March 13, 2025

Dear Partners and Friends of Washington Sea Grant:

For more than 50 years, Washington Sea Grant has served the State of Washington, the Pacific Northwest, and the nation by funding marine research, providing technical assistance, and working with communities, managers, businesses, educators, and the public to advance regional understanding and sustainable use of ocean and coastal resources. WSG’s work in 2018-2023 brought more than $190 million in services and economic benefits to the state. As a non-partisan state-federal partnership, WSG benefits from federal funding for the Sea Grant Program that helps to support staff and their on-the-ground work in coastal communities throughout the state.

WSG has measurably improved the lives and livelihoods of Washington residents through research, outreach, and education activities, all of which are conducted in collaboration with partner organizations and local communities. This includes work that protects people and infrastructure by addressing coastal hazards; supports sustainable fisheries and aquaculture that help provide food for the entire nation; provides new and existing maritime workers with skills to safely and effectively carry out their jobs; and advances science to support decision-making that protects and enhances ecological health and human well-being.

Washington Sea Grant has built capacity and continues to provide programming on Washington’s Pacific coast and within Puget Sound. Examples of the breadth and depth of this work between 2018 and 2023 include:

• More than 1.4 million coastal residents, boaters, fishermen, shellfish growers, small business owners, natural resource managers, coastal planners and K-12 students reached.
• More than 100,000 volunteer hours contributed, valued at $3.6 million.
• Hundreds of partners from government, academic, industry and nongovernmental sectors.
• Sustainable development practices and policies implemented in more than 300 communities.

As a state-federal partnership, WSG is dedicated to its mission and performs its activities to best meet state and federal needs and priorities. We are confident that WSG will continue to deliver its outstanding programming to the citizens of Washington State.  We are proud of our expert staff members and their dedication to serving you and your communities. We are committed to continuing our work and thank you for joining us in our mission to improve environment, lives, and livelihoods throughout Washington’s coastal communities.

Terrie Klinger
Interim Faculty Director

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Washington Sea Grant, based at the University of Washington, helps people and marine life thrive through research, technical expertise and education supporting the responsible use and conservation of coastal ecosystems. Washington Sea Grant is one of 34 Sea Grant programs supported by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in coastal and Great Lakes states that encourage the wise stewardship of our marine resources through research, education, outreach and technology transfer.

wsg.uw.edu

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