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The Whatcom Marine Resources Committee is a diverse group of informed stakeholders serving to promote and facilitate actions that will protect and restore the marine ecosystem.

The story of the Northwest Straits Initiative...

Due to the decline of marine species and habitats in the Northwest Straits region in the mid 1980’s, Congress authorized a study of the area for potential inclusion as a National Marine Sanctuary. This proposal was met with strong resistance from locals who were concerned that a National Marine Sanctuary would be administered in a top-down fashion, without input from the local community. Senator Patty Murray and U.S. Representative Jack Metcalf began exploring alternatives to the marine sanctuary and proposed the Northwest Straits Marine Conservation Initiative, which was authorized by Congress is 1998. The main goals of the initiative are: 1) mobilizing broad citizen support for marine conservation, 2) increasing voluntary compliance with conservation goals, and 3) utilizing local energy to generate on-the-ground projects.

The Whatcom Marine Resources Committee was established by the Whatcom County Council in 1999.

Northwest Straits Initiative (NWSI) Family Tree

The Marine Resources Committees (MRCs): Seven MRCs in our region that are locally based and administered through their County government. This includes the Whatcom County MRC. 

The Commission: A regional coordinating entity that works within state government to provide technical support and funding to each MRC.

The Foundation: A non-profit, non-governmental entity that helps to attract additional resources for the work of the Northwest Straits Initiative.

MRC Staff Contact: Austin Rose
Whatcom County Public Works
360-778-6286
arose@co.whatcom.wa.us