Washington State Forum on Monitoring Salmon Recovery and Watershed Health

Forum on Monitoring Salmon Recovery and Watershed Health This page last updated July 20, 2007 The 2001 Washington State Legislature passed Substitute Senate Bill 5637 requiring the development of a comprehensive strategy and action plan for measuring success in recovering salmon and maintaining watershed health. Those involved in salmon recovery efforts often refer to this type of measuring as "monitoring." Monitoring is a required element of any salmon recovery plan submitted to the federal government for approval. While numerous agencies and citizen organizations are engaged in monitoring a wide range of salmon recovery activities, there is a greater need for coordination of these efforts. About the Forum Washington's Forum on Monitoring was created, consistent with the Comprehensive Monitoring Strategy and Action Plan for Watershed Health and Salmon Recovery per Executive Order 04-03. List of Forum Members
Goals, Objectives	Commitment that state government operations be conducted in a manner that improves coordination of the state's monitoring efforts associated with salmon recovery and watershed health.
Tasks	Provide a multi-agency venue for coordinating technical and policy issues and actions related to monitoring salmon recovery and watershed health; Make recommendations on biennial reporting of monitoring results and progress in watershed health and salmon recovery; Foster integrated analysis and reporting of monitoring information; Provide monitoring recommendations to the Salmon Recovery Funding Board, the Governor's Salmon Recovery Office and appropriate state agencies. Develop a broad set of measures that will convey results and progress on salmon recovery and watershed health in ways that are easily understood by the public, legislators and Congress. The Forum is also encouraged to develop such indicators with federal, tribal, regional and local partners working on salmon recovery and watershed health so that there is standardization of the measures used. Coordinate with local and regional watershed and salmon recovery groups, tribes, other states, the Northwest Power and Conservation Council, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, NOAA Fisheries, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and U.S. Forest Service.
Precautions	Shall not hinder agencies from using other protocols to address mandated agency-unique activities. Individual agencies may express independent or minority opinions on areas of disagreement.
Report	By January 2006, and biennially thereafter, the forum on monitoring will provide a report of its key activities and recommendations to the Governor, the Legislature, and the Salmon Recovery Funding Board.