Juvenile Salmon Composition, Timing, Distribution, and Diet in Marine Nearshore Waters of Central Puget Sound on 2001-2002
About this report
The listing of Puget Sound Chinook salmon as threatened under the authority of the Endangered Species Act (ESA) prompted a number of local, state, and federal resource management agencies to identify and evaluate factors affecting the decline of salmon. Early in this process, the King County Department of Natural Resources and Parks recognized that much was not understood about the early life history of salmon in Puget Sound. This was especially true of time spent in marine shoreline areas outside of river mouth estuaries. The early life stages in the marine environment are considered critical to the survival and productivity of salmonids. Yet, little is known about the species composition, timing, distribution, and diet of salmonids in marine nearshore waters of central Puget Sound. To address these gaps in our understanding, a pilot study was conducted in 2000, and followed up with the 2001 and 2002 marine nearshore salmonid surveys presented in this report.
The central purpose of the nearshore salmonid surveys was to investigate the use of marine nearshore waters by juvenile salmonids within the study area (central Puget Sound). Sampling sites were selected throughout the study area (WRIAs 8 and 9, including Vashon/Maury Islands), within the boundaries of King and south Snohomish Counties. A 37 meter x 2 meter floating beach seine was used to collect fish, which were measured, weighed, and checked for coded wire tags and adipose fin clips (to distinguish hatchery from wild fish and origin of tagged hatchery fish). Gut contents were collected in order to determine diet composition. Relevant environmental data were also collected to characterize habitats at each sampling location. Sampling was conducted between May and October 2001, and April to December 2002.
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