Presentation Abstract
As intertidal spawners, surf smelt and Pacific sand lance are vulnerable to the effects of shoreline development – especially hard armoring which has both immediate and long-term impacts to the incubating eggs and the availability of suitable spawning substrate. On private property along a public road, Friends of the San Juans restored large sections of a priority year-round forage fish spawning beach. Key steps included spawn surveys, landowner, neighborhood and community outreach including school youth involvement in pre-project monitoring. Rock removal designs were completed for the entire documented spawning reach. In the fall of 2017, 600 linear feet of habitat was restored across two sites and three private properties. Restoration methods and public involvement varied across the two sites. One section of beach was treated with mechanical removal of over 220 cubic yards of quarry spall and large rock as well as imported beach nourishment. At the second section, the rock was removed by hand with extensive youth participation (including schools and conservation corps) and no nourishment was applied. The project site has extensive monitoring data on forage fish spawn timing, distribution, and abundance which provides significant learning opportunities regarding how the two different restoration methods and beach conditions affect future forage fish spawning distribution and abundance. Initial monitoring results will be shared. Next steps at the site are to expand habitat improvements with additional landowners, monitoring, and ongoing community conversations on sea level rise adaptation including the potential for road realignment. The presentation will emphasize lessons learned and key elements of successful forage fish restoration project implementation including: strategies to engage waterfront property owners, neighborhoods and communities, and steps to achieving projects that improve spawning beaches today and also foster support for habitat friendly adaptation projects in the future.
Session Title
Forage Fish Status, Spawning Beach Restoration and Monitoring, and Community Engagement in the Salish Sea
Keywords
Forage fish habitat, Beach restoration
Conference Track
SSE1: Habitat Restoration and Protection
Conference Name
Salish Sea Ecosystem Conference (2018 : Seattle, Wash.)
Document Type
Event
SSEC Identifier
SSE1-461
Start Date
5-4-2018 2:45 PM
End Date
5-4-2018 3:00 PM
Type of Presentation
Oral
Genre/Form
conference proceedings; presentations (communicative events)
Contributing Repository
Digital content made available by University Archives, Heritage Resources, Western Libraries, Western Washington University.
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Forage fishes--Juan de Fuca, Strait of (B.C. and Wash.); Beach nourishment--Juan de Fuca, Strait of (B.C. and Wash.); Beach erosion monitoring--Juan de Fuca, Strait of (B.C. and Wash.); Fish habitat improvement--Juan de Fuca, Strait of (B.C. and Wash.); Fishes--Spawing--Juan de Fuca, Strait of (B.C. and Wash.); Pacific sand lance--Juan de Fuca, Strait of (B.C. and Wash.); Smelts--Juan de Fuca, Strait of (B.C. and Wash.)
Geographic Coverage
Juan de Fuca, Strait of (B.C. and 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
Community forage fish habitat restoration in the San Juans
As intertidal spawners, surf smelt and Pacific sand lance are vulnerable to the effects of shoreline development – especially hard armoring which has both immediate and long-term impacts to the incubating eggs and the availability of suitable spawning substrate. On private property along a public road, Friends of the San Juans restored large sections of a priority year-round forage fish spawning beach. Key steps included spawn surveys, landowner, neighborhood and community outreach including school youth involvement in pre-project monitoring. Rock removal designs were completed for the entire documented spawning reach. In the fall of 2017, 600 linear feet of habitat was restored across two sites and three private properties. Restoration methods and public involvement varied across the two sites. One section of beach was treated with mechanical removal of over 220 cubic yards of quarry spall and large rock as well as imported beach nourishment. At the second section, the rock was removed by hand with extensive youth participation (including schools and conservation corps) and no nourishment was applied. The project site has extensive monitoring data on forage fish spawn timing, distribution, and abundance which provides significant learning opportunities regarding how the two different restoration methods and beach conditions affect future forage fish spawning distribution and abundance. Initial monitoring results will be shared. Next steps at the site are to expand habitat improvements with additional landowners, monitoring, and ongoing community conversations on sea level rise adaptation including the potential for road realignment. The presentation will emphasize lessons learned and key elements of successful forage fish restoration project implementation including: strategies to engage waterfront property owners, neighborhoods and communities, and steps to achieving projects that improve spawning beaches today and also foster support for habitat friendly adaptation projects in the future.
