CURRENT PROJECTS
Olympia Oyster Continuation and Expansion
Tarboo/Dabob Bay Fish Assessment
Port Townsend Bay Eelgrass Voluntary Anchor Protection Zone Pilot Project
ONGOING PROJECTS
Library Development
Forage Fish / Nearshore Information
Website Development
Port Townsend Bay Eelgrass
Voluntary Anchor Protection Zone
Pilot Project
The eelgrass beds along the shorelines of downtown Port Townsend support multiple ESA listed and distressed stocks of Pacific salmon and many other priority juvenile fishes. Eelgrass beds are ranked as Priority Habitat by the WDFW.
| Buoys mark the protective no-anchor zone |
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The City of Port Townsend Shoreline Inventory of 2002 identifies the eelgrass beds of Port Townsend Bay as important rearing habitat for salmon, including the ESA listed Hood Canal Summer Chum. Juvenile salmon are observed in the early summer along the downtown shoreline.
This project protects this critical habitat by delineating a voluntary "No Anchor Zone" in order to avoid anchor damage to the eelgrass beds. The project goal is to protect, enhance and restore Port Townsend Bay eelgrass meadows by reducing anchoring in these areas. This would be achieved by educating vessel operators on the importance of eelgr ass and to get voluntary cooperation in refraining from anchoring in the eelgrass meadow off the Port Townsend downtown shoreline.
Click here to view a map of eelgrass meadows and kelp beds in Jefferson County.
Click on a link below for more details
• Boats & Anchors in Pt. Townsend Bay • Public Outreach
• Sign & Buoy Permitting • Buoy Installation
• Signage, Brochures & Education • Benchmarks
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