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Recovering Salmon Habitat
on the North Olympic Peninsula

Cheryl Baumann, Coordinator
cbaumann@co.clallam.wa.us
(360) 417-2326

North Olympic Peninsula Lead Entity

The lead entity develops and implements the non-regulatory salmon habitat recovery strategy for the area that extends from Sequim Bay west to Cape Flattery, and from Cape Flattery south to and including the Hoh watershed. The NOPLE area encompasses

• 88 SaSI stocks;
• 15 ESU/DPS of which 4 are ESA listed;
• WRIA 17 (Sequim Bay west), WRIA 18, WRIA 19, WRIA 20;
• 50+ independent watersheds;
• 1462 salmonid miles;
• extensive Strait and Pacific Coast nearshore

The NOPLE Strategy

• Sets regional project, stock and watershed priorities, based on stock status and trends, recovery potential, and limiting habitat factors and processes.
• Incorporates into each watershed-specific Watershed Page the focused and prioritized actions and areas to be recovered based on the biological and watershed issues limiting the priority stock(s) occuring in such watershed, developed either through ESU-level Recovery Planning efforts (see below) or according to the Guide to Lead Entity Strategy Development.
• Establishes in its Nearshore Strategy prioritized actions and areas for recovery of targeted habitat features and marine ecological processes according to the Guidance for Protection and Restoration of the Nearshore Ecosystems of Puget Sound (Nearshore Science Team, 2003).
• Sets forth a Community Outreach Strategy to enhance stakeholder involvement, community participation, and citizen education based on Community Issues.
• Provides a process of ensuring optimal “fit” between projects submitted for funding and the priorities reflected in the NOPLE Strategy.

Click here for the NOPLE Executive Summary and index to the entire NOPLE Strategy.

Shared Strategy Chinook Recovery Plan.

The Shared Strategy "Puget Sound Watershed" extends west through WRIAs 17, 18 and 19 to Cape Flattery. It does not encompass WRIA 20. Available at the Shared Strategy website are the Recovery Plan (Executive Summary, Volume 1 and Volume 2), as well as the Nearshore Approach.

The Shared Strategy Dungeness-Elwha Region encompasses two distinct 4H recovery chapters for Puget Sound Chinook and Bull-Trout: One recovery chapter for the Dungeness Watershed and another recovery chapter for the Elwha Watershed. The Shared Strategy Watershed Profile: Dungeness and Shared Strategy Watershed Profile: Elwha summarize the respective Dungeness and Elwha Chapters of the Shared Strategy Plan.

Both the Dungeness and the Elwha Chapter refer to the NOPLE Habitat Recovery Strategy as the non-regulatory habitat recovery strategy for all streams draining into the Strait of Juan de Fuca, from Sequim Bay west to Cape Flattery. Both the Dungeness and the Elwha Chapter also refer to the NOPLE Nearshore Strategy as the non-regulatory habitat recovery strategy for the Strait of Juan de Fuca nearshore.

The NOPLE Habitat Recovery Strategy, in-turn, incorporates the specific recovery goals, focused areas, and prioritized actions developed through the various ESU-level recovery planning processes, including those for the Puget Sound Chinook and Bull-Trout as developed through the Shared Strategy planning process.

Summer Chum Recovery Plan.

In 2002 the Hood Canal Coordinating Council received funding from the Salmon Recovery Funding Board to take the lead in the development of a Hood Canal/Eastern Strait of Juan de Fuca Summer Chum Salmon Recovery Plan. This work is a part of the State of Washington’s Regional Recovery Planning efforts for species listed under the Federal Endangered Species Act. The deadline for final approval and submission of the Plan to the Governor’s Salmon Recovery Office is June 30, 2005.

The NOPLE Habitat Recovery Strategy defers to, and incorporates, the specific recovery goals, focused areas, and prioritized actions developed through the various ESU-level recovery planning processes, including those for the Summer Chum as developed through the HCCC Summer Chum Recovery Plan.

Bull Trout Recovery Plan

The Bull Trout Recovery Plan extends through WRIA 18 (the Dungeness and the Elwha) and the southern part of WRIA 20 (the Hoh). The Shared Strategy Dungeness and Elwha Chapters incorporate the recovery goals developed in the Bull Trout Recovery Plan.

The NOPLE Habitat Recovery Strategy defers to, and incorporates, the specific recovery goals, focused areas, and prioritized actions developed through the various ESU-level recovery planning processes, including those for the Bull-Trout set forth in the Bull Trout Recovery Plan, and as incorporated in the Shared Planning.

Ozette Lake Sockey Recovery Plan.

The Lake Ozette Steering Committee is currently undertaking the initial steps of recovery planning. It is compromised of Olympic National Park, the Makah Tribe, the Quileute Tribe, Clallam County, EPA, NOAA-Fisheries, timber interests, and private citizens. Currently underway is the Limiting Factor Anlysis, which is approximately 75% completed. So far, limited funds have been contributed only by the Makah, and lack of an established funding source prevents further development of the plan. A draft version of a recovery group organization and process to develop recommendations and policies, based on the Limiting Factor Analysis, will be available by December, 2005, and is being facilitated by NOAA Fisheries. The resulting organization will proceed with securing necessary funding to continue recovery planning.