[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 129 (Thursday, July 31, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Page S7909]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]

      By Mrs. MURRAY (for herself and Ms. Cantwell):
  S. 3373. A bill to reauthorize and expand the Northwest Straits 
Marine Conservation Initiative Act to promote the protection of the 
resources of the Northwest Straits, and for other purposes; to the 
Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation.
  Mrs. MURRAY. Mr. President, I rise today to introduce the Northwest 
Straits Marine Conservation Initiative Act. This bill will reauthorize 
the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative, which promotes 
the protection and restoration of the marine waters, habitats, and 
species of the Northwest Straits region of Puget Sound in Washington 
State in order to achieve ecosystem health and sustainable resource 
use.
  The Northwest Straits region makes up 60 percent of the Puget Sound's 
shoreline and includes the marine waters, nearshore areas, and 
shorelines of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and of Puget Sound from the 
Canadian border to the southern end of Snohomish County. This region 
represents a unique resource of enormous environmental and economic 
value to the people of the United States and, in particular, of the 
region surrounding the Northwest Straits. However, in the last several 
decades, habitat health, water quality, and populations of commercially 
and culturally valuable species found in the Northwest Straits have 
sharply declined. During the 20th century, extensive development, a 
legacy of lost or abandoned fishing gear, land conversion, loss of 
native sea grass, and invasive species have destroyed once intact 
native habitats in its ecosystem.
  In 1997, I partnered with former Congressman Jack Metcalf and brought 
opposing stakeholders together to create an advisory commission to 
address regional and local issues in the marine environment. Many were 
skeptical of our efforts, but our work created an innovate model for 
restoring and protecting marine habitats. As a result, the Northwest 
Straits Initiative was created to provide funding to help citizens 
design and carry out marine conservation projects driven by local 
priorities and informed by science and the Initiative's goals and 
benchmarks.
  The Northwest Straits Initiative is composed of volunteer-based 
marine resources committees in 7 counties, as well as over 100 members 
representing residents, tribes, businesses, fishermen, boaters, and 
scientists. It has logged thousands of volunteer hours and completed 
hundreds of projects, demonstrating that citizen involvement in marine 
resource conservation and restoration is powerful, effective, and 
necessary. And the program has accomplished a lot: thousands of 
derelict crab pots and fishing nets have been removed, miles of forage 
fish spawning habitat have been surveyed, hundreds of thousands of 
native Olympia oysters have been planted, marine stewardship areas have 
been designated, nearly 1,000 tons of creosote wood has been removed, 
and dozens of stewardship and public outreach programs have been 
completed.
  The authorization of the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation 
Initiative will ensure the continuation of this successful and 
innovative regional approach to marine resource restoration and 
protection.
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