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Shellfish management, poaching a WDFW priority

By Jonathan Glover of the Leader | 0 comments

Shellfish poaching is an expensive problem. In a two-hour tide, a poacher can make anywhere from $200 to $800 and sell their take at a reduced price, edging out legitimate businesses. Even worse, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) enforcement are in constant pursuit and they can't catch every offender.

This and other findings were shared with a group of about 30 people in a presentation by the WDFW's Rich Childers and Mike Cenci at the Jefferson County Chamber of Commerce member lunch meeting Monday, July 13.

The pair outlined the well-being of Puget Sound shellfish and how it seems to be in flux as recreational fishing is increasing, biotoxins are spreading farther south than ever before and poaching is prevalent and increasing.

“The incentive to poach is of course on the buying end,” said Cenci, the WDFW deputy chief of enforcement. “There is a propensity to buy illegal shellfish because it’s cheap. People like to have a good deal.”

Cenci estimated about 60,000 pounds of crab can go unreported by one vessel alone. Worse yet, geoduck poaching sees millions of pounds extracted illegally every year. Cenci said ever since China developed a taste for it around 2006, demand has skyrocketed and poaching has been there to match it.

In one case involving Richard Finch of G&R Quality Seafoods, an estimated $5 million in oysters and $200,000 in clams was stolen from Puget Sound. He is currently serving 66 months in prison and 17 other people connected to the case are on schedule to go to trial, Cenci said.

Cenci said cases of poaching – either on a large scale or smaller – are on the rise. Things like jurisdictional complexity, not enough law enforcement staff and more sophisticated poaching techniques all play a factor.

“We need some help from the Legislature,” Cenci said. “That’s the bottom line.”

He said people can help their efforts by reporting suspicious activity to WDFW.

SHELLFISH MANAGEMENT

In 1994, a federal district court reaffirmed a prior treaty agreement between Washington and native tribes that allotted tribes 50 percent of shellfish harvest.

As the shellfish manager for Puget Sound, Childers said navigating these agreements proved difficult at times, which no doubt contributes to how poachers are able to hide between jurisdictions.

“We have us – the Department of Fish and Wildlife – the Department of Natural Resources, Department of Health, State Parks and 14 treaty tribes,” Childers said. “Each one of those treaty tribes, they don’t come to the table as a collective, they come as individual governments.”

Childers outlined recreational harvest between the different shellfishes. As no surprise, crab is one of the most popular in the Puget Sound area, especially around Hood Canal where “on the Saturday when the [crabbing] season opens, there are 2,000 boats,” Childers said.

Childers said that last year 104,000 pounds of crab were extracted from Hood Canal over the four days recreational crabbing season was open. The quota is five crab per person, per day.

Tribes share the recreational quota with citizens. For Discovery Bay, the quota is 530,000 pounds, half of which goes to recreational harvest, the other half commercial. This means the public and tribes split 265,000 pounds – 132,5000 each.

Childers said tribes are allowed to fish for sustenance year round.

BIOTOXINS

According to Childers, closures in Puget Sound shellfish harvesting due to biotoxin levels are the worst he’s seen in years. Biotoxins are absorbed by shellfish as part of their filter feeding and are undetectable by smell or taste and can lead to sickness and even death. Algae and other organisms contribute to biotoxin levels in shellfish.

The Department of Health has a map of shellfish health status throughout Washington State. As of July 14, closures for all shellfish species blankets many parts of Puget Sound with areas in the southern part of Hood Canal being some of the worst.

“We’ve never had it this bad in Hood Canal before,” Childers said. “It’s pretty scary.”

He said WDFW is unsure why the biotoxin levels are so high, though it could have something to do with ocean acidity. According to an EPA study, as carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere rise, ocean pH becomes more acidic meaning warmer climate could play a factor.

“Something is going on, that’s for sure,” Childers said. “There are more biotoxin closures now than ever before.”

He wasn't confident in giving a date of when overall levels of toxicity might improve.

To check out the shellfish health status map, go to 1.usa.gov/1QmdXoF.

Olympic Stewardship Foundation Annual Meeting

MYSTERY BAY AND KILISUT HARBOR CLOSED DUE TO MARINE BIOTOXINS

Shellfish samples from Mystery Bay have been found to contain elevated levels of marine biotoxins that cause Paralytic Shellfish Poisoning (PSP). As a result, the Washington State Department of Health (DOH) has closed Mystery Bay and Kilisut Harbor for recreational shellfish harvest. The closed area includes all of Kilisut Harbor up to the southern edge of Fort Flagler State Park. Mystery Bay was previously under a seasonal closure. A danger sign has been posted at Mystery Bay, warning people not to consume shellfish from this area.

Shellfish harvested commercially are tested for toxins prior to distribution and should be safe to eat. The closure includes clams, oysters, mussels, scallops and other species of molluscan shellfish. This closure does not apply to shrimp. Crabmeat is not known to contain the biotoxin but the guts can contain unsafe levels. To be safe, clean crab thoroughly and discard the guts (also known as the “butter”).

Marine biotoxins are not destroyed by cooking or freezing. People can become ill from eating shellfish contaminated with the naturally occurring marine algae containing toxins harmful to humans. Symptoms of PSP can appear within minutes or hours and usually begins with tingling lips and tongue, moving to the hands and feet, followed by difficulty breathing, and potentially death. Anyone experiencing these symptoms should contact a health care provider immediately. For extreme reactions call 911.

In most cases the algae that contain the toxins cannot be seen, and must be detected using laboratory testing. Therefore, recreational shellfish harvesters should check the DOH Shellfish Safety Map at doh.wa.gov/ShellfishSafety.htm or call the DOH Biotoxin Hotline at 1-800-562-5632 before harvesting shellfish anywhere in Washington State. Recreational harvesters should also check Fish and Wildlife regulations and seasons at wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/shellfish or call the Shellfish Rule Change Hotline 1-866-880-5431.

Home sales sizzling around Western Washington, with volumes reaching 10-year high

Burn ban on recreational campfires is local & statewide

By Leader Staff | 0 comments

Jefferson County Department of Emergency Management (DEM) cautions all county residents to be mindful of the updated Burn Ban issued by Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) on June 26.

The heightened ban states, in part, “. . .outdoor burning, including campfires in fire pits and the use of charcoal briquettes is banned on all forest lands within the State of Washington under DNR’s fire protection through Sept. 30, 2015.”

The same emergency rule banning fires in recreational firepits, using wood or charcoal, applies locally.

The Jefferson County Fire Chief's Association, which includes District 1 (East Jefferson Fire Rescue), District 2 (Quilcene Fire Rescue), District 3 (Port Ludlow Fire Rescue), District 4 (Brinnon Fire Department) and District 5 (Discovery Bay) have issued burn bans that include recreational fires, wood or charcoal.

“There is growing concern about wildland-interface fires occurring in neighborhoods in the county with our current high temperatures and dry conditions,” said Bob Hamlin on July 2, Jefferson County Emergency Management director.

“Additionally, current conditions are a bit windy on the peninsula and Fourth of July celebrations are ahead of us,” Hamlin stated.

Here is a wrap on local and regional burn bans:

OLYMPIC NATIONAL PARK

With the July Fourth holiday weekend approaching, Olympic National Park officials remind the public that there a ban on open fires in the park’s wilderness backcountry, including all locations along the coast.

Campfires are permitted only in established fire grates at established front country campgrounds. Camp stoves may still be used in the park's wilderness backcountry, but should be operated well away from flammable vegetation and forest litter.

OLYMPIC NATIONAL FOREST

Olympic National Forest has implemented fire restrictions: no building, maintaining, attending or using a fire or campfire, unless the fire is in an established fireplace approved or constructed by a public agency and located within a developed recreation area. Briquette fires are not allowed in the restricted areas.

Campfires, including wood or charcoal fires, are allowed only in developed campgrounds within fire rings. Campfires are not allowed in the following campgrounds due to the extreme fire potential: Lena Lake and Elkhorn campgrounds on the Hood Canal Ranger District; Campbell Tree Grove and Littleton Horse Camp campgrounds on the Pacific Ranger District. (These campground rules are subject to change.)

Stove fires are allowed. Stove fires are fires built inside an enclosed stove or grill, a portable brazier or a pressurized liquid gas stove; these include space-heating devices. Pressurized liquid gas stoves are still allowed.

STATE DNR LAND

The state Department of Natural Resources has banned all fires on state land it manages through Sept. 30, 2015. This burn ban prohibits campfires in state forests, state parks and anywhere else on the 13 million acres of Washington forestlands DNR protects from wildfire.

The expanded statewide ban prohibits all fires, including wood and charcoal fires in designated campground fire pits or campfire rings. Gas and propane cook stoves are allowed.

The DNR burn ban does not cover federal lands such as national forests, national parks, national wildlife refuges or other areas administered by federal agencies.

JEFFERSON COUNTY/PORT TOWNSEND

Effective June 29, no outdoor burning in Jefferson County is allowed, including campfires in county parks. This total burn ban includes all outdoor fires and wood or charcoal briquette barbeque grills. The only barbeque grills currently allowed are gas-fired.

The City of Port Townsend also has year-round rules against outdoor burning.

POPE RESOURCES

Some companies have implemented bans of their own. Olympic Resource Management, a Pope Resources company, announced in a press release that it is temporarily closing all general public access to its Hood Canal Tree Farm properties in Jefferson, Kitsap and Mason counties on June 26.

These properties include access to the recreation areas of Sandy Shore, Horseshoe and Ludlow lakes near Port Ludlow. Pope Resources did, however, say that access to Tarboo Lake would still be open since it is on a county road, although timberland and trails to each side are closed.

---

NO FIREWORKS

Fireworks and incendiary devices, such as exploding targets, sky lanterns, or tracer ammunition, are always illegal on all DNR-protected forestlands, including state parks.

All fireworks are banned from national forests, national parks, state parks and county parks.

The City of Port Townsend has a fireworks ban.

Emergency responders urge that people who do use legal fireworks, where they are allowed, use them carefully with the "Three B's" in mind: Be Prepared with water nearby and pets indoors; Be safe - only adults should light fireworks; and Be responsible - fully extinguish and clean up fireworks debris.

In terms of reporting problems with fireworks, it is important to remember that calling 911 should be reserved for: injuries, fires, and the in-progress use or presence of illegal (explosive) fireworks. Non-emergency calls or questions about fireworks are best made to local law enforcement or fire districts, not the emergency 911 number, according to the Washington State Fire Marshal's Office.

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Biotoxins at large, shellfish harvest closures in Hood Canal continue

By Viviann Kuehl Contributor 

Concerns about shellfish safety, an age-old problem in Puget Sound and Hood Canal waters, are growing along with the microscopic algae that produce them. Summer closures for recreational shellfish are coming sooner, and in more areas.

As of June 19, for example, almost all Hood Canal recreational shellfish beaches are under some type of closure or advisory. The most recent closure came June 17 along the Jefferson County shore from the Hood Canal Bridge to Brown’s Point on the Toandos Peninsula. There are also recurring shellfish closure issues for Discovery Bay.

At a meeting earlier this month in Quilcene, members of the public asked a state Department of Health official what could be done to prevent or counter the issues leading to closure. The answer: nothing, because it is a naturally occurring problem.

NOTHING NEW

Biotoxin issues are not new.

A sailor named John Carter, 24, died at 1:30 p.m. on June 15, a victim of paralytic shellfish poisoning. At 8 a.m., Carter ate some roasted mussels as part of his breakfast, along with some of his work crew, their usual practice when finding shellfish on the beach.

Soon after they left the cove where they had breakfasted, several of the crew experienced numbness in their faces and extremities, quickly extending to their whole bodies, accompanied by sickness and giddiness, reported supervisor Robert Barrie.

Carter’s pulse gradually grew weaker until he died, when his lips turned black, his hands, face and neck considerably swollen. Three others who were stricken survived.

The cause of affliction was not in the number of mussels eaten, but in their location, said Barrie, who had eaten as many as any in the party and was not the least affected by them. Mussels gathered on the sand were lethal, but not those taken from the rocks, he reported.

This account, from English Capt. George Vancouver’s 1793 journal, could have happened today.

SHELLFISH TOXICITY

Levels of shellfish toxicity vary enormously from place to place, among species, and across time, both seasonally and through the centuries, for a variety of reasons.

Mussels, clams, oysters and other hinged shellfish are filter feeders, taking in nutrients from the water surrounding them and in the process, cleaning the water.

During this process, marine biotoxins produced by certain kinds of microscopic algae, naturally present in marine waters, are taken in by shellfish, which remain unaffected. Normally, the levels of biotoxin are too low to affect those who eat them, but when algae growth increases, so does the level of biotoxins taken in by shellfish.

The higher the concentration of biotoxins in shellfish, the larger the effect on humans and other mammals eating them. Death can come as quickly as 15 minutes after consumption.

Unfortunately, toxin levels are undetectable by taste or visual inspection, and cannot be neutralized by cooking or freezing. The same shellfish on a beach can be safe or not, depending on their food source, without any change in appearance or taste.

The toxin levels increase, as algae reproduce quickly in warm temperatures, sunlight and nutrient-rich waters, a state called a bloom. This has been called a red tide, but the toxin levels are not indicated by the color of the water: Clear water may be in a bloom, and murky water may be toxin-free. Studies have shown that biotoxins are not related to water pollution.

The Washington State Department of Health uses laboratory testing, and has been operating a testing program since 1957. The operation was scaled up in 1991 with the Sentinel Mussel Monitoring Program.

CAGED MUSSELS

Functioning much like canaries in coal mines, caged mussels are checked regularly at 72 sites, with frequency increasing when toxins are present. Different types of shellfish absorb, and eject, the toxin at different rates, and mussels are one of the quickest.

“They take it in quickly and they can flush it quickly,” said Clara Hard of Washington State Department of Health’s Office of Environmental Health and Safety, who spoke at a public meeting in Quilcene in early June.

Patterns of biotoxin presence can change quickly. “Toxins can be very spotty,” noted Hard. “It does seem earlier in the year and toxin levels are increasing. In 10 days, we saw razor clams go from nothing to three times our limit.”

Commercial shellfish are regularly tested to ensure purity, but recreational shellfishing occurs in broad areas.

“We don’t have the lab capacity to test for all beaches. I wish we could,” said Hard. “We use the data to close the smallest area possible.”

Sites must have two consecutive clear tests to be reopened.

There are three known types of biotoxins transmitted by eating shellfish.

PSP

Paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) affects the nervous system, causing a tingling of the lips and tongue that may progress to tingling of the fingers and toes, then loss of control of the arms and legs, and, finally, paralysis of the muscles of the chest and abdomen, causing death by respiratory arrest. Onset may be from five minutes to 10 hours after ingestion.

ASP/DSP

Amnesic shellfish poisoning (ASP) is a result of domoic acid biotoxin, which was first detected in Washington in 1991. It causes vomiting, nausea, diarrhea and abdominal cramps in the first 24 hours. Neurological symptoms of dizziness and confusion develop within 48 hours in more severe cases. Short-term memory loss can be permanent; death is the most extreme outcome.

There was a sharp increase in domoic acid this spring.

“It doubled in almost two days, which is very scary,” said Hard.

Prior to this year, the last closure in Jefferson County was in 2006.

Diarrhetic shellfish poisoning (DSP), caused by okadaic acid biotoxins, produces diarrhea, vomiting and intestinal discomfort, but is not lethal. Complete recovery in three to four days is the norm, but there is some concern that the toxins may promote tumors long-term.

There is no antidote for marine biotoxins. Patients simply have to wait for the toxins to naturally flush from their bodies. In severe cases, victims can be placed on life support until effects subside. The last death caused by toxic shellfish in Washington was contracted at Sekiu Point in 1942. However, there were nine confirmed illnesses in 2012.

In September 2012, a woman in Kingston, in nearby Kitsap County, experienced tingling shortly after eating some oysters. She called the friend who had supplied them to her; he advised her to go to the hospital. She called 911, was airlifted to Harborview Medical Center in Seattle, where she was on life support for two days. She emerged from her coma to recover, but had she been slower in reporting, she would have died, according to medical officials.

Recreational shellfishers are advised to check for shellfish safety on the intended harvest day, since conditions can change quickly. Check online at

doh.wa.gov/shellfishsafety.htm, call 800-562-5632 toll-free, or contact the local health department; for Jefferson County, call 385-9444.

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Beautiful Beach Estate 1341 Whitney Road, Quilcene, WA

Dabob Bay - Ready For 2015 Shrimping

The Olympic Music Festival Is Coming - Click On Image Below

Shrimp Season 2015 opens May 2 in Hood Canal

2015 Season/Open Days and Times:

Open May 2, 9, 11 & 13, 2015, from 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Shrimp Daily Limits and Rules

Spot (Pandalus platyceros) Coonstripe (P. danae and P. hypsinotus) Pink (P. eous and P. jordani)

DAILY LIMIT OF 80 SHRIMP. Shrimp heads may be removed while in the field, prior to coming ashore. The minimum mesh size for shrimp pots is 1" mesh

The Munn Bros Sierra Trail Property For Sale

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Why Hood Canal has The Top Real Estate Agents

When buying a new home it is only natural to make choices from choosing the kind of house that you want up to the choosing your new location. and in making decisions especially the big ones it is important to make the right decision out of this things. In making the right decision we need a person or someone that will guide us. These people are called the real estate agents, they are people who are knowledgeable on these fields and have studied on specializing in advising on how to make the right decision. And one of those companies that offer the best real estate agents is the hood canal top real estate agents. Their real estate agents are the top agents in town and their reputation has been well known. The known reputation of being friendly and giving you the best accommodation that they have. Their real estate agents are also very good in communication and they are respectful and polite people who practice professionalism

Their real estate agents have undergone training and have studied for years. Their real estate agents are experts and they know their field very well and is experienced in doing their job. The Real estate agents of this company is credible and has the certification and the accreditation for operating on their said field. In choosing your real estate agent it is important that you have to choose the right real estate agent because these real estate agents will influence your decisions in choosing the right real estate home for you. Remember a good real estate agent dwells in good reputation it is very unadvisable to choose a real estate agent that has a bad record it is like picking a rotten fruit from the tree.

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Purchasing a new home is a double edge sword it might be very rewarding for you or it could actually wreck you up. If you are not knowledgeable and you do not know the things and the processes in buying a new real estate your dream come true could become a nightmare. These are the few things that you may have to consider in buying a new real estate and when buying a new real estate buy at hood canal buy real estate. When buying a new real estate you have to get your house insured. We may never know on what will happen in your house disaster strikes at any second a house insurance will shield your financial burdens when bad things may happen to your house. This also means that you will have to have a house insurance company that suits best for you, remember to choose for you.

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State's first Karelian bear dog retiring after 12 years of service

The first Karelian bear dog (KBD) used to help manage conflicts with bears and other potentially dangerous wildlife in Washington state is retiring after 12 years of service.

Mishka, a KBD who was enlisted for duty by a Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) biologist in 2003, is retiring after helping to resolve hundreds of tense situations with bears, cougars and other wildlife.

Mishka has worked with WDFW enforcement officer Bruce Richards in the Puget Sound region since 2007, when the dog's original owner/handler, Rocky Spencer, died in a helicopter accident.

Spencer, a WDFW carnivore specialist, acquired Mishka as a pup from the Wind River Bear Institute in Montana, where KBDs are bred and trained in the centuries-old tradition of hunters and farmers in Finland and western Russia.

The black and white dogs, averaging 40 to 65 pounds, are instinctively bold with bears and can be trained to track, help capture and deter them from returning to places where they can get in trouble with humans.

Using a technique called a "hard release," Richards has worked side-by-side with Mishka to chase and harass bears after they have been released from a trap in order to re-instill their natural fear of humans. Richards estimates that at least 80 percent of bears trapped and released this way avoid becoming "repeat offenders" that may ultimately be killed.

Richards, who is also retiring this spring after 41 years with WDFW, says Mishka solves more bear problems in a year than most officers can in a career.

"I am very proud to have been a part of this innovative way to address human-wildlife conflicts that helps both bears and people and builds teamwork between our enforcement and wildlife programs," Richards said. "Mishka has served Washington wildlife enthusiasts well and has more than earned retirement."

WDFW now uses five other KBDs to haze bears, assist in law-enforcement investigations, locate injured and orphaned wildlife, and help educate the public about ways to avoid conflicts with wildlife. Three of those dogs are used by WDFW officers in western Washington, and two others are used by WDFW bear and cougar biologist Rich Beausoleil of Wenatchee.

"These dogs are a huge asset to the department, but it's still up to people to prevent wildlife conflict problems by not intentionally or unintentionally providing food sources that draw bears into bad situations," Beausoleil said.

Mishka will be honored at a ceremony Thursday, March 19, in Kennewick. For more information, call Madonna Luers at 509-892-7853.

For more on WDFW's KBD program, including photos, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/enforcement/kbd/

WDFW seeks comments on proposal to open fishing for flatfish in Quilcene, Dabob bays

OLYMPIA - Fisheries managers are seeking public comments through April 1 on a state proposal to reopen recreational fishing for flounder, sole and other flatfish - except halibut - in Quilcene Bay and the northern portion of Dabob Bay in Hood Canal.

To review and comment on the proposal, visit the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife's (WDFW) website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/regulations/flatfish/ . The public also can provide input at a meeting scheduled March 19 in Port Townsend.

Under the proposal, fishing for numerous species of flatfish would be allowed in waters shallower than 120 feet in Quilcene and Dabob bays, north of a line stretching east from Point Whitney to the Toandos Peninsula.

Fishing for a variety of species, including flatfish, has been closed in Hood Canal since 2004 to provide additional protection for fish populations that are susceptible to low-dissolved oxygen events, said Craig Burley, manager of WDFW's fish management division. 

"Recent studies show that populations of flatfish have significantly increased in these bays over the last decade," Burley said. "So we're proposing a fishery in those areas that would allow for limited recreational opportunity while still ensuring we meet conservation objectives for those species."

The harvest of Pacific halibut, lingcod and other bottomfish, as well as forage fish, would be prohibited because of continuing conservation concerns for those species, said Burley.

For more than a decade, low dissolved-oxygen events throughout Hood Canal have caused significant die-offs of marine life, including multiple species of fish, shellfish and invertebrates.

Hood Canal is an underwater fjord where normal oxygen exchange in the water takes place slowly because of the canal's depth and shape. Nitrogen entering the water from human sources stimulates blooms of algae, which absorbs oxygen from the water as it decomposes. Under certain weather and wind conditions, the level of life-sustaining dissolved oxygen in the water drops so low that fish and other underwater species suffocate.

WDFW will discuss the proposal to open limited fishing opportunities for flatfish at a meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. March 19 in the Marina Room at the Point Hudson Marina, 130 Hudson Street, Port Townsend. During the meeting, the public can comment on the proposal.

The Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission also will hear public testimony on the proposal during its April 9-10 meeting in Olympia. For the specific day and time, check the commission's website: http://wdfw.wa.gov/commission/ .

The commission, which sets policy for WDFW, is expected to take action on the proposal at its meeting in June.  

WDFW News Release

For all of you interested in bottom fishing or attracting more visitors to South County,

we need your support in providing the Washington State Department of Fish and

Wildlife (WDFW) with input at this upcoming meeting or written comments.

Our Brinnon Parks and Recreation District, which we created via a vote of the residents

in 2013, created a petition to support reopening North Hood Canal to Bottom fishing

after being closed for over a decade.  Last year we secured over 1000 signatures during

a three month period between July and September.  We will be submitting those petitions

to the WDFW at the meeting on March 19^th in Port Townsend along with a written

statement of support to reopen all of North Hood Canal to bottom fishing rather than

just Flatfish in Quilcene and Dabob Bay.

A little background concerning why WDFW is seeking public comment on this proposal might

be of interest.  As a result of us providing WDFW with a single unsigned copy of that petition

in August of last year, just to determine how we should proceed in submitting all our signed

petitions, the WDFW Commission directed their staff to initiate rulemaking and to consider

only allowing bottom fishing for selected species in just Quilcene and Dabob Bay.  We believe

that this proposal to just open Bottom Fishing in Quilcene and Dabob bays to only Flatfish

would be a waste of WDFW resources.  We also believe that WDFW should be directing their

limited resources to evaluating the possibility of reopening all of North Hood Canal to

Bottom Fishing to other varieties of species and not just flatfish in Quilcene and Dabob bays.

We need your additional support in attending this meeting and making public comment or

submitting written comment to Craig Burley at  craig.burley@dfw.wa.gov.

Thank you in advance for your support.

George Sickel

Brinnon

NW Multiple Listing Service Update

Click On Above Charts For More Information

The New Septic Class Schedule

Schedule of Septics 101 plus 201:

PRE-REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED - Contact us at 360-385-9407 to sign up

• March 26th, Thursday, 5:00pm – 9:00pm - Tri-Area Community Center, 10 W. Valley Rd., Chimacum
• March 27th, Friday, 9:00am – 1:00pm – Tri-Area Community Center, 10 W. Valley Rd., Chimacum
• April 7th, Tuesday, 9:00am – 1:00pm – Quilcene Community Center, 294952 Hwy 101

Completing these classes enables you to apply for Homeowner Authorization to complete most required monitoring inspections of your septic system if the system is eligible for homeowner inspection.

Denese Schauer

Environmental Health Tech

Jefferson County On-site Sewage Program

615 Sheridan Street

Port Townsend WA 98368

(360) 385-9444 ext. 407

fax (360) 379-4487

dschauer@co.jefferson.wa.us

www.jeffersoncountypublichealth.org

Despite tight inventory, Northwest MLS brokers complete more than 77,000 sales valued at nearly $28 billing during 2014

KIRKLAND, Wash. (Jan. 22, 2015) – Members of Northwest Multiple Listing Service reported 77,276 closed sales during 2014 to outgain the prior year’s volume by 1,759 transactions for a 2.3 percent increase.
Measured by dollars, last year’s sales of single family homes and condominiums were valued at nearly $28 billion. Compared to 2013, that dollar volume represents a 9.4 percent gain.
The sales activity reflects the work of more than 22,000 brokers across 21 counties in the member-owned Northwest MLS.
Last year’s completed sales included 66,716 single family homes (about 86 percent of the total) and 10,560 condominiums. The total units and dollar volume are the best since 2007 when members registered 82,197 sales valued at $32.3 billion.
The area-wide median price for last year’s sales of single family homes and condominiums was $285,000, improving on the previous year’s figure of $270,000 (up nearly 5.6 percent). A comparison by county shows median sales prices ranged from $119,900 in Pacific County to $399,750 in King County.
Prices for single family homes (excluding condominiums) rose about 5 percent from 2013, increasing from $281,000 to $295,000. Condo prices jumped 11.4 percent, rising from the 2013 figure of $202,000 to last year’s median selling price of $225,000.
Home buyers who shopped during 2014 often had lots of company – and competition. Brokers notched more than 102,000 pending sales (mutually accepted offers) during 2014, while adding 107,722 new listings to inventory. Brokers said depleted inventory led to bidding wars for homes in the most desirable areas, and led to disappointment for indecisive or unprepared bidders.
During 2014, the average area-wide supply, as measured by months of inventory, fell below 3.5 months. King County had the lowest level, averaging only 1.9 months of supply. Industry insiders tend to use a 4- to-6 month range as an indicator of a balanced market, favoring neither buyers nor sellers.
Further evidence of a housing recovery is reflected in high-end sales. Northwest MLS members reported 2,069 sales of single family homes priced at $1 million or more, up nearly 28 percent from the 2013 total of 1,621 “luxury” sales. Condos priced at $1 million and up accounted for another 152 sales. A total of 878 condos commanded sales prices of $500,000 or more, up 20 percent from the figure for 2013.
The highest-priced single family home that sold during 2014 by a member of Northwest MLS was a property in the Town of Hunts Point that commanded $9.1 million. Topping the chart of high-priced condominiums was one in a downtown Seattle high-rise that sold for $6.1 million. 

Among other highlights in its annual compilation of statistics, Northwest Multiple Listing Service reported:

•   About 46 percent of last year’s single family home sales had three bedrooms.
  
•   The median price for a 3-bedroom home that sold in 2014 was $250,000, about 5 percent higher
  than the previous year’s figure of $262,500. A comparison by county shows the median price for
  this size home ranged from $143,500 in Pacific County to $410,000 in San Juan County.
  
•   More than three-fourths (75.2 percent) of condos that sold had two or fewer bedrooms.
  
•   Of the condo sales, about six of every 10 (61.9 percent) were located in King County, primarily in
  Seattle or on the Eastside.
  
•   Last year’s sales included 8,177 newly built single family homes that sold for a median price of
  $374,000, and 607 condos that sold for a median price of $369,950.
  
•   A comparison of median prices of single family homes shows more than half the counties served
  by Northwest MLS have improved on prices reported for 2005.
  
•   Prices vary widely among school districts. Homes that sold in school districts on Shaw Island and
  Mercer Island fetched median prices of $1 million or more.
  In addition to summarizing sales and listing activity, Northwest MLS also reported enhancements to several services for its growing membership. Among 2014 highlights was the launch of an advanced system for online forms, document storage, electronic signatures and related tools. The MLS also upgraded its keybox program, involving the exchange of more than 90,000 devices.
  

Northwest Multiple Listing Service, owned by its member real estate firms, is the largest full-service MLS in the Northwest. Its membership includes more than 22,000 real estate brokers. The organization, based in Kirkland, Wash., expended services to two new counties (Chelan and Douglas) during 2014. With those additions the MLS network now encompasses 23 counties in Washington state.