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Lawrence L. Moulton;
San Juan County Marine Resource Committee San Juan County forage fish assessment project distribution of surf smelt and Pacific sand lance spawning habitat in San Juan County, June 2002 [final report abstract] |
The study consisted of a field survey beaches potentially used for spawning by surf smelt (Hypomesus pretiosus) and Pacific san lance (Ammodytes hexapterus) in San Juan County, Washington. This was a cooperative study consisting of the San Juan County Marine Resources Committee, the volunteer group Friends of the San Juans, Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) and the University of Washington Friday Harbor Marine Laboratories. Previous investigations by WDFW had identified spawning on county beaches, but surveys were prematurely terminated. This study extended the surveys on a county-wide basis to identify beaches that qualified for protection under the Washington State Hydraulic Code Rules. Results to date have verified previous results and have extended the amount of known spawning habitat. Eight new surf smelt spawning beaches have been identified, resulting in a total of 30 beaches with documented spawning by surf smelt. There was no addition to the 8 beaches previously identified as supporting spawning by Pacific sand lance. As a result of surveys to date, a total 9.71 linear miles of forage fish spawning beach are afforded protection under the Hydraulic Code Rules. |
| Publications resulting from this research |
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Buffum, Stephanie. San Juan County forage fish assessment project: science and citizen involvement. Proceedings of the Georgia Basin/Puget Sound Research Conference, Vancouver 2003. (PDF) |