Marine Matters
Marine Protected Areas: Examples from the San Juan Islands, Washington

Terrie Klinger
School of Marine Affairs, University of Washington, Seattle, WA 98105-6715; tklinger@u.washington.edu

Abstract
Marine protected areas and marine reserves increasingly are promoted as tools for the management of marine resources, and strong support for their implementation has emerged among scientists and non-scientists alike. In San Juan County, WA, voluntary marine protected areas for eight species of bottomfish (Sebastes spp., Scorpaenichthys marmoratus, Hexagrammos decagrammus, Ophiodon elongatus) and southern resident killer whales (Orcinus orca) have been established through citizen action. Although the efficacy of these protective measures has not yet been demonstrated, they may contribute substantially to the conservation of local marine species.