On Tuesday San Juan County Commissioners signed a resolution declaring the county as a Marine Stewardship Area. Official recognition of the importance of our regional ecosystem is great news for the whales and all marine life. The resolution adopts some of the current voluntary and mandatory guidelines such as the county Marine Resource Comittee's Bottomfish Recovery Program, National Wildlife Refuge sites, and the whale watch exclusion zone on the westside of San Juan Island. Members from the Samish Nation were present for the signing adding their support to the resolution. The Marine Resource Committee was given the additional task of producing a formal study within two years that targets specific recommendations for protecting sensitive areas. Here is a link to the full story and a copy of the resolution:

http://www.sanjuanislander.com/county/mrc/stewardship-area.shtml