A Promising Season for Washington Sea Grant

New services and more to preserve Puget Sound’s waterways.

by

Words by Steve Fennell

From the Port of Friday Harbor to the bays and coves of Sucia Island, Puget Sound is one of the most popular destinations in the U.S. Pacific Northwest and a haven for Canadian boaters who cruise to this area every year.

As popular as the region is among recreational boaters, it’s equally a mecca for marine life - from the many species of whales and a number of fisheries to delicate ecosystems. With ongoing efforts by the Washington Sea Grant (WSG) through its Pumpout Washington and Small Oil Spill Pollution Prevention programs, Puget Sound has maintained clean waterways and ensured a healthy environment for recreational boaters and the plethora of active marine life.

To achieve its overall goal, WSG partners with the Washington State Parks Department, the Clean Vessel Act Program (CVA), and the Washington Department of Ecology to educate recreational boaters and marina operators about proper sewage disposal, the location of pumpout facilities, and how to better protect marine life. It also assists with the funding and installation of pump out stations for marinas and other boating-related facilities.

New Tools for Better Environmental Practices

With the 2022 boating season underway, expect to once again see representatives from the WSG hosting its popular outreach programs. At the time of publication, the team was planning its summer schedule from June to September with a strong presence in the South Puget Sound and Mid-Sound areas including The Port of Friday Harbor, Sucia Island and other marinas, educating all boaters about the importance of using pumpout facilities and hands-on environmental best practices.

“Boaters who know about the WSG are interested in what we have to offer and It’s great to see that boaters are very receptive to our efforts,” says Maryann Wagner, Assistant Director of Communications for the WSG. It’s part of the nature of boating and when the tools, knowledge and information are available, they will be proactive and do their part to keep the waterways clean.”

As in previous years, the WSG will be offering a variety of environmental tools (at no cost) including its popular catch-all fuel bib and pump-out adapters, both designed to prevent accidental spills into the water when fueling or pumping out waste tanks.

Another newer tool that’s available for 2022 is its Orca Rangefinder, introduced during the 2021 boating season. Maintaining a safe distance from Orcas is pertinent to their overall health and habitat, and the rangefinders are designed to help boaters stay a safe distance (366 m (400 yds)) in the event they encounter an Orca under power or sail.

Easy to use from the helm, the range finders are approximately the size of a business card and essentially utilize basic trigonometry to determine the recommended safe distance. Also included is a static sticker that can be placed on or near the helm with information on how to safely navigate around the Orcas.

Nav App and New Mobile Pumpout Services

Another valuable tool to use when cruising Puget Sound (and most waterways across the U.S.) is the Pumpout Nav App. Introduced in 2020 by the San Francisco Estuary Partnership and The Bay Foundation, the app helps boaters find nearly 200 pumpout facilities and portable toilet dump stations, including those throughout Washington State. With a wealth of information, the app now supports locations and scheduling of a new mobile pumpout boat service for areas in South Puget Sound.

Introduced last season, the mobile pumpout service comes following a grant program from The State Parks Clean Vessel Act (CVA) and provided more than $900,000 USD for new pumpout projects throughout Washington State. Approximately $200,000 was allocated to support pumpout vessels in Pierce County and the Port of Lopez.

With marketing and promotion by the WSG, two mobile pumpout boats are currently operated by NW Mobile Pump Out and Marine Environmental Services (the sub-recipient of the CVA Grant  Program).

According to owner/operator Paul Weyn, the service will operate from mid-May to mid-September on weekends and holidays, serving boaters (at public moorage or anchor) in Gig Harbor; Oro Bay; Filucy Bay; Lakebay; Cutts Island; Wollochet Bay. The boats will also serve  State Parks including Tolmie, Hope Island, McMicken Island, and Jarrell Cove as well as at yacht club outstations. Visit www.nwmobilepumpout.com for seasonal scheduling and more details.

“The San Juans Islands have been extremely busy with recreational boaters that last few seasons due to the U.S./Canada border closure,” says Bridget Trosin, Coastal Policy Specialist for the WSG. “Now boaters have access to free pumpouts available by the mobile boat service for 2022.”

WSG Ongoing Projects

The team at WSG is currently continuing with their water sampling research project through 2022 to better understand the positive effects of pumpout stations. The project, which began in spring 2021 on remote Sucia Island, involves the testing of water samples before and after a pumpout was installed, determining the positive impacts of these facilities.

“Last year (2021) was our ‘sampling year’ to obtain a baseline and testing will be repeated in 2022 (after a pumpout will be installed in the area),” says Trosin. “There were some hits on E. coli detection but many samples didn’t have any indication  but the project is still in the preliminary phase.”

Since the programs’ inception in 2009, approximately 41 million L (11 million gal) of waste have been disposed of at pump stations in Puget Sound and the team at WSG has effectively reached tens of thousands of recreational boaters with a strong message about the importance of properly disposing of sewage. For more details on how to make a difference, get involved and additional information be sure to visit www.wsg.washington.edu.