Synopsis of vessel activity
In 2019, the Legislature passed ESHB 1109, which directs Ecology’s Spill Prevention Program to produce a synopsis of current maritime vessel activity, navigation lanes, and anchorages.
Details
The study area for the synopsis is Northern Puget Sound (north of Admiralty Inlet) and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, including Canadian portions of transboundary waters. A draft of the synopsis is due to the Legislature on June 30, 2021.
The synopsis will describe vessel activities in the study area throughout a calendar year. The analysis will include information about all vessel types (tankers, cargo, fishing, recreational, etc.). The table below shows examples of vessel activities and potential data sources that the synopsis will consider.
| Vessel Activity | Data Sources |
|---|---|
| Vessel transits | U.S. Coast Guard AIS data |
| Anchorage use | U.S. Coast Guard AIS data |
| Oil transfers | Ecology Advance Notice of Transfer System |
| Marine events | U.S. Coast Guard Marine Event Permits |
| Fisheries |
Washington Dept of Fish and Wildlife Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada |
| Recreational boating | Washington Sea Grant |
How to get Involved
We welcome input throughout the development of the synopsis. We held an introductory webinar about this project on April 1, 2020 (see webinar slides) and a second webinar on May 27, 2020. A recording of the presentation given at the May 27 webinar is available at the bottom of this page.
If you would like to share information or data relevant to the synopsis, please contact Sara Thompson. If you would like to meet with our staff about the project, please contact Jase Brooks.
Timeline
| Activity | Date |
|
Oct.-Dec. 2019 |
|
Jan.-Feb. 2020 |
|
March-April 2020 |
|
May-June 2020 |
|
July-Sept. 2020 |