Presentation Abstract
Forage fish such as surf smelt (Hypomesus pretiosus) are a crucial piece of the marine food web in the Salish Sea as they are a vital conduit of energy from primary producers to higher level consumers, like marine mammals, seabirds, and salmon. Protection of forage fish spawning habitat is afforded under the Washington State Hydraulic Code, but in order for this habitat to be protected we must be able to document where it occurs. Surveys for nearshore spawning forage fish were first implemented by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) beginning in 1972. These early surveys were sometimes patchy both spatially and temporally, which has made assessing trends in distribution and utilization of spawning habitat difficult. Beginning in the spring of 2014, survey efforts were renewed with a more systematic sampling approach. At the same time, WDFW began development of a sample processing method that provided more consistent results from multiple user groups and greater probability of detecting eggs which enabled us to engage with more research partners to collect and process more samples. We will present findings from recent surveys and historical surveys, describe the spatial and temporal distribution of the documented surf smelt spawning habitat in Puget Sound, and discuss notable changes or differences.
Session Title
Forage Fish Status, Spawning Beach Restoration and Monitoring, and Community Engagement in the Salish Sea
Keywords
Surf smelt, Forage fish, Spawning habitat
Conference Track
SSE1: Habitat Restoration and Protection
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2018 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE1-304
Start Date
5-4-2018 1:30 PM
End Date
5-4-2018 1:45 PM
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events); posters
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Surfperches--Washington (State)--Puget Sound; Smelts--Washington (State)--Puget Sound; Food chains (Ecology)--Washington (State)--Puget Sound; Forage fishes--Washington (State)--Puget Sound
Geographic Coverage
Salish Sea (B.C. and Wash.); Puget Sound (Wash.)
Rights
This resource is displayed for educational purposes only and may be subject to U.S. and international copyright laws. For more information about rights or obtaining copies of this resource, please contact University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University, Bellingham, WA 98225-9103, USA (360-650-7534; heritage.resources@wwu.edu) and refer to the collection name and identifier. Any materials cited must be attributed to the Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference Records, University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Type
Text
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Included in
Fresh Water Studies Commons, Marine Biology Commons, Natural Resources and Conservation Commons, Terrestrial and Aquatic Ecology Commons
Surf Smelt Spawning Habitat Trends in South Puget Sound
Forage fish such as surf smelt (Hypomesus pretiosus) are a crucial piece of the marine food web in the Salish Sea as they are a vital conduit of energy from primary producers to higher level consumers, like marine mammals, seabirds, and salmon. Protection of forage fish spawning habitat is afforded under the Washington State Hydraulic Code, but in order for this habitat to be protected we must be able to document where it occurs. Surveys for nearshore spawning forage fish were first implemented by the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) beginning in 1972. These early surveys were sometimes patchy both spatially and temporally, which has made assessing trends in distribution and utilization of spawning habitat difficult. Beginning in the spring of 2014, survey efforts were renewed with a more systematic sampling approach. At the same time, WDFW began development of a sample processing method that provided more consistent results from multiple user groups and greater probability of detecting eggs which enabled us to engage with more research partners to collect and process more samples. We will present findings from recent surveys and historical surveys, describe the spatial and temporal distribution of the documented surf smelt spawning habitat in Puget Sound, and discuss notable changes or differences.
