09/21/2009: "MRC Does Not Support No-Go-Zone"

The Marine Resources Committee (MRC) will present a formal report and recommendation to the County Council on Tuesday (10:20 am) that calls for a one year delay in implementation by NOAA of a No-Go-Zone on the west side of San Juan Island.

The MRC suggests that a year delay would give time for the community of interest time to organize and “develop an integrated vessel plan for the San Juan Islands that protects the whales, is fair and workable, and achieves community support.”

The MRC report states their support for “increased regulatory and voluntary measures to improve protection and recovery of the southern resident orca whales. We support two of the three elements of the proposed rule, specifically for the 200 yard approach limit and the prohibition for intercepting
the path of whales.”

Citing “significant concerns and community division over the third element, we do not support the no-go zone as it is written in the proposed rule.”

The MRC noted one major lacuna in the NOAA proposal, namely that it may not stop Canadian vessels: Considerable concern is being expressed in the community about whether the rule would apply to Canadian vessels and how it would be enforced. We recommend that NOAA work with the Canadian government to ensure that U.S. and Canadian vessels are treated equally under the rule."

Another concern is how it would impact property owners with a legal right to access the water: ""We note that NOAA’s “limited exceptions” for property owners adjacent
to the no-go zone are ambiguous and recommend that they define who is a property owner, and clarify how their access would be affected by the proposed rule."

The presentation to the Council takes place at 10:20 in the Legislative Hearing Room, 55 Second Street, Friday Harbor