2023 STATE of the SOUND

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The 2023 State of the Sound conveys a sense of urgency and hope. The Puget Sound ecosystem is not doing well, but with collective effort, we can restore it to health and make sure it can adapt to climate change and other pressures. Many of the indicators we use to gauge the health of the Puget Sound ecosystem are not making progress toward recovery. Some indicators show local declines, which means we need to devote attention to those areas to prevent the declines from getting worse.

However, we have seen big changes in the last two years that make us optimistic. New funding from the federal government and the state gives our region a chance to accomplish major recovery goals. Policy changes, including the passage of key parts of the PUGET SOS Act, make it easier for partners across the Sound to work together. We need to take advantage of this moment to set ourselves on the right course for
recovery, to restore this beautiful place for ourselves and future generations while we still can.

The 2023 State of the Sound includes information about

• the health of Puget Sound;
• the state of the Puget Sound recovery effort;
• recommendations from the Partnership’s leadership and boards; and
• other key details related to the recovery community and our work.

A Call to Action to recover and restore Puget Sound

The 2023 State of the Sound includes recommendations about recovery actions, funding and policy changes, and collaboration for the State Legislature, state agencies, local governments, Congress, federal agencies, nongovernmental organizations, the Partnership, business, the public, and Tribes.