Port Susan Marine Stewardship Area Conservation Action Plan Phase II Prepared By: Meghan Massaua Audrey Kuklok Abby Hook Kathleen Herrmann Kate Litle Jess Toro December 21, 2012 Stillaguamish Tribe This project was funded by a grant from the Northwest Straits Commission with matching support from the Tulalip Tribes, The Nature Conservancy, Snohomish County, Island County, Washington Sea Grant, Washington State University Extension Beach Watchers and Shore Stewards. Table of Contents LIST OF ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................................................................... I THANK YOU ............................................................................................................................................................................... II EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ......................................................................................................................................... 1 PORT SUSAN MARINE STEWARDSHIP AREA MAP ............................................................................................................. 3 1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................................................. 4 2. PLANNING PROCESS ......................................................................................................................................... 8 2.1 CONSERVATION ACTION PLANNING ............................................................................................................................. 8 2.2 PROJECT TEAM ................................................................................................................................................................. 8 3. CONSERVATION PLANNING METHODS AND RESULTS ...................................................................... 10 3.1 CONSERVATION TARGET SELECTION AND VIABILITY .............................................................................................. 10 3.1.1 Shorebirds – Good Viability Ranking ................................................................................................................ 12 3.1.2 Chinook Salmon – Fair Viability Ranking ...................................................................................................... 12 3.1.3 Forage Fish – Good Viability Ranking .............................................................................................................. 13 3.1.4 Embedded Invertebrates – Good Viability Ranking ................................................................................. 14 3.1.5 Dungeness Crab – Good Viability Ranking..................................................................................................... 14 3.1.6 River Delta – Poor Viability Ranking ............................................................................................................... 15 3.1.7 Beaches – Fair Viability Ranking ....................................................................................................................... 16 3.3 THREATS ......................................................................................................................................................................... 16 3.4 SITUATION ANALYSIS .................................................................................................................................................... 20 3.5 CONSERVATION STRATEGIES ....................................................................................................................................... 21 Strategy Prioritization ....................................................................................................................................................... 21 3.5.1. River Delta .................................................................................................................................................................... 22 3.5.2 Chinook Salmon .......................................................................................................................................................... 24 3.5.3 Beaches/Forage Fish ............................................................................................................................................... 25 3.5.4 Dungeness Crab .......................................................................................................................................................... 26 3.5.5 Embedded Invertebrates ........................................................................................................................................ 26 3.5.6 Shorebirds ..................................................................................................................................................................... 27 3.6 RESULTS CHAINS ............................................................................................................................................................ 28 3.7 CONSERVATION WORKPLAN ........................................................................................................................................ 29 3.7.1. River Delta ................................................................................................................................................................... 29 3.7.2 Chinook Salmon .......................................................................................................................................................... 30 3.7.3 Beaches/Forage Fish ............................................................................................................................................... 33 3.7.4 Dungeness Crab .......................................................................................................................................................... 37 3.7.5 Embedded Invertebrates ........................................................................................................................................ 38 3.7.6 Shorebirds ..................................................................................................................................................................... 39 3.8 CONSERVATION MEASURES PLAN .............................................................................................................................. 40 4. CONCLUSION AND NEXT STEPS ................................................................................................................. 55 5. REFERENCES .................................................................................................................................................... 57 STEWARDSHIP AREA ......................................................................................................................................... 58 6. APPENDICES ..................................................................................................................................................... 60 APPENDIX A: TNC ECOREGIONAL ASSESSMENT ............................................................................................................. 60 APPENDIX B: VIABILITY TABLE .......................................................................................................................................... 62 APPENDIX C: SITUATION DIAGRAMS ................................................................................................................................. 70 APPENDIX D: RESULTS CHAINS .......................................................................................................................................... 77 APPENDIX E: DATA DICTIONARY ....................................................................................................................................... 80 APPENDIX F: PORT SUSAN MSA WORKSHOPS AND MEETINGS .................................................................................... 91 APPENDIX G: TECHNICAL REVIEW OF STRATEGIES ........................................................................................................ 94 APPENDIX H: PUBLIC REVIEW OF STRATEGIES ............................................................................................................ 101 APPENDIX I: CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT SUMMARY..................................................................................................... 109 APPENDIX J: CONSERVATION STRATEGIC ACTIONS TO BE ADDRESSED IN THE FUTURE ....................................... 119 APPENDIX K: TECHNICAL REVIEW OF WORKPLAN ...................................................................................................... 126 List of Acronyms BMP Best Management Practice CAP Conservation Action Planning CWD Clean Water District EBM Ecosystem-Based Management ECO Net Education, Communication and Outreach Network LID Low Impact Development KEA Key Ecological Attribute MRC Marine Resources Committee MSA Marine Stewardship Area NOAA National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NWSC Northwest Straits Commission NWSF Northwest Straits Foundation OFM Office of Financial Management PDS Planning and Development Services PSP Puget Sound Partnership QAPP Quality Assurance Project Plan SCD Snohomish Conservation District SLS Sustainable Lands Strategy SMP Shoreline Master Program STAG Stillaguamish Technical Advisory Group SWM Surface Water Management TNC The Nature Conservancy