PORT ANGELES — The Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary should find partners, including the Arthur D. Feiro Marine Life Center, to build a campus in Port Angeles for oceanic research and education, a draft long-range plan proposes for the sanctuary.
The recommendation was presented at a meeting Wednesday attended by the city of Port Angeles, the marine life center and members of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
NOAA runs the nation’s marine sanctuaries.
Doug Lowe, president of Facility Programming and Consulting, said at the meeting at the Port Angeles fire station that the sanctuary’s Port Angeles headquarters is “constrained” at The Landing mall and could make the move to a larger and more visible location if other public entities or nonprofit organizations participate.
“I think this is the time for sure here in Port Angeles,” he said, noting that the marine life center also is looking to expand.
NOAA hired Lowe to develop the plan.
Other partners, he said, could be the city, the Port of Port Angeles, tribes and Peninsula College.
Deborah Moriarty, Feiro educational coordinator, said the marine life center on City Pier would like to move to larger digs.
“We’ve outgrown our space,” she said.
But whether Feiro will team up with NOAA remains to be determined, Moriarty said, adding that they need to “see where we can mesh.”
The sanctuary leases 4,500 square feet at The Landing mall for offices and a visitor center and a 2,700-square-foot warehouse.
Lowe said the draft plan involves expanding that to 20,000 square feet at another location.
Sanctuary Superintendent Carol Bernthal said such an expansion could only be made possible if other groups or government agencies share the space.
Still, the move would likely result in expanding the size of the sanctuary’s staff.
Bernthal said funding isn’t available for that but emphasized that they are trying to plan for the long term.
“If you just plan for where you are, you’re not doing a very good job,” she said.
Lowe said the draft plan is scheduled to be finalized this spring.
It also recommends replacing an operations and storage trailer at Neah Bay and planning for a new dock facility at LaPush.
________
Reporter Tom Callis can be reached at 360-417-3532 or at tom.callis@peninsuladailynews.com.
