When the Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group developed a Strategic Plan a few years ago, the Plan started with the mission statement; "The mission of the Skagit Fisheries Enhancement Group is to build partnerships that educate and engage the community in habitat restoration and watershed stewardship in order to enhance salmonid populations". I want to emphasize that this community based organization continues to demonstrate, with results, that it is dedicated to meeting its mission. A review of the SFEG's most recent annual report (June 2001-July 2002) corroborates this conclusion.

When SFEG started in the early 1990s, the organization was primarily involved in chum and coho production using remote site incubators on several tributaries in the Samish River Watershed; in supporting chinook and coho smolt imprinting/delayed release in net pens at Anacortes; and in a few habitat projects. During those early years, the annual operating budget was less than $50,000, nearly all from the dedicated Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group Program funding (derived from commercial and recreational salmon licenses) administered through the Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife. In 1996, SFEG received its first substantial outside funding, for habitat restoration, through the state's Jobs for the Environment Program to employ and train displaced natural resource workers. These funds paid for our habitat restoration crew and increased the organization's administrative support. By the late 1990s, the state legislature had established the Salmon Recovery Planning Act and the associated Salmon Recovery Funding Act. The former Act created the formation of a local Lead Entity, the Skagit Watershed Council in our area, to prioritize local sponsors' habitat protection and restoration projects for funding by the Salmon Recovery Funding Board created by the latter Act. As the Jobs for the Environment Program was ending, SFEG became very successful in competing for habitat project funding through the Lead Entity process. Today, with these grants and others, SFEG has an annual operating budget of about $600,000, more than ten times what it was ten years ago. As SFEG has matured, so have the expectations, not only within the organization and the community it represents, but also within the state agencies that determine and guide the state's efforts in salmon recovery. As a consequence, the bureaucracy wants improved coordination and accountability for all the public funds expended in salmon recovery. I support this objective. However, the Salmon Recovery Funding Board grants do not provide funds to support SFEG's administrative infrastructure, its volunteer recruitment and public education programs and its identifying and developing of habitat projects. Over the past several years when license sales decreased, the dedicated Regional Fisheries Enhancement Group Program funds that support these activities have decreased substantially. Consequently SFEG is preparing to launch an increased effort, within the community, to raise operating funds for its infrastructure, community outreach and project development. These funds are necessary if we are to continue to meet our mission and goals of promoting watershed stewardship; of restoration and protection of stream ecosystems; of research and monitoring of projects; of an effective administrative infrastructure; and of promoting the organization within the community. In the coming months as the fund raising effort is implemented, I anticipate that the community will respond positively to this endeavor.

SFEG had a highly successful annual membership meeting in early February, demonstrating that SFEG continues to be an organization with broad community support, especially from its very important volunteers. SFEG recently decided to expand the Board of Directors from eight to twelve members. At the annual meeting, nine Board members were elected including six who had not previously served. I especially want to welcome the new members who will bring new energy and talents to the organization at a most important time.