The Northwest Straits consist of the near shore habitat and open waters of northern Puget Sound, the Strait of Juan de Fuca and George’s Strait to the Canadian border.
In 1998, Senator Murray and Representative Jack Metcalf (R-WA-02) created the Northwest Straits Commission in response to growing concerns about the declining health of marine ecosystems in the Northwest region of Washington state. This grassroots effort involves representatives from county, tribal, state and federal governments, non-profit organizations and volunteers who are working together to protect and restore marine resources in northern Puget Sound.