholder needs. The WSG communications team has established a clear line of communication with marketing assets/staff within both the college of the environment and the university. This clearly increases the visibility of WSG and gives their work additional exposure.

Recommendations:

N/A

Suggestions: • WSG should look to further leverage their co-location on the UW campus to be an even greater catalyst for the application of research results to real-world Washington problems. • WSG should investigate opportunities to reinvigorate their relationships with the other West Coast and Alaskan Sea Grant programs to bolster networks working on coast-wide issues and take advantage of opportunities such as Marine Heat Waves and their increasing effects on fisheries, as well as the potentially large ecosystem impact from planned wind energy farms. • WSG should be sure to engage with the aquaculture industry to further develop proposal ideas for sustainable aquaculture that might be competitive as NOAA continues to see budget increases in its aquaculture programs. • WSG is clearly recognized by “Washington Maritime Blue” (WMB) as a strong partner and convener. As such, WSG should work hard to engage efforts within the Governor’s Blue initiative. Specifically, it is likely that WSG will be able to contribute to the following “task teams”: “Blue Force”, “Blue Forum” and “Blue Focus”. Clearly WMB see WSG as a convener and a trusted resource and the program should capitalize on this reputation. Best Management Practices: • Effectiveness in partnering and leveraging those partnerships to address issues across a range of scales from overarching federal, state, local and tribal issues to the level of the individual in the state. • DEI Values Statement and Diversity Plan, Keystone Fellowship IV. PERFORMANCE REVIEW Leadership WSG is a highly respected and crucial leader in the state and region with regard to many highprofile issues facing Washington and its marine resources. Although the program is housed at the University of Washington, WSG has worked hard to be recognized as a central point of research coordination and information exchange for many Washington universities WSG staff continually engage state agency leaders to understand state priorities, identify knowledge and information needs, and to share known information. In addition, the state agencies often identify staff to participate on proposal review panels to ensure that selected research efforts will help to answer the most pressing questions they face. 9

The WSG Director, Assistant Director for Programs, and Assistant Director for Outreach, as well as several other staff, are clearly looked to as experts in many areas of science across the state and region. They consistently participate in (and sometimes lead) local, state and regional groups and committees that focus on critical issues in the area. Some of these include issues and user conflicts related to climate change, coastal resilience, water quality, and others. Productivity It should be recognized and commended that WSG has set reasonable/attainable performance measures to drive the program forward. Clearly the metrics determined under the strategic plan under review are not intentionally low, making success guaranteed, but are set such that they are pushing the program forward. All measures set within their 2014-18 Strategic Plan were met and exceeded. This exceedance, as mentioned above, was by a reasonable measure illustrating that the program is performing on a high level. The metrics presented in their PIER report may not truly capture the performance and the impact of WSG. Some of the final audiences of the work done are more influential than others. One of the most impactful metrics is WSG volunteer hours, of 64,871 hours during this review period. WSG benefits from an integrated program of research and outreach but may want to find a way to recognize where staff are following a more traditional extension role relative to a holistic outreach role. Clearly this integrated program has exceptional leveraging capacity but the different end user groups for each “Extension Staff” could not be clarified; i.e., which Extension staff member’s role is more extension vs outreach. Findings: •

WSG has an extremely strong relationship with the Dean of the College of the Environment and this placement encourages and facilitates strong relationships with department chairs and faculty.

•

Washington Sea Grant’s competitive grants program clearly provides needed research funding. Although more funds are always better, partners expressed that the funding levels provided adequate funds to support a large portion of a graduate stipend and to design experiments that provide, at a minimum needed preliminary data to leverage additional support.

•

WSG has done an amazing job of integrating social science into projects with Northwest Fisheries Science Center and other project partners.

Recommendations: N/A Suggestions: •

WSG should consider implementing a multiplier for end users that have a larger influence on stakeholders. This could be determined by running a neural network analysis to determine which end users of their “products” have a large sphere of influence.

Best Management Practices: N/A

V. PERFORMANCE RATING DETERMINATION After discussion with the program on progress made towards each national focus area as identified in the 2014-2017 Washington Sea Grant Strategic Plan, the SRT determined a performance rating for each national focus area. The SRT used the following rating scale: • • • • • •

Highest Performance - exceeds expectations by an exceptional margin in most areas/aspects (1) Exceeds Expectations by a substantial margin in some areas/aspects (2) Meets Expectations in most areas/aspects (3) Below Expectations in some areas/aspects (4) Unsuccessful in most areas/aspects (5)

Healthy Coastal Ecosystems

Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture

Resilient Communities and Economies

Exceeds Expectations Exceeds Expectations Highest Performance

(2)

(1)

Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development Meets Expectations

(3)

Healthy Coastal Ecosystems: The site review team noted that a number of results of research studies moved into actionable items. Sea Grant was identified as a catalyst and source of seed money that led to larger projects. Particularly notable programs mentioned by the site review team included the green crab work and the social science work of Melissa Poe with the NWFSC. Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture: The site review team found that they met their plan with some things exceeding their performance measures. The site review team noted the number of partnerships, particularly with respect to the salmon work and that they did a good job of balancing the interests of industry and environmentalist groups. Resilient Communities and Economies: The site review team was particularly impressed by the work done in the following areas: 1) depth of relationships with communities, particularly those with tribal communities; 2) Tacoma work that exhibited a two-way street of awareness; 3) large impacts with managers and numerous partners providing a multiplier effect to the end product; 4) work of Ian Miller, mentioned by many panel participants, even outside the panel that he moderated. Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development. The site review team found that WSG met their plan for this focus area. The review team noted room for growth in workforce development with huge potential to serve under-represented communities. At present, WSG appears to be providing funding to several efforts, but not driving the relationships. VI.

FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS and SUGGESTIONS

Findings 12

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The FPO finds that the Program meets the Standards of Excellence expected of all Sea Grant programs. WSG is strongly supported by the Dean of CoE and is well integrated into the academic and research activities within the College but other Colleges and leadership may not be as aware of the activities of WSG and the benefit that accrues to the University. The 29 federally recognized tribes in Washington provide a richness and complexity to the WSG not reflected in other Sea Grants. Currently, the WSG Advisory Committee does not seem to reflect the diversity of WSG constituents and does not have a Charter to frame the actions and responsibilities of its membership. Two thirds of the WSG budget is from relatively stable funding via the National Sea Grant Office (1/3) and matching funds from the University of Washington (1/3). Approximately one-third of the WSG budget is dependent upon short term program funding with some staff positions funded wholly or partly through “soft money”. While there have been recent changes in staff and leadership, the team currently in place has exceptional commitment to the WSG and their constituents. Many of the team members were repeatedly praised by the stakeholders who presented during the site visit. They are highly respected and appreciated. Intensive efforts have been made to assess the management structure, efficiency, and functioning with the result of a series of changes that have addressed weaknesses and contributed to team building and strengthened morale among the leadership team and communications generally with Sea Grant staff. Washington Sea Grant’s competitive grants program clearly provides needed research funding. Although more funds are always better, partners expressed that the funding levels provided adequate funds to support a large portion of a graduate stipend and to design experiments that provide, at a minimum, needed preliminary data to leverage additional support. WSG has an extensive outreach program that has established deep relationships with coastal communities and the varied and diverse stakeholders along the entire coast. WSG’s long-term outreach program on maritime safety and advisement to commercial fishermen has saved lives of commercial fishermen and has led to strong ties with commercial fishing communities along the coast. The strong ties of WSG outreach specialists with commercial fishermen has led to their participation in a variety of research projects and more rapid technology dissemination and adoption due to the deep degree of trust established with coastal communities. In addition to its quadrennial strategic planning process, the program uses informal mechanisms to identify stakeholder needs to inform program priorities within the period of the strategic plan. There are numerous active and productive research, outreach, and communications programs within WSG, but strong linkages, especially among research and outreach on projects were not always clearly evident. WSG leads an integrated, innovative pump-out program of black water from boats, uniquely combining outreach and applied research. The research effort that compared different types of treatment systems showed potential for adoption of the program that is now moving forward with plan for adoption. The project addressed a key problem of stakeholders through research and with community engagement for implementation and dissemination of information.

•

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•

• •

• • • • • • •

WSG is clearly recognized within the commercial fishing community as a trusted resource. This is typified by the reliance of this group on WSG to deliver changes to state and federal regulations. Further, this community relies on WSG to as the “go-to” entity to deliver safety training and resources. The commercial fishing community clearly feels comfortable communicating their research and extension needs to WSG, facilitating the full scope of effective stakeholder engagement. WSG is clearly viewed as a trusted partner and often plays a convening roll. WSG was referred to, on multiple occasions, as the glue of many partnerships As evidenced by the number of partners and the range of the various panels, WSG has strong and diverse networks and collaborations with NOAA and NOAA partners in all areas of their plan. Collaborations with NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center and Pacific Marine Environment Laboratory were fully maximized during the review period and show a commitment to the NOAA mission to assist coastal communities in becoming resilient to environmental and ecosystem changes. NOAA’s Office of Coastal Management partnership supports much of WSG’s coastal resilience efforts in working directly with homeowners up to city, state, and tribal governments across a variety of issues. This work shows WSG leverages NOAA dollars to not only work with individuals, but also their capacity to scale up to institution-level, ultimately impacting millions of peoples’ lives. WSG has apparent and strong relations with state government agencies and they take some advantage of their co-location with UW to further enhance NOAA’s mission through its academic partners. Partnerships across the West Coast Sea Grants were once stronger, particularly when the West Coast Governor’s Alliance was in full force and funding for such partnerships was more plentiful. Those relationships, while still active, seem to have gone through a period of remission and could be reinvigorated in key areas. WSG has successfully nominated more Knauss fellows than any other SG program, a success that continued during the review period. As a leading U.S. region for shellfish aquaculture, WGS prevailed in securing 11 national aquaculture awards - eight research, one extension and outreach award, and two workshop awards. WSG has done an amazing job of integrating social science into projects with Northwest Fisheries Science Center and other project partners. WSG is a respected broker of Puget Sound information among state agencies and private sector stakeholders. The program is seen as unbiased in science and management, a valuable partner in collaboration, and able to quickly respond to stakeholder needs. The WSG communications team has established a clear line of communication with marketing assets/staff within both the college of the environment and the university. This clearly increases the visibility of WSG and gives their work additional exposure. WSG has an extremely strong relationship with the Dean of the College of the Environment and this placement encourages and facilitates strong relationships with department chairs and faculty. Washington Sea Grant’s competitive grants program clearly provides needed research funding. Although more funds are always better, partners expressed that the funding levels provided adequate funds to support a large portion of a graduate stipend and to design

experiments that provide, at a minimum needed preliminary data to leverage additional support. • WSG has done an amazing job of integrating social science into projects with Northwest Fisheries Science Center and other project partners. Recommendations • The Director should review the composition of the WSG Advisory Committee and reconstitute the Committee within the next six months. The Committee should reflect the diversity of WA constituents and include key stakeholders. In addition, the Director should draft and implement a Charter to provide direction and operational framework for the Advisory Committee. • Develop a more formal mechanism to proactively solicit targeted research and outreach needs and priority problems from key stakeholders to be addressed through RFPs and project priorities. Suggestions • WSG has strong advocates and partners in the CoE, especially Dean Graumlich. The program could find ways to leverage those relationships to enhance the program, such as: ○ Working with University and CoE Advancement staff to identify include more strategic, long-term local private sources of funds that will provide endowments or other funding that will ease the burden of extensive reliance on short term programmatic funds to maintain the research and outreach activities. ○ Exploring with UW leadership, the possibility of legislatively mandated funds that could be directed to critical and emerging issues. ○ WSG should consider working with the Dean to provide an avenue to further inform other Colleges and UW Leadership of the benefits to UW of having the WSG colocated within UW. WSG should also explore the possibility of physical co-location with key partners on the UW campus. ○ Working with the other academic programs in CoE to identify emerging threats and opportunities, and to work on more research to application projects/programs. An example of this might be further engaging with the state climatologist, to develop creative and productive partnerships. ○ WSG should consider specifically communicating to other CoE units and researchers in other related colleges the “broader impacts” role that they can play in projects funded by agencies (e.g. NSF and NIH). • Because of the number of staff who are relatively new to WSG, the Director should consider programs to enhance their professional/career development training and learning. • WSG has a tremendous presence within Puget Sound and at the University of Washington. That said, the program should evaluate the needs and likelihood of success to spread program, and potential staff, along the Pacific Coast. • Continue to strengthen explicit linkages among research projects, extension/outreach activities, and communications programs. • To strategically address the broad workforce development needs in the State of Washington, WSG might benefit from more clearly defining what the program’s role in workforce development to craft a plan to implement workforce-development-related programs in maritime and aquaculture sectors. This could include facilitating or creating apprenticeships and/or shadowing programs. 15

• • •

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VII.

• • •

• •

Thorough analysis of the management structure and efficiency of all phases that has resulted in greater team building and a more rational administrative structure for the program. Long-term on-going maritime safety training programs, credited by commercial fishermen with saving lives and protecting families along the coast. In the area of water quality, the work of Sue Blake, Water Resource Educator, Wash. State Univ. Extension and WA SG demonstrated extensive input from a variety of stakeholders that defined: what the program should focus on, what kind of impacts they were seeking, and what types of changes were needed to accomplish those impacts, took advantage of research, and implemented a successful program. DEI Value Statement and Diversity Plan, Keystone Fellowships Effectiveness in partnering and leveraging those partnerships to address issues across a range of scales from overarching federal, state, local and tribal issues to the level of the individual in the state.

Washington Sea Grant University of Washington 3716 Brooklyn Avenue NE Seattle, WA 98105-6716 206.543.6600 • fax: 206.685.0380 wsg.washington.edu

February 7, 2020 Dr. Jonathan Pennock Director National Sea Grant College Program 1315 East-West Highway Silver Spring, MD 20910 Dear Dr. Pennock: This letter is the Washington Sea Grant (WSG) response to the report of the November 2019 Site Review Team. On behalf of WSG, the University of Washington (UW), and our partner and stakeholder participants, I would like to offer sincere thanks to the Site Review Team for the time they spent with our program, and their interest and engagement in the site review process. We enjoyed hosting the team and are proud to have had the opportunity to highlight the many strengths of our program in the areas of organization and management; stakeholder engagement; collaborative network activities; and performance. We appreciate the program commendations and the recognition of WSG processes and activities as best management practices. We also value the recommendations and suggestions for improving both our program and the support we provide to those who study, manage, use and enjoy Washington’s oceans and coasts. However, we also have some fundamental concerns with the evaluation and report. Specifically, we are concerned that 1) some areas of the report appear lacking in detail and justification to explain elements of the panel’s evaluation, and 2) the evaluation may have been influenced by some panelists’ lack of understanding of the unique nature of our program or their preconceived biases. As such, I am using this letter to officially contest the performance scores we received in two areas: Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, and Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development. In the remainder of this letter, I will first respond to the Site Review Team recommendations, and then further outline our concerns. WSG responses to the Site Review Team recommendations are as follows: Recommendation: The Director should review the composition of the WSG Advisory Committee and reconstitute the Committee within the next six months. The Committee should reflect the diversity of WA constituents and include key stakeholders. In addition, the Director should draft and implement a Charter to provide direction and operational framework for the Advisory Committee. We very much appreciate this recommendation and are happy to report that I have already begun the process of reconstituting our Advisory Committee. We have developed a draft charter that is based on advisory committee charters used by several other Sea Grant programs and my own direct experience working with external advisory committees. This draft had been shared with our current Advisory Committee but we have not yet solicited their comments. Currently, we are interviewing potential new Advisory Committee members to assess their interest in serving.

Recommendation: Develop a more formal mechanism to proactively solicit targeted research and outreach needs and priority problems from key stakeholders to be addressed through RFPs and project priorities. As described in our 2019 Site Review Briefing Book, “WSG sets priorities for research and other program activities through a strategic planning process that relies heavily on input from staff, the advisory committee and constituents. The program priorities established in the 2014 – 2018 and 2018 – 2022 strategic plans were developed through staff interviews with key constituents, meetings with the research community and the advisory committee, and hundreds of responses to an online survey. This information was then sorted and structured to align with and contribute to the National Sea Grant College Program’s strategic plan.” We look forward to strengthening this process with a newly constituted Advisory Committee that reflects and includes members from key partners and stakeholders in 2020. In collaboration with the Advisory Committee, we will consider avenues for more effectively targeting our research solicitation in 2022. We will also look for ways to further engage the Advisory Committee and others in identifying research and outreach needs and priority problems. WSG concerns about the Site Review Team evaluation and report are as follows: Performance Rating Determinations The explanations for the performance rating determinations (pg. 12) are extremely terse and devoid of detail, making it difficult to understand the rationale behind the Site Review Team’s evaluation and ratings. Based on the points outlined below, I am officially contesting the scores we received in two areas: Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, and Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development. Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture The Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture section reads as follows: “The Site Review Team found that they met their plan with some things exceeding their performance measures. The Site Review Team noted the number of partnerships, particularly with respect to the salmon work and that they did a good job of balancing the interests of industry and environmentalist groups.” This explanation specifically includes reference to “the salmon work,” however we are uncertain as to what work this refers, as “salmon work” is a very small part of our fisheries and aquaculture portfolio and was hardly featured in our site review materials and presentations. As such, we are concerned that this evaluation overlooks much of our work in this program area, including work on 11 National Sea Grant Aquaculture awards, all of which significantly exceeded our program plan. In addition, I am very concerned that preconceived bias by the lead reviewer in this section (and co-chair of the review team) was unfairly influential on the performance score in this area (and perhaps others). My concerns about preconceived bias by this reviewer came up very starkly in a closed session that included me, two other WSG leadership team members, the Site Review Team, and two federal staff observers. This reviewer began forcefully arguing that WSG was “not meeting the needs of the aquaculture industry.” She stated that we did not work closely with them and did not incorporate their research priorities into our program. I was taken aback by this statement, as I personally engage in candid conversations with growers, processors and grower associations routinely. I responded that between extension staff and WSG leadership, we engage with industry on a daily to weekly basis. The site reviewer then stated that when she “learned she was going to be on the National Sea Grant Advisory Board, she had called several people in the industry to assess their opinions of Sea Grant.” When asked who she actually spoke to in Washington State, she declined to identify who they were, but said they “represented major growers and grower associations.” Not knowing who the reviewer actually spoke to, or any detail of those conversations, made this broad assertion about “not meeting the needs of industry” incredibly difficult to rebut. I then asked the reviewer if she believed that WSG should “be the primary research arm of industry.” She answered “no,” but still insisted that WSG was not doing enough to support the industry. I suggested that we would be willing to host a discussion with industry at the annual (WSGsponsored) Shellfish Grower’s Conference in March to formally and directly ask industry representatives what WSG could do to better support them. I also said this reviewer would be welcome to attend that 2

meeting and see for herself the degree to which we work closely with the aquaculture industry. The reviewer completely dismissed my offer, which I thought was a very practical solution to formally and publicly engage industry and other stakeholders. The WSG Assistant Director for Programs then attempted to engage this reviewer by making the point that WSG strives to take a balanced approach working with all parties (e.g., industry, regulators, NGOs, academia) to maintain our status as a neutral and honest broker. This line of reasoning was also unsuccessful in defusing the conversation. I would like to note that during this discussion, which became increasingly heated, none of the other panel members had the opportunity to meaningfully engage in the conversation or to help diffuse the situation. This conversation occurred during a closed session and was incredibly stressful for the entire WSG leadership team. During a break after the Aquaculture Roundtable session of the review, the Assistant Director for Outreach engaged this same panelist in a conversation about her comments during the Roundtable Discussion on the need to combat misinformation about the aquaculture industry with a “comprehensive" public outreach and communication campaign. While he tried to inform her about WSG relationships with industry and some of the dimensions of public perceptions in Washington, she repeatedly interrupted him to return to her primary point: that only a comprehensive outreach and communication strategy—a campaign—would be effective, and that she saw no evidence of one here in Washington. She also stated her disappointment that Sea Grant programs were not making such a campaign a national priority. Following our last formal conversation with the Site Review Team that concluded the review, the panelist who had raised these concerns pulled me aside and said that she hoped she did not come on too strong and then provided the name of two leaders in the aquaculture industry that she had spoken to prior to the site review. A few weeks later, I had a previously scheduled call with one of the association directors that the reviewer said she had spoken to. When I asked this association director about her conversation with the site review member, the conversation became very awkward. As we talked, she said that she did not recall actually speaking to the site review member. I was surprised but did not push this line of conversation further. Generally, I found this aspect of our review process incredibly difficult due to the confrontational style of this reviewer. The entire WSG leadership team was taken aback by the preconceived biases demonstrated by this reviewer, which we believe unduly influenced the other reviewers and may have adversely impacted the entire review. As you know, the entire site review process is predicated upon conducting a fair review based on rigidly defined performance standards and other objective criteria, and informed by standardized written materials from each program. I do not believe that we received an objective, unbiased assessment in the area of Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture, and believe that it is entirely appropriate to contest this score. WSG’s work in the area of Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture was detailed in our 2019 Site Review Briefing Book, and featured in two topical panels during the site review. Here, we have also included a brief summary of our aquaculture work for the record, to emphasize the importance and relevance of our work in this sector and describe the many areas in which this work exceeded our program plan. WSG’s Role in Washington State Aquaculture Aquaculture has been vital to Washington since well before the area became a state. Local tribes in the Pacific Northwest have cultivated and harvested shellfish since time immemorial. The native Olympia oyster was one of the valuable resources that first drew white settlers into the area — so much so that, soon after the state was founded, the Washington State Legislature made it the only place in the country to legalize private ownership of tidelands. Today, Washington State leads the nation in shellfish aquaculture, where it is home to more than 300 shellfish farms, accounting for 25 percent of national domestic production. Given this cultural and economic importance of our local industry, WSG takes the mission of supporting aquaculture incredibly seriously. With warmer waters, ocean acidification, increasing harmful algal 3

blooms and community conflicts, the challenges faced by the aquaculture industry are many. Marine farmers in Washington State directly benefit from WSG research and technical assistance as we work to understand some of the biggest threats to the industry and how we can overcome them, as well as how the industry can continue to evolve and break into new ventures and markets. WSG leadership, outreach and communication staff are in regular contact with a wide variety of aquaculture industry representatives, the leadership of the industry’s business associations, and independent researchers who work with industry. As the lead producer of farmed oysters, clams, mussels and geoduck in the nation, Washington is central to the industry on the West Coast and home to the Pacific Coast Shellfish Growers Association (PCSGA) and Pacific Shellfish Institute (PSI — an independent nonprofit research organization). Both PCSGA and PSI routinely publish research priorities in consultation with shellfish growers and scientists. WSG uses these published priorities, as well as our many direct relationships with growers, to inform our in-state biennial research RFP, evaluate proposals, and to encourage and lead proposals in the national aquaculture grant competitions. WSG leadership and aquaculture outreach specialists are often active participants in funded projects and also seek grants from other sources to support in-house research, monitoring and technical assistance projects in partnership with PSI and the industry. WSG included many projects aimed at furthering aquaculture in its 2014–2017 omnibus, and has significantly expanded the aquaculture portfolio since the beginning of the review period with success in the National Sea Grant Aquaculture competitions and additional state funding. In 2014, WSG staff included one outreach specialist who spent a portion of their time in aquaculture; WSG now has approximately 2.5 FTE dedicated to aquaculture extension. There were six aquaculture research projects funded through the state RFP is 2014-2017. This included research on one of the shellfish industry’s most pervasive challenges: larval mortality. This research achieved a better understanding of the mechanism behind shellfish mortality events — for example, the influence of temperature, pH and the microbial community — which could enable growers to lose less of their crops to future mortality events. One high-profile source of oyster mortality is ocean acidification. WSG funded research used controlled crossbreeding to attempt to create genetic lines of Pacific oysters that are more resistant to ocean acidification. The highest performing lines they created are now being used commercially and, if the final results show these lines to be resistant to ocean acidification, they will be made available to all interested growers free of charge. Ocean acidification and warming also impact mussels by weakening their ability to make strong byssal threads, which the organisms use to attach to rocks and aquaculture lines. WSG-funded research investigated the mechanisms behind this phenomenon and showed which mussel species are most vulnerable to it. This knowledge could give farmers a competitive advantage as the climate continues to change. Several species of single-celled algae growing in Washington produce potent toxins that can become concentrated in shellfish and sicken humans who eat them. In recent years, these harmful algal blooms (HABs) have expanded into new habitats and extended blooming seasons. WSG funded research to develop inexpensive, field-tested remote sensors that can monitor and measure HABs. This technology will significantly increase the amount of marine environmental data flowing in real time from coastal habitats across Washington State. The technology was piloted by SoundToxins, a WSG-coordinated program of volunteers who monitor for HABs. In addition to supporting aquaculture work through the state RFP, WSG exceeded expectations with 11 projects funded though the National Aquaculture Initiative. WSG received two aquaculture extension awards, which enabled WSG to play a central role in the Washington State Shellfish Initiative. WSG extension staff bring the latest research and technology directly to local shellfish farmers, providing technical advice and training that helps growers develop safe, delicious and economically viable products. This includes organizing the annual Shellfish Growers Conference, as well as assisting shellfish farmers with niche market development. WSG collaborated on the Shellfish Initiative Phase 2 Work Plan launched by the Governor’s Legislative and Policy Office in 2016. The plan included an action (initially submitted by Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor shellfish growers 4

with support from The Nature Conservancy) to “promote collaborative, ecosystem-based management in Willapa Bay and Grays Harbor” to address concerns about shellfish aquaculture interactions with protected resources. In November 2017, the Governor’s Office requested that WSG lead implementation of the action and included $600,000 in a state appropriation over three years for the purpose. SoundToxins, a WSG partnership with the Northwest Fisheries Science Center has exceeded expectations by growing into a reliable network, consistently capturing data needed for aquaculture management and public health decisions that have prevented illness and even possible deaths. In 2016, SoundToxins sampling identified dangerous HAB occurrences, which triggered a shellfish recall and the retrieval of four trucks loaded with possibly contaminated shellfish that were headed to the market. In another event, SoundToxins monitoring allowed Penn Cove Shellfish to quickly resume harvesting following a massive toxic event, resulting in $120,000 added income. SoundToxins has also partnered with HAB monitoring networks outside of Washington, including an initiative led by the Sitka Tribe to work with the Southeast Alaska Tribal Ocean Research. SoundToxins also contributes to important research — for example, a new species of Azadinium was identified with the aid of SoundToxins’ WSG-trained volunteers. WSG research funded through the National Aquaculture Initiative included developing tools to help managers make informed decisions that protect Washington oysters from Pacific oyster mortality syndrome (POMS), a disease caused by a DNA virus that has killed millions of oysters in shellfish beds from France to California. Understanding how POMS could affect Washington oysters is crucial to helping the industry avoid or overcome an outbreak of the virus, should it strike. In partnership with The Nature Conservancy and NOAA, WSG worked toward addressing public perceptions of aquaculture, including concerns about its ecological impact on the marine environment. WSG funded research using underwater cameras to document the ecological function of shellfish-growing areas relative to mudflat and eelgrass habitats. The researchers plan to use their findings to address barriers to sustainable shellfish growth around public perception and the permitting process. Other projects funded through the National Aquaculture Initiative were oriented toward entirely new aquaculture endeavors. For example, WSG-funded researchers are assessing the genetic structure of wild purple-hinged rock scallop populations to help determine whether this species is suitable for commercial aquaculture. In another project, WSG-supported researchers partnered with the NOAA Northwest Fisheries Science Center and the Jamestown S’Klallam Tribe to develop strategies for farming sablefish on a commercial scale. This pilot project produced over 8,000 market-sized fish valued at $150,000 as an initial step to introducing sablefish aquaculture into the $17 million international sablefish export market. Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development While the Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development section highlighted the opportunity for growth in the area of maritime workforce development, we believe that it overlooked the extent to which WSG was proactively responsive to timely, regional needs in maritime workforce development through the specific inclusion of a solicitation for maritime workforce development proposals in the 2015 RFP. The focus in this program area exceeded the program plan for 2014–2017. WSG’s work in the area of Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development was detailed in our 2019 Site Review Briefing Book, and featured in a topical panel during the site review. Here, we have included a brief summary of the maritime workforce development initiative for the record. WSG’s Role in Washington State Maritime Workforce Development Washington’s maritime sector contributes about $30 billion annually in economic activity. Maritime industries offer job opportunities in a range of occupations, and on average, are better paying compared to other sectors of the state’s economy. However, with only 35 percent of the maritime workforce now between the ages of 16 and 39, the future of the sector could be in jeopardy. After Governor Jay Inslee identified the need for new pipelines into careers in maritime fields as a state priority, WSG exceeded expectations by offering funding for maritime workforce project proposals for the first time in 2015. The request for proposals included a call for pilot projects to support Washington’s maritime workforce 5

initiative in meeting one or more of the following objectives: increase awareness of maritime occupations and job opportunities; identify and communicate clear pathways to maritime occupations; develop maritime curricula and programs including teacher training; and assist the maritime industry to recruit and retain workers. As a result of this process, WSG supported Port Townsend’s Maritime Discovery Initiative, which brings together schools and local industries to integrate maritime skills and at-sea experience into K-12 educational curricula. In its first year, 49 teachers participated in the initiative’s immersive summer workshops, during which they visited with maritime employees in their work environments, including a tour of an operating ferry and a visit to a shipyard where historic ships were being restored. In addition, 95 teachers participated in the curriculum development sessions during the school year, in which teachers developed several new place-based projects and improved more than a dozen others, which will be taught to over 1,000 students in the Port Townsend School District. WSG also supported the Experience Maritime Project (EMP), an initiative of the Seattle Maritime Academy that provides summer training to high school students, giving young people who would otherwise have difficulty accessing maritime training a route into the industry by increasing the visibility of maritime work. EMP attracted 127 registrants in 2017, its first year. They were taught basic skills in ocean literacy and given hands-on boat experiences. The program also successfully partnered with organizations, including the Coastal Villages Regional Fund — a cooperative of native villages in Alaska that coordinated with the Seattle Maritime Academy to bring students from Alaska to participate in the program. In closing, I would like to thank you in advance for your consideration of my concerns. The response to this review was incredibly difficult to write but I believe that it was important for my program and for the entire Sea Grant network to raise my concerns about the fairness of our review. I, along with my whole team at WSG, am committed to the quality work that the entire Sea Grant network does on behalf of our local coastal communities. We are honored to be a part of the Sea Grant network and value the commitment of the program to conduct fair and useful reviews that allow us to improve our program. Sincerely,

W. Russell Callender Director cc: Joshua Brown, Pacific Regional Lead

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Sea Grant College Program 1315 East-West Highway Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282

To:

Russell Callender Director, Washington Sea Grant

From:

Jonathan Pennock Director, National Sea Grant College Program

Cc:

Brooke Carney and Joshua Brown Program Officers, National Sea Grant College Program Summer Morlock Assistant Director for Programs, National Sea Grant College Program

Date:

31 July 2020

Subject:

Quadrennial NSGO Review of 2014-2017 Site Review Visit Follow-up

I am writing to provide an update on the recent National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) review of the results of the 2014-2017 site review visit. This letter is intended to be a companion letter to the Certification Letter also included with this communication. The Certification Letter provides official notice of the final recertification or other determination following the 2014-2017 site review visit. This letter provides more detailed background information on the processes that the NSGO has taken subsequent to completion of all 34 site reviews, provides information on the determination of merit funding for your program for the 2022-2023 Omnibus (that will serve as an extension of the 2018-2021 Omnibus) and the 2024-2027 Omnibus, and provide non-binding estimates of what you might expect in base plus merit funding for those proposals given Sea Grant appropriations do not change significantly over the FY2022-FY2027 period. This is intended to assist you in long range planning for your program. Returning to the 2014-2017 site review process, I would like to commend your program, program officer, and your site review team (SRT) for making this review cycle a success. As background, the NSGO has now completed a number of internal review sessions in which we reviewed each program’s site review report, program responses to those reports, as well as feedback provided by the National Sea Grant Advisory Board’s (NSGAB) Evaluation Committee. The review sessions were structured such that there were multiple program summaries given over the course of a week and a half. Program officers briefed their program’s information in a standard format, with each briefing running between 5-10 minutes, followed by discussion. The briefings included: (a) an overview of SRT recommendations, suggestions and

responses; (b) a determination of whether the program met the Sea Grant Standards of Excellence; (c) a review of national focus area rating results; (d) a summary and discussion of any concerns identified in a program’s letter of response; and (e) findings of the NSGAB Evaluation Committee on equity and fairness for each site review. During our internal review, we specifically addressed any concerns that a program expressed that may have affected scoring during the review process. For programs that expressed concerns, our final assessment and determination of whether or not an issue may have affected the score is detailed on the last page along with the initial and post-review ratings. For context, six programs expressed concern about one or more potential issues about the process and/or focus area ratings in the program’s letter of response. The NSGAB Evaluation Committee found the site review reports to be fair and equitable with one exception. The NSGAB Evaluation Committee recommended a change in the scoring for one program due to the potential perception of bias by one of the reviewers. For that program’s report, the NSGAB Evaluation Committee recommended that the performance rating for one national focus area be changed from a rating of three to a rating of two. Based on individual program interest about how their score compared with other programs, and for transparency, we have included a graph of final individual program scores for all programs on Page 3. For initial planning purposes for your program, I have also provided an initial and non-binding estimate of what your final score from this review cycle will translate to in terms of merit funding if there are no changes to appropriations. Please note that we plan to increase the merit pool from $4.9M to $5.4M beginning in FY2022 (see Page 4 for rationale/justification). We appreciate a number of insightful suggestions concerning how the reporting and review process could be improved and will use those as we work together to modify the evaluation process for the 2018-2023 cycle and beyond. We have also compiled a summary of Best Management Practices (BMPs) gathered during the review and will share these with you. These BMPs, input from the NSGAB Evaluation Committee report and continued discussions will be used as the basis for revising the review process in the coming months. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact your program officer. Thank you again for your participation and involvement. Thank you for your patience as we have worked to complete this process.

Sea Grant Program Network Final Site Review Visit Scores Please note that this graph does not include University of Guam Sea Grant or the National Sea Grant Law Center, as those programs are not currently eligible for merit funds.

Summary of Site Review Visit Results for Washington Sea Grant As background, the 2014-17 site review visit was designed to assess whether a program meets the Sea Grant Standards of Excellence. It also included a more in depth review of the performance section of the Sea Grant Standards of Excellence to evaluate how effectively the program performed with respect to leadership and productivity. This part of the evaluation looked into the program’s progress towards its own strategic plan by the national focus areas. A determination that a program ‘meets’ the Standards of Excellence results in recertification of the program for the next Omnibus cycle. Eligible programs that meet the Standards of Excellence are also eligible for merit funding. The relative amount of merit funding a program may receive from the merit pool is determined by their overall rating through the performance review based on the formula provided in the National Sea Grant College Program’s Planning, Implementation and Evaluation policy that can be found on Inside Sea Grant at https://seagrant.noaa.gov/Portals/1/Report%20Guidance/2018%202021%20Final%20PIE%20Pol icy.pdf. As noted in the Certification Letter and based on the site review visit, the Washington Sea Grant program is meeting the Standards of Excellence expected of all programs and is eligible for merit funding. Congratulations! During our internal review sessions, our process calls for a review of any concerns identified in a program’s letter of response. After reviewing your response letter, the site visit report, the findings of the NSGAB Evaluation Committee on equity and fairness, and speaking with office staff who were present during the discussions of your program, we have concluded that there was bias by one or more members of the SRT during the evaluation of one focus area. Therefore, your performance rating for the Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development focus area has been raised from a score of meets expectations (3) to a score of exceeds expectations in some areas by a substantial margin (2). This change is reflected in the final site visit report and used to calculate your final merit score. Washington Sea Grant’s final merit score is 1.78, corresponding to a rating of “Highest Performance: exceeds expectations by an exceptional margin in most areas/aspects”. For comparison, Washington Sea Grant’s 2015 final PRP rating result was 1.77. Ratings: (1) Highest Performance: exceeds expectations by an exceptional margin in most areas/aspects (2) Exceeds Expectations by a substantial margin in some areas/aspects (3) Meets Expectations in most areas/aspects (4) Below Expectations in some areas/aspects (5) Unsuccessful in most areas/aspects

While the annual allocation of base and merit funds cannot be finalized until we learn of Sea Grant’s appropriation levels each year, I can confirm that our intent is to: 1. Fulfill our commitment to increase annual base funding for each program based on the actions taken in FY2018 ($50K increase) and FY2020 ($100K increase) to supplement initial base funding levels for the 2018-2021 Omnibus cycle; and 2. Increase the Merit Pool from $4.9M to $5.4M to account for the fact that we have one additional program (Lake Champlain) eligible for merit funds in FY2022 than we did for FY2018, and to partially adjust for the fact that average scores from the recent 2014-2017 review have increased significantly from the previous cycle. Thus, for general planning purposes and with the caveats noted above, your final merit score would result in $186,343 in merit funding per year for the 2022-2023 and 2024-2027 Omnibus proposals as compared with $198,657 that you received in the 2018-2021 Omnibus if there are no changes to the merit pool or overall Sea Grant budget. Overall, and with the same caveats noted above, anticipated annual funding for Washington Sea Grant for the FY2022-FY2027 period would be: $2,620,000 $186,343 $2,806,343

New Base New Merit New Total

as compared with the projections provided to you for the 2018-2021 Omnibus cycle: $2,470,000 $198,657 $2,668,657

Previous Base Previous Merit Previous Total

Site Review Report of the Washington Sea Grant College Program November 5-7, 2019

Addendum to the Washington Sea Grant Site Review Report July 17, 2020 ___________________________________________________________________________ This addendum supplements the Washington Sea Grant site review team (SRT) report and transmits the results of the National Sea Grant Office (NSGO) Quadrennial Review of the 2014-2017 site review visit for Washington Sea Grant. During the NSGO internal review sessions, the process calls for a review of any concerns identified in a program’s letter of response. After reviewing Washington Sea Grant’s response letter, the SRT report, the findings of the NSGAB Evaluation Committee on equity and fairness, and speaking with office staff who were present during the discussions of the Washington Sea Grant, the NSGO have concluded that there was potential bias by one or more members of the SRT. As a result, the performance rating for the Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development focus area has been raised from a score of meets expectations (3) to a score of exceeds expectations in some areas by a substantial margin (2).

Carole Engle Co-Chair, National Sea Grant Advisory Board Strasburg, VA Lynne Chronister Vice President for Research and Economic Development University of South Alabama Mobile, AL

The FPO finds that the Program meets the Standards of Excellence expected of all Sea Grant programs.

I. ORGANIZING AND MANAGING THE PROGRAM Washington Sea Grant is embedded into the University of Washington College of the Environment (CoE). The College is comprised of a number of Schools, programs and houses resources such as the Friday Harbor Laboratory. The CoE has public and private funding in excess of $173 million annually, and is the largest academic environmental college in the country. The relationship appears to be a highly productive one with strong and consistent support from Dean Lisa Graumlich. The Director of the Washington Sea Grant (WSG) is Russell Callender who assumed the role in the fall of 2018. Since his arrival he has assessed the effectiveness of the organizational structure and the strengths of his 32 staff and leadership. Based upon this assessment, Dr. Callender established a Leadership team and has begun to reorganize supervisory responsibilities to match skills and experience as well as to better serve the WSG stakeholders. The new structure should greatly enhance the WSG ability to carry out its strategic goals and address the needs of its constituents. The new Director has rapidly gained the confidence and support from the Sea Grant staff and leadership. He has instituted regular updates for both on and off-site staff and begun a transparent and effective staff evaluation process. Findings: ● The WSG is strongly supported by the Dean of CoE and is well integrated into the academic and research activities within the College but other Colleges and leadership may not be as aware of the activities of WSG and the benefit that accrues to the University. ● The 29 federally recognized tribes in Washington provide a richness and complexity to the WSG not reflected in other Sea Grants. ● Currently, the WSG Advisory Committee does not seem to reflect the diversity of WSG constituents and does not have a Charter to frame the actions and responsibilities of its membership. ● Two thirds of the WSG budget is from relatively stable funding via the National Sea Grant Office (1/3) and matching funds from the University of Washington (1/3). ● Approximately one-third of the WSG budget is dependent upon short term program funding with some staff positions funded wholly or partly through “soft money”. ● While there have been recent changes in staff and leadership, the team currently in place has exceptional commitment to the WSG and their constituents. Many of the team members were 4

repeatedly praised by the stakeholders who presented during the site visit. They are highly respected and appreciated. ● Intensive efforts have been made to assess the management structure, efficiency, and functioning with the result of a series of changes that have addressed weaknesses and contributed to team building and strengthened morale among the leadership team and communications generally with Sea Grant staff. ● Washington Sea Grant’s competitive grants program clearly provides needed research funding. Although more funds are always better, partners expressed that the funding levels provided adequate funds to support a large portion of a graduate stipend and to design experiments that provide, at a minimum, needed preliminary data to leverage additional support. Recommendations:  The Director should review the composition of the WSG Advisory Committee and reconstitute the Committee within the next six months. The Committee should reflect the diversity of WA constituents and include key stakeholders. In addition, the Director should draft and implement a Charter to provide direction and operational framework for the Advisory Committee. Suggestions: ● WSG has strong advocates and partners in the CoE, especially Dean Graumlich. The program could find ways to leverage those relationships to enhance the program, such as: ○ Working with University and CoE Advancement staff to identify include more strategic, long-term local private sources of funds that will provide endowments or other funding that will ease the burden of extensive reliance on short term programmatic funds to maintain the research and outreach activities. ○ Exploring with UW leadership, the possibility of legislatively mandated funds that could be directed to critical and emerging issues. ○ WSG should consider working with the Dean to provide an avenue to further inform other Colleges and UW Leadership of the benefits to UW of having the WSG colocated within UW. WSG should also explore the possibility of physical co-location with key partners on the UW campus. ○ Working with the other academic programs in CoE to identify emerging threats and opportunities, and to work on more research to application projects/programs. An example of this might be further engaging with the state climatologist, to develop creative and productive partnerships. ○ WSG should consider specifically communicating to other CoE units and researchers in other related colleges the “broader impacts” role that they can play in projects funded by agencies (e.g. NSF and NIH). ● Because of the number of staff who are relatively new to WSG, the Director should consider programs to enhance their professional/career development training and learning. ● WSG has a tremendous presence within Puget Sound and at the University of Washington. That said, the program should evaluate the needs and likelihood of success to spread program, and potential staff, along the Pacific Coast. Best Practices: 5

● Thorough analysis of the management structure and efficiency of all phases that has resulted in greater team building and a more rational administrative structure for the program. II. STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT Relevance The WSG program is actively engaged with coastal and tribal communities, a variety of state and federal agencies, local governments, industries, and numerous non-profit organizations on initiatives that are especially relevant to key SG focus areas. The depth and breadth of relationships with tribal communities, civic leaders, commercial fishermen, and various non-profit organizations was abundantly evident throughout the various panels during the site review team’s visit. The rapid development and expansion of the coastal resilience program was especially remarkable with frequent reference by many panel members to the support and value of the coastal hazards specialist. WSG programs are also relevant to the University of Washington College of the Environment and were considered to be “central to the mission” of the College of the Environment through “scholarship used in service of social needs.” Strong relationships have been developed with not just the university leadership but also with faculty who viewed WSG as a vehicle for community engagement related to their expertise. Extension/Advisory Service WSG supports 19 advisory positions (at varying percentages of appointments) in the state in the following areas: Coastal Policy, Coastal Hazards, Coastal Management, Environmental Outreach, Marine Ecology, Marine Water Quality, Ocean Acidification, Aquatic Nuisance Species, Water Resources, Marine Operations, Boating, Aquaculture, Economics, and Social Science. While many of these positions are distributed across the greater Puget Sound region, several outreach specialists are located on the Pacific Coast. Education/Training Washington Sea Grant education and training programs have been developed across several levels that include university and K-12 targeted audiences. Examples include: 1) funding support for students at the undergraduate (135), MS/MA (136), and PhD (84) levels; 2) NOAA Science Camp that is jointly supported by NOAA and WSG; 3) summer camps for high school students that focus on maritime skills such as navigation, ocean inquiry, engineering, hydraulics, safety, and other topics; 4) engagement of high school students in research and monitoring activities; 5) partnership with Washington State University Extension on youth activities related to beach exploration; and 6) citizen science partnerships. Washington Sea Grant runs three Washington-specific Fellowships. The Hershman Fellowship is a one-year marine policy fellowship that places early career scientists in host agencies, nonprofits or tribes. The newly launched Keystone Fellowship provides an opportunity for a graduate or undergraduate student from non-traditional backgrounds to engage in marine science policy as well. The Science Communication Fellowships target undergraduate and graduate students (in separate

calls), allowing interested students to hone their skills as writers and communicators, gaining highly sought-after science communication skills. In addition to their Washington-focused Fellowships, WSG also sponsors students to multiple national fellowship programs, including the John A. Knauss Marine Policy Fellowship (11 in the reporting period), the NMFS-SG Fellowships (9 in the reporting period), and the OCM sponsored Coastal Zone Management Fellowship (1 in reporting period). Findings:      

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Recommendations:  Develop a more formal mechanism to proactively solicit targeted research and outreach needs and priority problems from key stakeholders to be addressed through RFPs and project priorities. Suggestions:  Continue to strengthen explicit linkages among research projects, extension/outreach activities, and communications programs. 7

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To strategically address the broad workforce development needs in the State of Washington, WSG might benefit from more clearly defining what the program’s role in workforce development to craft a plan to implement workforce-development-related programs in maritime and aquaculture sectors. This could include facilitating or creating apprenticeships and/or shadowing programs. Develop an Aquaculture Literacy Program that could be incorporated into the Environmental Literacy Program.

Best Practices:  Long-term on-going maritime safety training programs, credited by commercial fishermen with saving lives and protecting families along the coast.  In the area of water quality, the work of Sue Blake, Water Resource Educator, Washington State University Extension and WSG demonstrated extensive input from a variety of stakeholders that defined: what the program should focus on, what kind of impacts they were seeking, and what types of changes were needed to accomplish those impacts, took advantage of research, and implemented a successful program.  DEI Values Statement and Diversity Plan III. COLLABORATIVE NETWORK/NOAA ACTIVITIES Collaboration Washington Sea Grant has strong and diverse networks and collaborations with NOAA and state partners in all areas of their plan. Changes in opportunities from the last review cycle have resulted in a somewhat different focus for collaborative activities. The emphasis on West Coast Sea Grant program networking has given way in the years since the dissolution of the West Coast Governors’ Alliance to less formal – although still effective - connections across states. There is a greater emphasis on using federal resources and networks to address emerging critical needs across the west coast and Alaska. Examples include a training for the safety needs of the Dungeness crab fishery across Oregon and Washington and an update of the Fisherman’s Direct Marketing Manual to serve Washington and Alaskan fishers. Relationships WSG has an extremely strong relationship with the Dean of the College of the Environment and this placement encourages and facilitates strong relationships with chairs of various departments at the University of Washington. Increased emphasis has been placed on expansion of relationships with other universities in the state. Washington Sea Grant has helped establish many formal and informal coastal resilience networks connecting research institutions and state and local governments, resulting in a state more attuned to coastal hazards and what steps it will need to take to increase its resilience in the face of sea level rise and other threats. This work has created more direct partnerships with NOAA programs, such as the Coastal Zone Management Program, a program of the Office for Coastal Management (OCM). OCM funding, both directly and through partnerships with the Washington Department of 8

Ecology, helped catalyze the creation and growth of a coastal resilience portfolio. The resulting work has led to the creation of advisory positions dealing with these issues. In addition, WSG uses these funds to co-manage the state Coastal Hazards Resilience Network. These networks have helped the program bring the range of resilience expertise in the state, including their own specialists, the Climate Impacts Group at UW, and agency specialists, to deliver relevant localscale information on sea level rise. WSG developed planning guidance and a website to walk communities through coastal hazards info. These efforts reflect a conscious investment in recent years to be more responsive to these types of needs. In addition, WSG has strengthened relationships with NOAA’s Northwest Fisheries Science Center (NWFSC) and Pacific Marine Environment Laboratory (PMEL) over the review period. As examples with the NWFSC, the program continued to sustain and grow the SoundToxins program, a volunteer program for early warning of harmful algal blooms. There was also an excellent Liaison partnership, jointly funding a social scientist to examine social wellbeing indicators in fishing communities. The partnership with PMEL focused on ocean acidification and tsunami hazard warning. Both represent strong examples of the continuum of basic research to on-theground application. Findings: 

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WSG has done an amazing job of integrating social science into projects with Northwest Fisheries Science Center and other project partners. WSG is a respected broker of Puget Sound information among state agencies and private sector stakeholders. The program is seen as unbiased in science and management, a valuable partner in collaboration, and able to quickly respond to stakeholder needs. The WSG communications team has established a clear line of communication with marketing assets/staff within both the college of the environment and the university. This clearly increases the visibility of WSG and gives their work additional exposure.

Recommendations:

N/A

Suggestions:  WSG should look to further leverage their co-location on the UW campus to be an even greater catalyst for the application of research results to real-world Washington problems.  WSG should investigate opportunities to reinvigorate their relationships with the other West Coast and Alaskan Sea Grant programs to bolster networks working on coast-wide issues and take advantage of opportunities such as Marine Heat Waves and their increasing effects on fisheries, as well as the potentially large ecosystem impact from planned wind energy farms.  WSG should be sure to engage with the aquaculture industry to further develop proposal ideas for sustainable aquaculture that might be competitive as NOAA continues to see budget increases in its aquaculture programs.  WSG is clearly recognized by “Washington Maritime Blue” (WMB) as a strong partner and convener. As such, WSG should work hard to engage efforts within the Governor’s Blue initiative. Specifically, it is likely that WSG will be able to contribute to the following “task teams”: “Blue Force”, “Blue Forum” and “Blue Focus”. Clearly WMB see WSG as a convener and a trusted resource and the program should capitalize on this reputation. Best Management Practices:  Effectiveness in partnering and leveraging those partnerships to address issues across a range of scales from overarching federal, state, local and tribal issues to the level of the individual in the state.  DEI Values Statement and Diversity Plan, Keystone Fellowship IV. PERFORMANCE REVIEW Leadership WSG is a highly respected and crucial leader in the state and region with regard to many highprofile issues facing Washington and its marine resources. Although the program is housed at the University of Washington, WSG has worked hard to be recognized as a central point of research coordination and information exchange for many Washington universities WSG staff continually engage state agency leaders to understand state priorities, identify knowledge and information needs, and to share known information. In addition, the state agencies

often identify staff to participate on proposal review panels to ensure that selected research efforts will help to answer the most pressing questions they face. The WSG Director, Assistant Director for Programs, and Assistant Director for Outreach, as well as several other staff, are clearly looked to as experts in many areas of science across the state and region. They consistently participate in (and sometimes lead) local, state and regional groups and committees that focus on critical issues in the area. Some of these include issues and user conflicts related to climate change, coastal resilience, water quality, and others. Productivity It should be recognized and commended that WSG has set reasonable/attainable performance measures to drive the program forward. Clearly the metrics determined under the strategic plan under review are not intentionally low, making success guaranteed, but are set such that they are pushing the program forward. All measures set within their 2014-18 Strategic Plan were met and exceeded. This exceedance, as mentioned above, was by a reasonable measure illustrating that the program is performing on a high level. The metrics presented in their PIER report may not truly capture the performance and the impact of WSG. Some of the final audiences of the work done are more influential than others. One of the most impactful metrics is WSG volunteer hours, of 64,871 hours during this review period. WSG benefits from an integrated program of research and outreach but may want to find a way to recognize where staff are following a more traditional extension role relative to a holistic outreach role. Clearly this integrated program has exceptional leveraging capacity but the different end user groups for each “Extension Staff” could not be clarified; i.e., which Extension staff member’s role is more extension vs outreach. Findings: 

WSG has an extremely strong relationship with the Dean of the College of the Environment and this placement encourages and facilitates strong relationships with department chairs and faculty.

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WSG has done an amazing job of integrating social science into projects with Northwest Fisheries Science Center and other project partners.

Recommendations: N/A Suggestions: 11

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Best Management Practices: N/A

Healthy Coastal Ecosystems

Sustainable Fisheries and Aquaculture

Resilient Communities and Economies

Exceeds Expectations Exceeds Expectations Highest Performance

(2)

(1)

Environmental Literacy and Workforce Development Meets Expectations

(3)

FINDINGS, RECOMMENDATIONS and SUGGESTIONS

Findings 13

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experiments that provide, at a minimum needed preliminary data to leverage additional support.  WSG has done an amazing job of integrating social science into projects with Northwest Fisheries Science Center and other project partners. Recommendations  The Director should review the composition of the WSG Advisory Committee and reconstitute the Committee within the next six months. The Committee should reflect the diversity of WA constituents and include key stakeholders. In addition, the Director should draft and implement a Charter to provide direction and operational framework for the Advisory Committee.  Develop a more formal mechanism to proactively solicit targeted research and outreach needs and priority problems from key stakeholders to be addressed through RFPs and project priorities. Suggestions  WSG has strong advocates and partners in the CoE, especially Dean Graumlich. The program could find ways to leverage those relationships to enhance the program, such as: ○ Working with University and CoE Advancement staff to identify include more strategic, long-term local private sources of funds that will provide endowments or other funding that will ease the burden of extensive reliance on short term programmatic funds to maintain the research and outreach activities. ○ Exploring with UW leadership, the possibility of legislatively mandated funds that could be directed to critical and emerging issues. ○ WSG should consider working with the Dean to provide an avenue to further inform other Colleges and UW Leadership of the benefits to UW of having the WSG colocated within UW. WSG should also explore the possibility of physical co-location with key partners on the UW campus. ○ Working with the other academic programs in CoE to identify emerging threats and opportunities, and to work on more research to application projects/programs. An example of this might be further engaging with the state climatologist, to develop creative and productive partnerships. ○ WSG should consider specifically communicating to other CoE units and researchers in other related colleges the “broader impacts” role that they can play in projects funded by agencies (e.g. NSF and NIH).  Because of the number of staff who are relatively new to WSG, the Director should consider programs to enhance their professional/career development training and learning.  WSG has a tremendous presence within Puget Sound and at the University of Washington. That said, the program should evaluate the needs and likelihood of success to spread program, and potential staff, along the Pacific Coast.  Continue to strengthen explicit linkages among research projects, extension/outreach activities, and communications programs.  To strategically address the broad workforce development needs in the State of Washington, WSG might benefit from more clearly defining what the program’s role in workforce development to craft a plan to implement workforce-development-related programs in maritime and aquaculture sectors. This could include facilitating or creating apprenticeships and/or shadowing programs. 16

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VII.   

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Develop an Aquaculture Literacy Program that could be incorporated into the Environmental Literacy Program. WSG should look to further leverage their co-location on the UW campus to be an even greater catalyst for the application of research results to real-world Washington problems. WSG should investigate opportunities to reinvigorate their relationships with the other West Coast and Alaskan Sea Grant programs to bolster networks working on coast-wide issues and take advantage of opportunities such as Marine Heat Waves and their increasing effects on fisheries, as well as the potentially large ecosystem impact from planned wind energy farms. WSG should be sure to engage with the aquaculture industry to further develop proposal ideas for sustainable aquaculture that might be competitive as NOAA continues to see budget increases in its aquaculture programs. WSG is clearly recognized by “Washington Maritime Blue” (WMB) as a strong partner and convener. As such, WSG should work hard to engage efforts within the Governor’s Blue initiative. Specifically, it is likely that WSG will be able to contribute to the following “task teams”: “Blue Force”, “Blue Forum” and “Blue Focus”. Clearly WMB see WSG as a convener and a trusted resource and the program should capitalize on this reputation. WSG should consider implementing a multiplier for end users that have a larger influence on stakeholders. This could be determined by running a neural network analysis to determine which end users of their “products” have a large sphere of influence. BEST MANAGEMENT PRACTICES Thorough analysis of the management structure and efficiency of all phases that has resulted in greater team building and a more rational administrative structure for the program. Long-term on-going maritime safety training programs, credited by commercial fishermen with saving lives and protecting families along the coast. In the area of water quality, the work of Sue Blake, Water Resource Educator, Wash. State Univ. Extension and WA SG demonstrated extensive input from a variety of stakeholders that defined: what the program should focus on, what kind of impacts they were seeking, and what types of changes were needed to accomplish those impacts, took advantage of research, and implemented a successful program. DEI Value Statement and Diversity Plan, Keystone Fellowships Effectiveness in partnering and leveraging those partnerships to address issues across a range of scales from overarching federal, state, local and tribal issues to the level of the individual in the state.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration National Sea Grant College Program 1315 East-West Highway Silver Spring, MD 20910-3282

Russell Callender, Director Washington Sea Grant University of Washington 3716 Brooklyn Avenue, N.E., Seattle, WA 98105-6716

July 31, 2020

Dear Russell: First and foremost, I want to congratulate you and your staff for reaching and sustaining the Standards of Excellence expected of all Sea Grant College Programs. As part of our National Sea Grant Office evaluation process, Washington Sea Grant underwent a site review visit for activities undertaken during the 2014-2017 funding period. The site review team evaluated the program’s management and organization, stakeholder engagement, collaborative network activities and the program’s performance priorities set forth in your program’s strategic plan and your program’s overall impact based on the Federal investment. The review provided a comprehensive picture of the effectiveness of your entire program. The review clearly showed that Washington Sea Grant is an excellent program that has dramatically reshaped its focus over the last decade, greatly enhancing its resilience and sustainability portfolio. The Washington Sea Grant program is actively engaged with coastal and tribal communities, a variety of state and federal agencies, local governments, industries, and numerous non-profit organizations on initiatives that are especially relevant to key Sea Grant focus areas. The depth and breadth of relationships with tribal communities, civic leaders, commercial fishermen, and various non-profit organizations was abundantly evident throughout the various panels during the site review team’s visit. Washington Sea Grant has an extensive outreach program that has established deep relationships with coastal communities and the varied and diverse stakeholders along the entire coast. As you know, a major goal of the quadrennial reviews is to promote continual improvement in all of our programs. I encourage Washington Sea Grant, as I do all of our programs, to continue to work with the National Sea Grant Office through your Program Officer to thoughtfully consider and implement (as appropriate) any suggestions or recommendations that were provided through the review process. The results from the site review team are clear: Washington Sea Grant is a well-managed, cost-effective and impactful program that provides valuable services to your stakeholders and your successes contribute to the strength of the National Sea Grant College Program. Sincerely,

Cc: Brooke Carney, Federal Program Officer Joshua Brown, Federal Program Officer Summer Morlock, Assistant Director for Programs National Sea Grant College Program

Jonathan Pennock, Director, National Sea Grant College Program

Outreach – Field

Jeff Adams Marine Ecologist Marine and freshwater ecology, water quality, aquatic invasive species, volunteer training jaws@uw.edu 360.229.9398

Sarah Fisken Marine Operations Specialist Safety and marine training, seafood handling and marketing, commercial and tribal fisheries sfisken@uw.edu 206.543.1225

Ian Miller Coastal Hazards Specialist Coastal geomorphology, oceanography, coastal hazards assessment and mitigation immiller@uw.edu 360.417.6460

Aaron Barnett Environmental Outreach Specialist Pollution prevention and vessel and marine facilities education aaronb5@uw.edu 206.616.8929

Bridget Trosin Coastal Policy Specialist Marine policy and planning, pollution prevention, marine facilities education, coastal hazards bemmett@uw.edu 773.203.2922. • Bellingham

• Port Angeles

• Port Townsend

• Seattle • Bremerton • Shelton • Tacoma

Teri King Aquaculture and Marine Water Quality Specialist Shellfish aquaculture, water quality, seafood safety, volunteer training guatemal@uw.edu 360.432.3054

Kevin Decker Coastal Economist Natural resource economics, business training and development kadecker@uw.edu 206.685.0864

• South Bend

Jackson Blalock Community Engagement Specialist Community engagement, coastal hazards resilience, ecosystembased management jackbla@uw.edu 704.418.4179

For more information, please visit the staff directory page online at https://wsg.washington.edu/about-wsg/staff-dir/

Jenna Keeton Fisheries Specialist Sustainable fisheries, seafood marketing, community engagement and fisheries economics keetonj@uw.edu 206.734.5566

• Olympia

• Ellens

• Westport

Outreach – Seattle Office

Meg Chadsey Ocean Acidification Specialist Ocean acidification, PMEL liaison mchadsey@uw.edu 206.616.1538

Nicole Faghin Coastal Management Specialist Coastal planning, land use and development, working waterfronts faghin@uw.edu 206.685.8286

Carrie Garrison-Laney Coastal Hazards Specialist Tsunamis, coastal hazards assessment and mitigation, PMEL liaison cegl@uw.edu 206.685.8302

Emily Grason Marine Ecologis Estuarine and m ecology, aquatic sive species, vo training egrason@uw.ed 206.616.3368

Leadership Team – Seattle Office

Russell Callender Director wrc4@uw.edu

206.685.9117

Sean Macduff Assistant Director for Community Engagement sean670@uw.edu 206.221.6134

Kate Litle Deputy Director kalitle@uw.edu

206.616.0151

Katy Curtis Assistant Director for Finance and Administration katy123@uw.edu

206.543.9966

MaryAnn Wagner Assistant Director for Communications maryannb@uw.edu

206.616.6353

Communications – Seattle Office

Samantha Larson Science Writer larsonsa@uw.edu

206.616.9568

• Spokane

Karen MorrillMcClure IT, Accessibility and Inclusion Lead karenmmc@uw.edu

Robyn Ricks Creative Director robyn@uw.edu

206.685.2607

206.685.0171

Administration, Research and Fellowships Seattle Office

sburg

st marine c invaolunteer

• Walla Walla

Amy B. Linhart Crab Team Coordinator Community science, marine science and policy, science communication alinhart@uw.edu 206.616.8169

Nicole Naar Aquaculture Specialist Coastal community anthropology, aquaculture, education and outreach nanaar@uw.edu 206.543.7933

Andrea Chateaubriand Executive Assistant chateau@uw.edu 206.616.1427

Melissa Poe Social Scientist Anthropology, social sciences for ecosystem-based management mpoe@uw.edu 206.685.8209

Eileen Herman Administrative Assistant emherman@uw.edu 206.543.6600

Alex Stote Crab Team Coastal Specialist Shellfish aquaculture, sustainable food systems, science communication stote@uw.edu 206.685.8274

Deborah Purce Fellowship and Research Specialist dpurce@uw.edu 206.616.5718

Maile Sullivan Education Specialist K-12 education and programming, Orca Bowl and NOAA Science Camp coordination mailesul@uw.edu 206.543.2822

Trinh Vo Grants and Contracts Manager

trinh26@uw.edu 206.685.2427

Important Web Links • Washington Sea Grant Website • National Sea Grant Website • 2021 Request for Proposals • Self-Guided Field Trips: • Farm to Table - An Aquaculture Experience • The Seattle Seawall • Tacoma’s Working Waterfront and Tideflats • Seattle’s Fishermen’s Terminal • Social • Flickr • Facebook • Twitter @WASeaGrant • Instagram: @WASeaGrant