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Puget Sound Kelp Conservation and Recovery Plan January 2020

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Puget Sound Kelp Conservation and Recovery Plan January 2020 Puget Sound Kelp Conservation and Recovery Plan January 2020 Prepared by the Northwest Straits Commission, NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service, Puget Sound Restoration Fund, Washington Department of Natural Resources, and Marine Agronomics. ....., . .,. V Northwest WASHINGTON STATE DEPT O F ~ "1..,._ Straits ! nATURAL ~ MARINE ~ ..., INITIATIYI \~ RESOURCES ~(IA:RONOMICS partners in marine tonaervorion PUGET SOUND 0,,.,.1\,. ...... RESTORATION FUND Puget Sound Kelp Conservation and Recovery Plan — Public Review Draft Kelp Plan Authors and Contributors Lead Authors Max Calloway, Puget Sound Restoration Fund Dana Oster, Northwest Straits Commission Tom Mumford, Marine Agronomics LLC Helen Berry, Washington State Department of Natural Resources Kelp Core Team Contributors Dan Tonnes, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service Nicole Naar, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service Steve Copps, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service James Selleck, National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration National Marine Fisheries Service Betsy Peabody, Puget Sound Restoration Fund Jodie Toft, Puget Sound Restoration Fund Brian Allen, Puget Sound Restoration Fund Lucas Hart, Northwest Straits Commission Acknowledgements A diverse group of local and regional experts contributed valuable perspectives to this Puget Sound Kelp Conservation and Recovery Plan. We would also like to thank the many participants who took part in the kelp workshops in 2018 and 2019. The discussions in those workshops formed the framework for this plan. We deeply appreciate comments from a panel of peer reviewers, whose comments substantially contributed to the scope and breadth of this document. NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS) recognized the need for this document and provided invaluable funding to support this effort, without which, this work would not have been possible. Many thanks to the Samish Indian Nation Elders and Tribal staff for contributing their knowledge and stories to Appendix B. We hope this plan provides our community with a framework for continued focus and momentum toward kelp conservation and recovery. Cover Photo: Bull kelp forest. Image courtesy of Eiko Jones Photography. January 2020 i Puget Sound Kelp Conservation and Recovery Plan — Public Review Draft TABLE OF CONTENTS T. Executive Summary ................................................................................................................ 1 IT. Introduction ............................................................................................................................. 6 2.1 Purpose of the Conservation and Recovery Plan .................................................................. 6 2.2 Plan Development and Coordination .................................................................................... 7 Kelp Core Team ...................................................................................................................... 8 Puget Sound Conservation and Recovery Plan Area .............................................................. 9 2.3 Precautionary Principle and Adaptive Management ........................................................... 11 TIT. Puget Sound Kelp Overview .............................................................................................. 12 3.1 Kelp Biology ....................................................................................................................... 12 Kelp Life History .................................................................................................................. 12 Kelp Forest Structure ............................................................................................................ 13 3.2 Kelp Ecosystem Goods and Services .................................................................................. 15 Kelp as Critical Habitat ......................................................................................................... 15 The Cultural Importance of Kelp for Pacific Northwest Tribes ........................................... 16 3.3 Kelp Distributions, Trends, and Regional Changes ............................................................ 16 Kelp Distributions and Trends in Puget Sound..................................................................... 17 3.4 Stressors .............................................................................................................................. 18 Nutrient Loading ................................................................................................................... 18 Climate Change ..................................................................................................................... 18 Fine Sediment Loading ......................................................................................................... 19 Fisheries Impacts .................................................................................................................. 19 Harvest .................................................................................................................................. 19 Shoreline Development and Activities ................................................................................. 20 Invasive Species: Sargassum muticum and Undaria pinnatifida ......................................... 20 TV. Puget Sound Kelp Management Framework ..................................................................... 21 4.1 Kelp Management Responsibilities .................................................................................... 23 Washington State Tribes ....................................................................................................... 23 Washington Department of Natural Resources ..................................................................... 23 January 2020 ii Puget Sound Kelp Conservation and Recovery Plan — Public Review Draft Shoreline Management Act: Department of Ecology and Local Shoreline Master Programs ............................................................................................................................................... 24 Clean Water Act: Washington Department of Ecology ........................................................ 24 Hydraulic Project Approval: Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife ....................... 24 Recreational Harvest and Scientific Collection Permits ....................................................... 25 Army Corps of Engineers: Clean Water Act, Rivers and Harbors Act Section 10, and Endangered Species Act ....................................................................................................... 25 National Marine Fisheries Service and United States Fish and Wildlife Service: Endangered Species Act............................................................................................................................ 25 National Marine Fisheries Service: Essential Fish Habitat ................................................... 26 Kelp Aquaculture Regulations .............................................................................................. 26 V. Kelp Conservation and Recovery Actions ............................................................................ 28 1. Reduce Stressors ................................................................................................................ 28 Human Impacts on Water Quality and Kelp Habitats .......................................................... 29 Biological Stressors .............................................................................................................. 30 Climate Change ..................................................................................................................... 30 2. Improve Understanding of the Value of Kelp to Puget Sound Ecosystems and Integrate into Management .............................................................................................................................. 31 3. Describe Kelp Distribution and Trends ............................................................................. 31 4. Designate Kelp Protected Areas ........................................................................................ 32 5. Restore Kelp Forests .......................................................................................................... 33 6. Promote Awareness, Engagement, and Action from User Groups, the Public, and Decision- Makers....................................................................................................................................... 34 VI. Conclusions ........................................................................................................................ 36 VII. References .......................................................................................................................... 37 Appendix A - Kelp Knowledge Review Appendix B - The Cultural Importance of Kelp for Pacific Northwest Tribes Appendix C - Prioritized Data Gaps and Workshop Notes January 2020 iii Puget Sound Kelp Conservation and Recovery Plan — Public Review Draft Table of Figures Figure 1. Map of Puget Sound Kelp Conservation and Recovery Plan Area. Indicated by cross hatched area. ................................................................................................................................
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