Forage Fish Surveys
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- Sarah Clarke taking bulk sand and gravel samples from a beach near Pt. Defiance
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- A 10-day-old surf smelt egg at 10X magnification
Every winter, forage fish take to South Puget Sound beaches in droves for a massive annual spawning event that will last several months.
SPSSEG and the Nisqually Indian Tribe (NIT) launched a forage fish study in 2006-2007. SPSSEG and the NIT conducted these studies along a particular shoreline in South Puget Sound. Dan Pentilla, WDFW biologist, provided SPSSEG with training, equipment, and technical support.
This survey was undertaken to inform the WRIA 11/12 Nearshore Assessment. SPSSEG’s work has served to support and expand WDFW’s database of documented forage fish spawning beaches. For more information on forage fish, visit http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/forage/forage.htm