Marine waters include nearshore habitats and off-shore marine waters. The CWU supports protection of marine receiving water quality by reducing pollutants entering the system, as well as planning for managed retreat from the impacts of sea level rise and extreme weather events. Shellfish beds and marine water quality monitoring are specifically addressed by the Department of Ecology in coordination with the County Health Department.
The County Marine Program broadly supports stewardship of marine environment by implementing nearshore habitat restoration, salmon recovery, Southern Resident killer whale recovery efforts, oil spill prevention and response, among other projects.