More Habitat More Fish

8/12/2019 More Habitat More Fish

1/8

More

habitatmeans more


2/8

Habitats keep commercial

and recreational fisheries strong

Habitat provides important feeding and breeding grounds forfish. Without the right habitat, fish cant grow or reproduce, and

that means fewerand less healthyfish. U.S. commercial andrecreational saltwater fishing generated more than billioninsales and supported . million jobs in the nations economy in .Fishing has also been a culturally defining activity for generationsof Americans and provides countless opportunities for outdoorrecreation.

If we lose the habitat, we lose the fish

Fish habitat has been declining for decades around the country and therate of loss is increasing. The U.S. lost , acres of coastal wetlandsbetween and , three times higher than to . Withoutaction to protect and restore habitat now, this trend will continue andworsen due to the combined effects of climate change and sea level rise.

So what can we do? Protect and restore habitat

Investments by private groups and government have led to well-testedand effective methods of habitat conservation and restoration. Winwinsolutions with farmers, fishermen, conservationists, and others haveimproved and expanded habitat that fish need throughout their life

cycle, from the upland river to the estuary to the ocean.More, bigger, and healthier fisheries its as simple as that. Habitatconservation and restoration are smart investments not only for ourfisheries but for the communitiesand economiesthat rely on them.

San Francisco BayBay wetlands

Louisiana loses wetlands

at the rate of one football

field every hour.

Columbia River salmon Great Lakes wetlands

Regional Losses

Galveston Bayseagrass

Gulf of Mexico wetlands

99% GONE

ChesapeakeBay oysters

85% GONE

95% GONE

97% GONE

>50%GONE

>50%GONE

HABITAT AND S PE C I E S LOSS

2

The big challenges that fisheries

face are increasingly habitat

challenges. Without healthy habitat,we cannot sustain the fisheries that

will feed Americans now and intothe future.Eric C. Schwaab, Assistant

Administrator for NOAA Fisheries


3/8

Restore fish passage

Fish, such as sturgeon and salmon, spend an important part of their livesupstream. Forage fish,like river herring, are a critical food source for codand other commercially fished species and also depend on the ability to

migrate upstream to reproduce.

Since the th century, rivers have been blocked and diverted to servea developing industrial nation. The mill by the river is long gone, butthe dam or poorly designed culvert remains, still preventing fish fromgetting to habitat where they can feed and reproduce. By making iteasier for fish to travel freely, populations are rebounding to and, insome cases, beyond their historical numbers.

It doesnt take long to see big resultsHerring were completely wiped outabove the Edwards Dam on

the Kennebec River in Maine in . Now the population is at millionthanks to dam removals in and and additionalrestoration. Shad and sturgeon are on the rebound as well.

On Massachusetts Acushnet River, , percent more herringwerecounted four years after two fishways were installed in .

Just two yearsafter the culvert connecting Bride Brook to LongIsland Sound was enlarged in , the herring population morethan tripled from , to ,.

0

2012201120082005 201020072004 200920062003

50,000

100,000

150,000

Herringnumbers

200,000

250,000

300,000

CULVERT

REPLACEMENT

HISTORICAL POPULATION

HERRING POPULATION SURGE

More than 600 fisheries speciesuse estuaries for some part

of their life cycle.9

3

FORAGE FISH : THEVITAL LINK OF THE OCEANFOOD WEB

FORAGEFISH

PLANKTONMICROSCOPIC PLANTS ANDANIMALS


4/8

Reef building yields multiple benefits

Over time, shellfish such as oysters and mussels produce three-dimensional structures known as reefs. These reefs are critical not onlybecause they are habitat for shellfish, but also because they provide

shelter and feeding grounds for a host of other species, including fish.Many reefs around the country have been destroyed, so protecting andrestoring them is critical to increasing the populations of shellfish

and fish, along with the wide range of other species that rely on them.

Rebuilding a native populationThe Chesapeake Bay once had a thriving and abundant native

oyster population that has since been decimated. One restorationproject used shell to rebuild the reef structures over a total of acres. Native oysters repopulated these reefs, resulting in a-fold increase in the populationto an astonishing millionoysters within five years.

Restoring oysters, increasing fishIn Mobile Bay, Alabama, constructing an oyster shell reef increasedpopulations of several economically-important species, such as:blue crab by percent; red drum by percent; spotted

seatrout by percent; and flounder by percent.

0

40

After restorationBefore restoration

80

120

Oysterspersquaremeter

0

100

200

N

umberofoysters(millions)

A -FOLD INCREASEIN OYSTERS


5/8

5

Protect and restore marsh and seagrass

Marshes and seagrasses provide shelter and food for many importantfish species. Protecting and restoring these habitats are vital toincreasing our nations fish populations.

If you restore it, they will come (back)In San Francisco Bay, , fish from species have returned tothousands of acres of restored salt marsh that were converted forsalt production in the s. These include steelhead trout, Pacificherring, green sturgeon, and Chinook salmon.

In Boston Harbor, eelgrass had been completely wiped out. After

replanting and restoring the eelgrass, these areas showed anincrease in both the diversity and number of species of both fishand their prey. Winter flounder, crab, and lobster were found at thesites, indicating that eelgrass restoration provides new habitat forthese and many other species.

Habitat restoration yieldslong-term benefits to fisheriesIn Delaware Bay, both resident and migratory fish populationsincreased long-term, according to a nine-year study of a formersalt hay farm. The fish were more abundant and grew largerfollowing the marsh restoration.

Forage fish increaseIn Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island, studies showed that a tidal

marsh restoration resulted in increased fish populations,particularly of forage fish. These smaller fish serve as a food sourcefor important commercial and recreational species such as stripedbass, red drum, and blue crab.

SEAGRASS PROVIDES SHELTER ,

FOOD , AND A NURSERYAREA

Americas anglers are one of thenations most powerful forces

for conserving and restoring

our nations fisheries and waters,

investing more than $1 billion eachyear in fisheries management and

habitat restoration through the

excise tax on fishing equipment and

state fishing license sales.Mike Nussman,

President and CEO,

American Sportfishing Association


6/8

6

Create sheltered spaces

Many young fish do best when they spend time off channel in thecalm, sheltered waters of floodplains, marshes, and other wetlands.The longer fish stay, the bigger they growand bigger fish are more

likely to survive their trip to the ocean and return to spawn. But manysheltered places no longer exist. Dikes, levees, and similar structuresnow prevent much of the seasonal flooding that sustains thesehabitats.

Creative engineering can help rebuild habitatFish grew six times biggerin off channel ponds created by theYurok Tribe on Terwer Creek in Northern California. Soon after

their completion, they quickly provided crucial habitatfor threesalmon species and other fish. Other studies confirm substantialdifferences in growth rates between fish that get to shelter andthose that dont.

Both fish and farmers can benefit

million in economic benefitsover years are expected toflow from the modernization of diking and drainage structures inthe farmland around Fisher Slough in Washingtons Skagit Delta.This effort has restored critical tidal channel habitat and accessto upstream areas, resulting in population increases in both fishand their prey. In addition to fisheries benefits, farmers will havereduced crop damage from flooding and lower maintenance

costs.

Habitat improvements recover fishand reduce floodingThe Dry Creek tributary of Californias Russian River was historicallychannelized to the point that the flows had become too fast forfish to successfully thrive. Habitat improvements were madein in partnership with a local winery so that calmer areaswithin the creek were created, making it a more suitable areafor fish to reproduce and rear the next generation. As a result of

the project, fish and their offspring are now using the creekand its improved habitat. These actions also reduced floodingand erosion, making it an all-around success story for the fish, thewatershed, and the property owners.

After restorationBefore restoration

FISH GREWSIX TIMESBIGGER

Coasts and estuaries provide vital

habitat for over 75 percent of our

nations commercial fish catch and

8090 percent of the recreationalfish catch.


7/8


8/8

Restore Americas Estuaries is a national501(c)(3) nonprofit organizationestablished as an alliance of elevencommunity-based conservationorganizations working together toprotect and restore the vital habitats ofour nations estuaries.

www.estuaries.org

The American Sportfishing Association iscommitted to representing the interestsof the sportfishing community and theentire recreational fishing community.

www.asafishing.org

NOAAs National Marine Fisheries Serviceis responsible for the management,conservation, and protection of Americasliving marine resources.

www.noaa.gov

Science communication, layout, and design in collaboration with University of Maryland Center for EnvironmentalScience Integration and Application Network www.ian.umces.edu

Citation:Restore Americas Estuaries. 2013. More Habitat Means More Fish.

1. National Marine Fisheries Service. 2012. Fish-eries Economics of the United States, 2011.U.S. Dept. Commerce, NOAA Tech. Memo.NMFS-F/SPO-118, 175 pp. http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/Assets/economics/documents/

feus/2011/FEUS 2011 National Overview.pdf2. Dahl, T.E. 2011. Status and trends of wetlands

in the conterminous United States 2004 to2009. U.S. Department of the Interior; Fishand Wildlife Service, Washington, D.C. 108pp. http://www.fws.gov/wetlands/Documents/Status-and-Trends-of-Wetlands-in-the-Conter-

minous-United-States-2004-to-2009.pdf

3. Restore Americas Estuaries. 2011. Jobs &Dollars Big Returns from Coastal HabitatRestoration. http://estuaries.org/imag-es/81103-RAE_17_FINAL_web.pdf

4. Fahlund, A. River Rebirth: Removing Edwards

Dam on Maines Kennebec River. NationalGeographic. http://environment.nationalgeo-graphic.com/environment/freshwater/lessons-

from-the-field-edwards-dam-removal-maine

5. Natural Resources Council of Maine.Edwards Dam and Kennebec Restoration.http://www.nrcm.org/issue_edwardsdam.asp

6. Maine Department of Marine Resources.Kennebec River Diadromous FishRestoration Project. http://www.maine.gov/dmr/searunfish/kennebec

7. Sheppard, J.J. and S. Block. 2012.Monitoring changes in diadromouspopulations resulting from fish passageimprovements on the Acushnet River,MA. 9th International Symposium onEcohydraulics 2012. http://www.ise2012.boku.ac.at/papers/15962_2.pdf

8. NOAA Fisheries. 2012. River Restoration Re-sults in Record Fish Runs. http://www.habitat.noaa.gov/highlights/herringrestoration.html

9. Lellis-Dibble, K.A., K.E. McGlynn, and T.E.Bigford. 2008. Estuarine fish and shellfishspecies in U.S. commercial and recreationalfisheries: economic value as an incentiveto protect and restore estuarine habitat.U.S. Dep. Commerce, NOAA Tech. Memo.NMFSF/SPO-90, 94 pp. http://spo.nmfs.

noaa.gov/tm/TM90.pdf10. Schulte, D.M., P.B. Russell, and R.N. Lipcius.2009. Unprecedented restoration of anative oyster metapopulation. Science 325:11241128. http://www.harborestuary.org/reports/oyster/Report-Schulte.pdf

11. Scyphers, S.B., S.P. Powers, K.L. Heck Jr,and D. Byron. 2011. Oyster reefs as naturalbreakwaters mitigate shoreline lossand facilitiate fisheries. PLoS ONE 6(8):e22396.http://www.plosone.org/article/

info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.002239612. Hobbs, J.A. and P. Moyle. 2012. Monitoring

the Response of Fish Communities to SaltPond Restoration: Final Report. http://www.southbayrestoration.org/documents/

technical/110712_Final Report_Monitoring

the Respons of Fish Assemblages.pdf

13. Estrella, B.T., A.S. Leschen, and R.K.Kessler. 2009. Eelgrass restorationproject (July 1, 2004October 31, 2007).Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries.http://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/

programsandprojects/hubline/hubline_5yr_

eelgrass_restoration.pdf

14. Able, K.W., T.M. Grothues, S.M. Hagan,M.E. Kimball, D.M. Nemerson, and G.L.Taghon. 2008. Long-term response offishes and other fauna to restoration offormer salt hay farms: multiple measuresof restoration success. Reviews in FishBiology and Fisheries 18: 6597.

15. Ekberg, M.C. and W. Ferguson. 2012.Challenges and lessons learned inrestoring a rapidly subsiding salt marsh.Poster presented at Restore AmericasEstuaries 6th National Conference, October20-25, Tampa, FL.

16. Pagliuco, R., A. Antonetti, S. Silloway, S.

Beesley, M. Hiner, and R. Fiori. 2012. TerwerCreek off-channel pond restoration.Coastal Off-Channel and Tidal HabitatRestoration Symposium.

17. ECONorthwest. 2012. Socioeconomicbenefits of the Fisher Slough RestorationProject.http://www.habitat.noaa.gov/partners/toolkits/restorationjobs/

oregon_washington/economic_reports/

fisher_slough_benefits_final_2012to1226.pdf

18. Beamer, E., R. Henderson, and K. Wolf.

2010. Juvenile salmon, estuarine, andfreshwater fish utilization of habitatassociated with the Fisher SloughRestoration Project, Washington 2009.http://www.skagitcoop.org/documents/

FisherSlough2009Report_Final.pdf19. Sonoma County Water Agency. 2013. Rus-

sian River Biological Opinion Dry Creek.http://www.scwa.ca.gov/drycreek

20. Feierabend, S.J. and J.M. Zelazny. 1987. Statusreport on our nations wetlands. NationalWildlife Federation: Washington, D.C.

Photo credits

Cover (background, then clockwise from top left):Peter Clark, Tampa Bay Watch; NOAA; BarbaraReddoch/123rf.com; Jonathan Wilker/PurdueUniversity; NOAA; John Boston (flickr.com/road-hunter); NOAA; NOAA; NOAA. Page 2: Joe Mabel.Page 3: USFWS. Page 4: NOAA. Page 5: NOAA. Page6: iofoto/123rf.com. Page 7: CK Productions; MicheleCornelius/123rf.com.

Endnotes
http://www.estuaries.org/http://www.asafishing.org/http://www.noaa.gov/http://www.ian.umces.edu/http://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/Assets/economics/documents/feus/2011/FEUS%202011%20National%20Overview.pdfhttp://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/Assets/economics/documents/feus/2011/FEUS%202011%20National%20Overview.pdfhttp://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/Assets/economics/documents/feus/2011/FEUS%202011%20National%20Overview.pdfhttp://www.fws.gov/wetlands/Documents/Status-and-Trends-of-Wetlands-in-the-Conterminous-United-States-2004-to-2009.pdfhttp://www.fws.gov/wetlands/Documents/Status-and-Trends-of-Wetlands-in-the-Conterminous-United-States-2004-to-2009.pdfhttp://www.fws.gov/wetlands/Documents/Status-and-Trends-of-Wetlands-in-the-Conterminous-United-States-2004-to-2009.pdfhttp://estuaries.org/images/81103-RAE_17_FINAL_web.pdfhttp://estuaries.org/images/81103-RAE_17_FINAL_web.pdfhttp://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/lessons-from-the-field-edwards-dam-removal-mainehttp://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/lessons-from-the-field-edwards-dam-removal-mainehttp://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/lessons-from-the-field-edwards-dam-removal-mainehttp://www.nrcm.org/issue_edwardsdam.asphttp://www.maine.gov/dmr/searunfish/kennebechttp://www.maine.gov/dmr/searunfish/kennebechttp://www.ise2012.boku.ac.at/papers/15962_2.pdfhttp://www.ise2012.boku.ac.at/papers/15962_2.pdfhttp://www.habitat.noaa.gov/highlights/herringrestoration.htmlhttp://www.habitat.noaa.gov/highlights/herringrestoration.htmlhttp://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/tm/TM90.pdfhttp://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/tm/TM90.pdfhttp://www.harborestuary.org/reports/oyster/Report-Schulte.pdfhttp://www.harborestuary.org/reports/oyster/Report-Schulte.pdfhttp://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0022396http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0022396http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0022396http://www.southbayrestoration.org/documents/technical/110712_Final%20Report_Monitoring%20the%20Respons%20of%20Fish%20Assemblages.pdfhttp://www.southbayrestoration.org/documents/technical/110712_Final%20Report_Monitoring%20the%20Respons%20of%20Fish%20Assemblages.pdfhttp://www.southbayrestoration.org/documents/technical/110712_Final%20Report_Monitoring%20the%20Respons%20of%20Fish%20Assemblages.pdfhttp://www.southbayrestoration.org/documents/technical/110712_Final%20Report_Monitoring%20the%20Respons%20of%20Fish%20Assemblages.pdfhttp://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/programsandprojects/hubline/hubline_5yr_eelgrass_restoration.pdfhttp://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/programsandprojects/hubline/hubline_5yr_eelgrass_restoration.pdfhttp://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/programsandprojects/hubline/hubline_5yr_eelgrass_restoration.pdfhttp://www.habitat.noaa.gov/partners/toolkits/restorationjobs/oregon_washington/economic_reports/fisher_slough_benefits_final_2012to1226.pdfhttp://www.habitat.noaa.gov/partners/toolkits/restorationjobs/oregon_washington/economic_reports/fisher_slough_benefits_final_2012to1226.pdfhttp://www.habitat.noaa.gov/partners/toolkits/restorationjobs/oregon_washington/economic_reports/fisher_slough_benefits_final_2012to1226.pdfhttp://www.habitat.noaa.gov/partners/toolkits/restorationjobs/oregon_washington/economic_reports/fisher_slough_benefits_final_2012to1226.pdfhttp://www.habitat.noaa.gov/partners/toolkits/restorationjobs/oregon_washington/economic_reports/fisher_slough_benefits_final_2012to1226.pdfhttp://www.skagitcoop.org/documents/FisherSlough2009Report_Final.pdfhttp://www.skagitcoop.org/documents/FisherSlough2009Report_Final.pdfhttp://www.scwa.ca.gov/drycreekhttp://www.scwa.ca.gov/drycreekhttp://www.skagitcoop.org/documents/FisherSlough2009Report_Final.pdfhttp://www.skagitcoop.org/documents/FisherSlough2009Report_Final.pdfhttp://www.habitat.noaa.gov/partners/toolkits/restorationjobs/oregon_washington/economic_reports/fisher_slough_benefits_final_2012to1226.pdfhttp://www.habitat.noaa.gov/partners/toolkits/restorationjobs/oregon_washington/economic_reports/fisher_slough_benefits_final_2012to1226.pdfhttp://www.habitat.noaa.gov/partners/toolkits/restorationjobs/oregon_washington/economic_reports/fisher_slough_benefits_final_2012to1226.pdfhttp://www.habitat.noaa.gov/partners/toolkits/restorationjobs/oregon_washington/economic_reports/fisher_slough_benefits_final_2012to1226.pdfhttp://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/programsandprojects/hubline/hubline_5yr_eelgrass_restoration.pdfhttp://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/programsandprojects/hubline/hubline_5yr_eelgrass_restoration.pdfhttp://www.mass.gov/dfwele/dmf/programsandprojects/hubline/hubline_5yr_eelgrass_restoration.pdfhttp://www.southbayrestoration.org/documents/technical/110712_Final%20Report_Monitoring%20the%20Respons%20of%20Fish%20Assemblages.pdfhttp://www.southbayrestoration.org/documents/technical/110712_Final%20Report_Monitoring%20the%20Respons%20of%20Fish%20Assemblages.pdfhttp://www.southbayrestoration.org/documents/technical/110712_Final%20Report_Monitoring%20the%20Respons%20of%20Fish%20Assemblages.pdfhttp://www.southbayrestoration.org/documents/technical/110712_Final%20Report_Monitoring%20the%20Respons%20of%20Fish%20Assemblages.pdfhttp://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0022396http://www.plosone.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pone.0022396http://www.harborestuary.org/reports/oyster/Report-Schulte.pdfhttp://www.harborestuary.org/reports/oyster/Report-Schulte.pdfhttp://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/tm/TM90.pdfhttp://spo.nmfs.noaa.gov/tm/TM90.pdfhttp://www.habitat.noaa.gov/highlights/herringrestoration.htmlhttp://www.habitat.noaa.gov/highlights/herringrestoration.htmlhttp://www.ise2012.boku.ac.at/papers/15962_2.pdfhttp://www.ise2012.boku.ac.at/papers/15962_2.pdfhttp://www.maine.gov/dmr/searunfish/kennebechttp://www.maine.gov/dmr/searunfish/kennebechttp://www.nrcm.org/issue_edwardsdam.asphttp://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/lessons-from-the-field-edwards-dam-removal-mainehttp://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/lessons-from-the-field-edwards-dam-removal-mainehttp://environment.nationalgeographic.com/environment/freshwater/lessons-from-the-field-edwards-dam-removal-mainehttp://estuaries.org/images/81103-RAE_17_FINAL_web.pdfhttp://estuaries.org/images/81103-RAE_17_FINAL_web.pdfhttp://www.fws.gov/wetlands/Documents/Status-and-Trends-of-Wetlands-in-the-Conterminous-United-States-2004-to-2009.pdfhttp://www.fws.gov/wetlands/Documents/Status-and-Trends-of-Wetlands-in-the-Conterminous-United-States-2004-to-2009.pdfhttp://www.fws.gov/wetlands/Documents/Status-and-Trends-of-Wetlands-in-the-Conterminous-United-States-2004-to-2009.pdfhttp://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/Assets/economics/documents/feus/2011/FEUS%202011%20National%20Overview.pdfhttp://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/Assets/economics/documents/feus/2011/FEUS%202011%20National%20Overview.pdfhttp://www.st.nmfs.noaa.gov/Assets/economics/documents/feus/2011/FEUS%202011%20National%20Overview.pdfhttp://www.ian.umces.edu/http://www.noaa.gov/http://www.asafishing.org/http://www.estuaries.org/

More Habitat More Fish

Documents

Transcript of More Habitat More Fish