FORAGE FISH MONITORING IN THE SALISH SEA

Numerous beach surveys have occurred and continue to occur in the Salish Sea (WA and BC), with the goal of documenting directly-observed indication of presence of sand lance and surf smelt spawning on beaches, and documenting the respective habitat. The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) defines forage fish as generally planktivores, consuming copepods, mysids, and diverse larval forms of other organisms. Forage fish species spawn intertidally (surf smelt and sand lance), subtidally (herring and some sand lance) and pelagically (anchovy). Much of the data gathering is performed by trained volunteers both in British Columbia and in Washington State. In fact, most of the procedures and data templates originate from the well-established WDFW Marine Beach Spawning program (https://wdfw.wa.gov/fishing/management/marine-beach-spawning). A very large number of Citizen Scientist organiztions participate in the data sampling and analysis. A few of the larger organizations are linked below. Two types of beach surveys occur: those identifying beach sediment suitable for forage fish (Pacific sand lance and/or surf smelt) spawning, and surveys for observed spawning evidence in the sediments. Winter survey data is normally updated in May, and summer survey data updated in November.