Fish Response to Shoreline Habitats
Jason Toft
Comparing along-shore snorkel surveys between cobble beach, sand beach, rip rap, deep rip rap, and overwater structure.
We see biggest difference when you have sub-tidal modifications.
Gastric lavage of juvenile Chinook: insects dominate in shallow habitats, plankton/benthic dominate when shoreline is steep.
At Olympic sculpture park, we looked at pocket beach and subtidal bench before and after construction.
Pocket beach example:
- 94% juvenile salmon and few predators
- lots of post-larval fish ~3cm
Duwamish turning basin example:
- Chinook only use deeper portions; chum use both shallow and deep
Seahurst park (invertebrate example) where they took away a sea wall:
- higher diversity in first year, though abundance is still lower than reference site
